Porta Ferrada Monastery facade, in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Girona, Costa Brava

Located in the center of the village, and close to the seafront, the monastery appears documented in the tenth century, when it was founded under the patronage of Sant Feliu, an African martyr. It is located inside an ancient fortress where archaeological remains have been found that are exposed to the public at the City Museum, also located in the complex.

External view of the towers in the architectural site Porta Ferrada, in Sant Feliu de Guíxols

The monastery itself, as today appears to us, was built in the eleventh century, although the current Baroque style comes from the work on the old building in the eighteenth century. The particularity of its facade, composed of three horseshoe-shaped arches, supported by four cylindrical columns, give the whole its catalan name Porta Ferrada (horseshoe-shaped door), and it’s the main symbol of this beautiful village, and also gives its name to the most famous music festival held every summer in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. On either side are two medieval defensive towers: Smoke Tower (Torre del Fum, of semicircular plant from which centuries ago were emitted smoke signals by sentinels to surroundings to warn about the arrival of enemies, mainly pirates by sea) and the Horn Tower (Torre del Corn, of rectangular plant and from where this instrument was rung with the same warning goal).

Torre del Fum (Smoke Tower) in Porta Ferrada Monastery, Sant Feliu de Guíxols

The Sant Benet Arch (Benet is Benedict Saint), of 1747, is facing the whole and was during many centuries the main entrance to the architectural site.

Sant Benet Arch, old entrance to the Porta Ferrada Monumental Site

The interior of the building has the Museum of History of the City, the Municipal Archives and the headquarters of the Official School of Tourism of Catalonia. The museum, a visit to it is highly recommended to admire the rest of the houses of monumental site, is composed of four rooms showing permanent exhibitions.

Thanks to the initiative of Baroness Thyssen, Carmen Cervera, it is expected that in the future the monastery hosts part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, specifically the Catalan Art works corresponding to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, approximately 350. Not to forget the close relationship of the Baroness with Sant Feliu, where she owns a magnificent villa. This news, announced in 2008, will increase the overall artistic prestige of this ancient architectural site, an inexcusable visit for those wishing to explore the medieval architectural heritage of the Costa Brava.

Monastery Sant Pere de Rodes, in Port de la Selva, Girona, Costa Brava, Spain

The first document news we have from Monastery of Sant Pere de Roda come from ninth century. At that time it was just a monastic cell (something like a small chapel), although it is true that at the base of the building are still older foundations, probably Roman or early Christian.

Central nave central of Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes

This cell was dependent on Sant Esteve de Banyoles church until finally gained independence in the year 947. The first abbot was Hildesind, son of a nobleman named Tasi. In 1022 it was consecrated as a basilica. The most meritorious architectural part of the monastery was built from 1100. They erected a cover, the cloister and later another new portal, made by Mestre of Cabestany, some parts of which are preserved in the Museum of Peralada and Museum Marés of Barcelona.

Capital of one of columns in Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery, now in Museum of Peralada

In any case the religious life in the monastery was very active until the end of the fourteenth century. The Black Death pandemic (which killed 24 monks), lack of donations and the fear of piracy (forcing to fortify the site) led the community to a decline, exacerbated by different expolios mainly due to armed conflicts. Thus, in 1693, the French plunder the Rodes Bible, which is kept in the National Library of France.

The monastery consists of three naves, the lateral rather narrow, with three apses and a cruise.

Inside the bell tower in Monastery Sant Pere de Rodes

The set was declared National Historic Monument in 1930 and it is now open to the public on a regular schedule so it can be visited by all those interested in this key building in the history of the Ampurdán.

Cloister of Monastery Sant Pere de Rodes, in the middle of Cap de Creus, Costa Brava, Spain

Girona Cathedral, Costa Brava, Spain

If we reach by foot the Cathedral Square (Plaça de la Catedral), by the west side, the view of the building is impressive. At this point you see the so called Seu (another catalan name for cathedral), which was built in the XIth, as you can see, in a vertical and solid way. The wide staircase, from the XVIIth century, consists of ninety stairs and 3 flat areas, with 6 terraces side, and is adorned with baroque decorative spheres. One of the biggest steps of this kind ever built.

