If you are one of those who like to make the most of your holidays and discover unknown touristic places, on the Costa Brava and in the province of Girona you will find a spectacular religious heritage far from mass tourism: we will show you the Monasteries of Sant Pere de Rodes, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Sant Pere de Besalú, Sant Daniel and Sant Pere de Galligants!
In the village of El Port de la Selva, in the Alt Empordà, is the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, a Benedictine monastery of the old county of Empúries built on the Verdera mountain slopes, within the limits of the bishopric of Girona.
The monastery, together with the medieval town of Santa Creu de Rodes and the castle of Verdera is one of the most interesting monumental complexes of medieval times. The monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes is located in the middle of the complex and was the most important in the county of Empúries.
It is considered one of the main exponents of Romanesque architecture in Catalonia. As a Romanesque style, it has a Latin cross plan with three barrel-vaulted naves, delimited by a double colonnade with capitals of Corinthian influence. On the facade stands the 12th century bell tower and, next to it, a defense tower or keep from the 10th century.
From the 14th century, the monastery began to suffer a slow and gradual decline until it was finally abandoned in 1797.
The monastery of Sant Feliu de Guíxols is located in the center of Sant Feliu de Guíxols town, in the region of Baix Empordà. Currently, this space houses the Catalan painting section of the Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza collection and the History Museum.
The church of Sant Feliu is Gothic in style, with a single nave with transept and three polygonal apses, covered with a ribbed vault, and the part of the nave is Romanesque with a barrel vault. It is framed by the Torre del Fum, to the north, and the Torre del Corn, to the south.
The front is Romanesque origin and is preceded by one of the most iconic elements of the village, the Porta Ferrada, which is separated by more than three meters from the facade of the church, to which it was integrated as an arcade entrance.
In the old town of Besalu in the region of Pla de l'Estany, is the monastery of Sant Pere de Besalú. This Benedictine monastery was founded in 977 by Count Besalú of Girona Miró Bonfill and consecrated in 1003 thanks to Count Bernardo Tallaferro.
Its maximum splendor was during the XII and XIII centuries, when it became part of the county of Barcelona and had a major remodeling. Its decline began in the 15th century due to the wars of the Remences, earthquakes and the struggle for possessions with the bishop of Girona.
The building has a basilica floor plan with three naves, the central one covered with a semicircular barrel vault and the lateral ones with quarter circle vaults. The main façade is made up of a portal with a semicircular arch with a border and two small columns. The most characteristic element of this building is the ambulatory.
The monastery of Sant Daniel is located in the neighborhood of Sant Daniel, very close to the center of Girona city. It still has an active community of nuns, being the only female Benedictine in Catalonia who lives in the same place where she was born.
Architecturally, very little of the original building remains. The oldest remains are those that make up the central body of the church, which was originally a replica of the church of the monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants. The cloister has two floors: the lower one has a rectangular shape, Romanesque style decoration and double columns with Corinthian style capitals, and the upper one is much simpler and in a Gothic style.
In the temple are the remains of the martyr Daniel, an Armenian hermit monk who was beheaded according to the tradition in Arles de Provença in the year 888.
Located in the city of Girona, the monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants is a former Benedictine abbey. Its location in the old town of Girona is unusual, since most of the monasteries are located in isolated places.
The church was built in 1131, date which Ramon Berenguer made an important donation to pay for the works; It consists of three naves with a transept and four apses. It is believed that its doorway could have been part of a building built earlier, due to its archaic style. The cloister, meanwhile, is one of the best examples of Catalan Romanesque.
Currently, it house the exhibition halls of the Archeology Museum of Catalonia in Girona, bringing together the archaeological materials found in the excavations of several places around the region of Girona, from prehistory to the Middle Age.
This summer, discover the religious heritage of the Costa Brava and the region of Girona. In Lloret de Mar, you will find all kinds of hotels for you to enjoy your stay on the Catalan coast.
Rosamar Hotels has three hotels for families with children: Hotel Rosamar & Spa, Hotel Rosamar Garden Resort and Hotel Rosamar Maritim. They have activities and a multitude of services for children and adults on the beach of Lloret de Mar.
It also has two perfect hotels for couples and friends who want to enjoy an adults only holidays: Hotel Rosamar Maxim Adults Only +21 and Hotel Rosamar Es Blau Adults Only +21. They offer a relaxing stay with an intimate atmosphere next to Lloret de Mar beach.
Come and enjoy the cultural proposals of Rosamar Hotels!
The Costa Brava is a privileged territory for its landscapes, not only of wild beaches and coves, but also of mountains with spectacular views of the Mediterranean, cliffs by the sea, lush forests, and wetlands rich in fauna. In this post, we discover the most spectacular natural areas of the Costa Brava.
The second weekend of the month of November the Medieval Fair of Lloret de Mar returns. During the 13th and 14th of November, the city of Lloret de Mar returns to medieval times and transforms the old town of the city to host music, artisans, performances and craft demonstrations, among many others.
The paths that run along the Costa Brava and were previously used by the Civil Guard to control the Spanish maritime border and prevent smuggling are known as Camins de Ronda. Currently, these paths are used to walk or move between the beaches and coves of the Catalan coast.
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On the Costa Brava you can find spectacular medieval castles from the time when the lands of Girona were the border between the Arab and Christian worlds. Some of them have remained in runes, but others still retain all their splendor. Keep reading and discover them in our post!
The Costa Brava, besides to its spectacular beaches and coves, presume its own gastronomy. Some of the most emblematic dishes are only served in a few towns, while others can be found in almost the entire north of the Catalan coast. Discover here the best dishes of the Costa Brava!
Some villages of the Costa Brava are certified with the Family-friendly Holiday labels of the Catalan Tourism Agency, a certification given to destinations with an accommodation, restaurants, leisure, and free time offer for families and children. Come to explore and enjoy the best family tourism destinations on the Costa Brava!