Pujarnol: Towers, Dolmens and Routes to Sant Patllari

A stay in Pujarnol can be planned around specific local and landscape features: the church of Sant Cebrià, the Torre de Pujarnol and the Dolmen de Pujarnol, as well as routes towards Sant Patllari. The buildings differ in their forms and features; the routes vary in their course and terrain. This lets you choose your own focus, whether architecture, archaeological details or outdoor activities.

Getting to the church of Sant Cebrià

The road to Pujarnol and Rocacorba branches off at the start of the road from Banyoles to Olot, which passes through Mieres and Santa Pau. After five kilometres along the access road, you reach the foot of the church of Sant Cebrià de Pujarnol. When travelling there, bear in mind that local driving conditions can change.

Landscape and views

Pujarnol lies on the ascent to the Serra de Sant Patllari. The Mirador de Sant Patllari is on a 646-metre-high mountain in the municipality of Porqueres and offers views across the comarca. Visibility depends on the weather. If you plan to visit the viewpoint, you can take the weather conditions on the day into account.

Walking and cycling routes

The Route from Pujarnol to Sant Patllari leads from the Església de Sant Cebrià de Pujarnol to the Ermita de Sant Patllari and back to the church. The BTT Route 4: Climb to Sant Patllari starts in Pujarnol and heads towards Puig de Sant Patllari. It initially follows an asphalt road, after which the climb begins.

The routes can be compared by their course and terrain: for the first, the destination at the Ermita and the return to the church are specified; for the mountain bike route, the asphalt section before the climb is noted. Trail conditions may change for the walking route. Check them before setting out.

Tower and chapel: different architectural forms

The Torre de Pujarnol was formerly a castle or fortified house. Two towers remain at opposite corners. The southeast tower has three storeys and retains a loophole at its base. The term refers to a narrow opening in a fortification and helps explain a specific architectural detail of the Torre.

The Ermita de Sant Patllari is also architecturally well defined: the small chapel has a single rectangular nave and a semicircular apse. The nave is the elongated main space; here, the apse forms the semicircular end. The architectural forms described are therefore clearly distinct: the Torre is characterised by its towers and storeys, while the Ermita is defined by the layout of a small church interior.

Dolmen de Pujarnol

The Dolmen de Pujarnol, also known as the Dolmen de les Closes, is the only dolmen currently known in the municipality of Porqueres. It lies in the forest beside the road to the settlement of Puig Surís. The burial mound that originally covered the dolmen is still visible; all the stone slabs are made of local sandstone.

If you want to distinguish the Torre and the dolmen by their different features, you can compare their architectural forms: the Torre is characterised by its surviving towers and multi-storey southeast tower, while the dolmen is defined by its stone slabs and visible burial mound. A former fortified structure and an archaeological site with their own clearly distinguishable details can thus be seen side by side.

For the broader travel overview: Porqueres.