Cabanelles: Romanesque Churches and MTB Routes
Accommodation in Cabanelles
Cabanelles lies in the natural and cultural setting of Salines-Bassegoda in Alt Empordà . The town is also associated with peaceful walks in the Espai Natural de l’Alta Garrotxa, while the G-05 Salines-Bassegoda MTB routes pass through Cabanelles. These offer different starting points for planning your trip: walks in the wider natural area and an MTB route network that passes through the town. There are also several Romanesque churches, each with its own architectural features and historical dates. If you are looking for a hotel in Cabanelles, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your trip: cultural interests, walks, or MTB.
Romanesque churches and distinctive architectural features
The Església de Sant Martà de Queixàs is a Romanesque church dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, with additions from the 13th century. The Romanesque Església de Sant Mateu in Vilademires dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. At Queixà s, the later additions are explicitly part of the building’s history; Sant Mateu is dated to both centuries.
Sant Martà Sesserres can be described in more architectural detail: the single-nave church has a pointed barrel vault and a semicircular apse. A single-nave layout refers to an elongated main space; a barrel vault is an arched ceiling, and the apse is a semicircular part at the end of the church. Sant Martà Sesserres is dated to the second half of the 12th century. The Església de Santa Coloma has a similar basic layout: it has a single nave, a pointed vault, and a semicircular apse. As a late Romanesque church, it is dated to the end of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century. One distinctive architectural detail is its wooden door with notable ironwork.
Santa Maria de l'Estela is also late Romanesque and probably dates from the end of the 12th century. Its single nave has a pointed vault. The portal stands out for its three stepped archivolts, along with a simple lintel and a plain tympanum. Archivolts are stepped arch profiles on a portal; here, the articulated frame contrasts with the plain elements at its centre.
Sant Miquel de la Cirera is defined by different features: the nave is rectangular, and the semicircular apse has largely collapsed. The ruins of the church of Sant Cristòfor de l'Estela are still visible next to the farmhouse Cal Magre. These descriptions distinguish between a church with named architectural elements and ruins explicitly noted as visible; they offer different ways to identify the historic sites.
Walks, MTB, and a festival in early June
The G-05 Salines-Bassegoda MTB routes pass through Cabanelles. This is distinct from the association with peaceful walks in the Espai Natural de l’Alta Garrotxa: Cabanelles is linked to these walks, but no specific starting point or individual route is named. When planning your trip, you can therefore distinguish between the MTB connection that passes through the town and the regional walking theme.
Another date-related event is the Romeria de la Mare de DĂ©u del Mont. It is celebrated in early June with a communal meal featuring rice and dancing. If this event is relevant to your trip planning, check the dates in advance.
Getting to Sant MartĂ Sesserres and l'Estela
Sant MartĂ Sesserres can be reached via the road towards Mare de DĂ©u del Mont. A path about 300 metres long leads from a turn-off to the church. Include this final stretch on foot in your journey.
To reach l'Estela, the route from Cistella follows a mountain track that is difficult to drive on. If you are travelling by car, check local road conditions in advance.
Discover more destinations: Sant Miquel De FluviĂ , Ordis, La Tallada D'empordĂ , Roses, Sant Andreu Salou, Sant Aniol De Finestres, Riudarenes, La Bisbal D'empordĂ .
For the regional travel overview: Girona.
