The Castle of Sant Joan is an 11th century fortification that is located on a cliff sixty meters high that separates the beaches of Lloret de Mar and Fenals, making it a magnificent space to enjoy fantastic panoramic views of Lloret de Mar.
The first documents that we find from the fortress of the Castle of Sant Joan date back to the year 1041. In the 11th century, the lands delimited as Loredo were ruled by Sicardis de Montsoriu, lady of Lloret de Mar.
By testamentary disposition, the feudal lands became shared by those of Sicardis' sons: Bernat Umbert, bishop of Girona, and Bernat Gaufred, a lay lord who became Lord of Palafolls.
The shared jurisdiction extended until the year 1218. When Bishop Bernat Umbert died, the fief belonged exclusively to the Seat of the Chapter of the Cathedral of Girona.
In 1790, the Royal Treasury Council was asked that the castle and its area be incorporated into the heritage of Lloret de Mar in exchange for the payment of 8,000 pounds to the Cathedral Chapter. In 1802, it was resolved in favor of the inhabitants of Lloret de Mar, putting an end to eight centuries of lordship.
Over the years, the construction overcame numerous battles, and even an earthquake that affected much of the territory of Girona, until 1805 when the British army bombed the tower during the Battle of Trafalgar, definitively destroying the fortified area.
The castle remained disused during the 19th century and was reduced to a pile of ruins. In 1965, the recovery of the remains of the original castle began, but the Lloret de Mar City Council did not obtain permits to rebuild the tower until 1983. Currently, the tower and the rest of the grounds are marked and can be visited.
In the center of the Castle of Sant Joan there is a circular tower eighteen meters high. The perimeter is surrounded by a five-meter-high wall, it is triangular in shape and has a surface area of about 500 m².
Different defensive elements could be seen, such as a two-meter-deep moat dug into the same rock, a stone wall that surrounded the entire perimeter and an L-shaped entrance (which made enemies more vulnerable to a surprise attack from inside).
Inside the enclosure there were rooms with a quadrangular or trapezoidal base formed by stone and mortar walls.
The Castle of Sant Joan was built to defend Lloret de Mar by the sea. Thanks to its exceptional location, it served as an observation and visual control point. The tower allows maritime control of the entire area with visual contact with the castle of Sant Joan de Blanes.
The castle also had an administration and tax management function through the silos inside the castle, which served to store products collected from tithes and taxes.
Furthermore, we know that it was also the place of residence of the feudal lord, because in the will of Sicardis de Montsoriu reference was made to his domus.
The visiting hours of the Castle of Sant Joan are, from October to May, every Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from June to September, you can visit every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The entrance price is €3 for adults; €1.5 for retirees, youth card members, students, large families and people with disabilities, and completely free for children under 12 years of age and residents with a MOLL card.
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