Cruïlles: Castle Tower, Romanesque Art and Walking Route

Cruïlles brings together medieval architectural history and Romanesque art with a circular walk through the foothills of the Gavarres. The Torre de l'Homenatge of the former castle dominates the village square; churches, a monastery and surviving sections of the wall complete the historic picture. Visitors planning a stay around cultural interests or a hike will find a range of options here.

Tower and traces of the former fortifications

The Torre de l'Homenatge stands alone in the middle of the village square and has a circular ground plan. At 26 metres high, it is a striking landmark. From here, there is an exceptional view of the monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles, set against the backdrop of the Gavarres. The former wall is also still clearly discernible: many sections of its course remain almost entirely intact.

Churches and monastery from different periods

The present-day church of Santa Eulàlia dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. The hermitage of Mare de Déu d’Esperança was already in existence in the 15th century. These different dates bring several periods of local architectural history into focus: the present-day church belongs to a later period, while the hermitage had already existed before then.

The Benedictine monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles is an example of Catalan Romanesque architecture. Its church contains Romanesque wall paintings, discovered in 1930 and still preserved in situ. It also houses a Romanesque stone baptismal font bearing the inscription “1232 FONS”. The wall paintings and baptismal font represent two different forms of Romanesque furnishing within the church.

Romanesque art and historical commissions

Associated with the monastery is the Biga de Cruïlles: a polychrome beam with human figures, dating from the 12th or 13th century. It comes from the Benedictine monastery of Sant Miquel de Cruïlles and is one of the few examples of its kind in Europe. It is thought that the Biga may originally have served as the main element of a canopy above the high altar of the Romanesque basilica.

Another date of art-historical significance is the commission for the main altarpiece of Cruïlles. It was agreed on 12 November 1416 between Lluís Borrassà and Sanxa, the widow of Jaspert de Campllong. The town’s art history thus spans Romanesque works and a specifically dated commission from the 15th century.

Circular walk along the Pastells stream

The Ruta pels antics veïnats de Rabioses i Pastells is a circular walking route that follows the Pastells stream into the foothills of the Gavarres. It runs along the shady valley floor through lush holm oak and alder forests. This offers a different focus from the town’s architecture and art history: the route passes through a landscape shaped by the stream, valley and forest. Vegetation and trail conditions vary with the seasons; check current conditions before setting out.

Access to the monastery interior

Access to the inside of the monastery is managed by the Cultural Department of the Consell Comarcal del Baix Empordà. If you are planning to visit the interior, check with them for current visiting arrangements.

Discover more destinations: Sant Joan De Les Abadesses, Vilamacolum, Roses, El Far d'Empordà, Sant Feliu De Pallerols, Sant Llorenç De La Muga, Vilajuiga, Pont De Molins.

For the wider travel overview: Girona.