The magnificient Girona Cathedral stairways, from the Cathedral Square

The baroque facade of the cathedral also has the symmetrical structure of an altarpiece, with its typical columns and pediments. What can we distinguish in this altar? On the sides of the door you can see Saint Peter, easily recognizable by the keys, and St. Paul with the sword. At the top level we have, in the center, the Virgin Mary. And both sides of her you can see San Jose, with the flowering staff, and St. James, dressed as a pilgrim. And finally, at the top of the facade, there is St. John the Evangelist, with the eagle as an emblem, and San Narciso, patron of the city and diocese.

Impressive facade from the Girona Cathedral

The bell tower of the Girona Cathedral was designed by Joan Balcells in 1580, although its construction did not begin until 1751. The tower, 67 meters high, projecting from the cornice that crowns the facade and dome, holds an angel in bronze. It contains 6 bells, including that known as the Beneta (also known as the “Bombo”, bass drum, of 1574), which strikes the hours.

The cathedral contains works of great artistic value. The high altar is silvered, with enamel and precious stones, a true jewel of the goldsmith. The capitals of the cloister depict scenes from the Old and New Testament. The interior retains a Beatus Liebano manuscript and a Tapestry of the Creation, another important piece of the Romanesque art.

Girona Cathedral cloister

The church also contains the Museo Capitular, a museum that contains the Cathedral Treasury, which has, among other pieces, the Arab trunk from Hixem II, from the Xth century and the Cruz de los Esmaltes cross, from the XIVth.

Basilica of Santa Maria facade, in Castelló d'Empúries

The Basilica is a prime example of how important was the Gothic architecture in Catalonia. The church was first built in the XIIIth century, in 1261, on King Ponç IV d’Empúries years. However, this construction was build on a Romanesque church built in 1007, more than two centuries before. The baptismal font shown inside has its origin in those beginning years.

Interior nave of Basilique of Santa Maria of Empuries, also known as "Costa Brava Cathedral"

The basilica was completed in early XVth century, when was finished one of its greatest artistic works: the facade adorned with a stone portal and with six archivolts. On each side of them Apostles are represented with a large profusion of detail. The central tympanum represents the Adoration of the Magi.

The central facade represents the adoration of the Magi

The basilica structure is formed by a central open plan, with two aisles. It also has a 12th bell tower, five floors high and 36 meters: it was designed under Romanesque inspiration and has a clear architectural composition of Lombard influence.

Bell tower of Basilique of Santa Maria, in Castelló d'Empúries, Girona, Costa Brava

If the building from the outside is already an architectural and sculptural jewel, the interior of the basilica is still more impressive. It has two 11th baptismal fonts, made from a single block of stone and two sarcophagi with county Empúries family (Ponce IV of Empúries and Pedro IV of Ribagorza).

Royal grave of Basilique of Santa Maria

Another of the masterworks that has the Cathedral of the Ampurdán is a beautiful alabaster altarpiece built in the mid 15th century, in a flamboyant Gothic Renaissance style. With a height of 6.5 meters, at the bottom you’ll find a relief of ten angels next to the symbols for those organizations which once paid the altar: the shield of Castelló de Empúries, the bread of charity, etc.) In the upper part are represented scenes from the Passion of Jesus and, above all, there is a soft sculpture of the Candelaria Virgin holding the holy Child in her arms. The level of detail and realism, for example in the folds of the clothing, is very high, and shows the dedication of the artists in the execution of the work.

Basilique of Santa Maria altarpiece

Other masterworks of interest are the organ of the 19th century and the museum known as the Treasury, which contains, among other gems, an image of the Inmaculada Virgin made in embossed silver in Plateresque style, from the XVIIth century.

Detail of the altarpiece

The Basilica of Santa Maria de Castelló is an architectural work of reference in the Catalan Gothic, and is one of the main artistic attractions of the Costa Brava.