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.

Torre Valentina, in Calonge, Costa Brava

Torre Valentina is one of the three towers of the village built as defensive system. The other two are Torre del Baró (located towards the center), and the Torre del Mal Ús (located near the mountains).

Torre Valentina is an impressive tower located in the middle of an urbanized environment

It was not easy to live in the Costa Brava during XVth, XVIth and XVIIth centuries. It was occupied by a population that lived enjoying the wonderful natural environment, but a threat especially hard for the coastal villages was piracy. We are talking about pirates ships arriving mainly from North Africa and Turkey, with heavily armed pirates. These brave men could, in a few hours, rape and kill the peaceful inhabitants of the coast, and even kidnap them to become slaves in distant lands, far away from Costa Brava.

Hence the poor villagers needed to erect towers to try to defend from pirates. There inside, the inhabitants could protect and even attack the invaders. When the tower was located next to the coast, they also had a watchtower man. The people in the village took turns to monitor the horizon. In this context Valentina Tower was erected in an approximate date between XVth and XVIth centuries. It is cylindrical, consisting of three floors, each separated by a corresponding vault, and finally a roof. Each of these plants, connected by wooden ladders and hatches, was a step in the defence against attackers.

Ancient picture of Valentina Tower, in Calonge, Costa Brava, when it was part of a traditional villa.

The materials used in its construction were taken from the land: broken stone, mortar, tile pieces, etc. Notice something else in its structure. The entrance is about 10 or 12 meters high! The guard entered the tower via a rope, that once up was withdrawn. That hindered the entry of the attackers. Another detail to note is that all loopholes were adapted to the use of firearms, so that from the inside the defenders could shoot the pirates.

Until 1960 the tower had attached a farmhouse, typical Catalan house, known as the Racó, one of the most emblematic places in the village of Calonge, especially before it was occupied by tourism.

Torre Valentina is located between an apartments building and the long beach that shares the same name, in Sant Antoni de Calonge

Mas Pinc, in Begur, Girona, Costa Brava

But also the story of Mas Pinc is closely linked to life, and especially death, of the best spanish Flamenco dancer of all times: Carmen Amaya. Born in Barcelona in 1913, in the poor neighborhood of Somorrostro, she had a huge international recognition.

Carmen Amaya, the best flamenco dancer who died in Mas Pinc

In 1961 Carmen Amaya purchased Mas Pinc to live in. She was passionated by the Costa Brava, and she had and active participation in village life until a kidney disease ended with her life. The great artist died in one room of Mas Pinc, surrounded by her family, November 19th, 1963. The funeral, held in Begur, gathered a lot of flamenco fans and artists who wanted to give their last goodbye to the dancer who revolutionized the Flamenco art.

Young Carmen Amaya portrait

Over time, Mas Pinc villa has passed into the hands of the municipality of Begur. Currently, it is the home of Nereo Foundation, an environmental organization whose main objective is the preservation of the Ses Negres area, a coastline piece of Begur extending from the bay of Sa Riera to Aiguafreda creek, near which shipping and fishing is strictly prohibited.

Mas Pinc has a tower defence from piracy from the XVIIth century

You can visit the interior of Mas Pinc, where you’ll find some memories of Carmen Amaya and an exhibition of the marine life in Ses Negres. Inside the home you will see also the door of 1.30 meters x 0.64 meters leading to the original tower defense, 12.30 meters high.

The area around Mas Pinc is also very interesting from a natural point of view. The Mas Pinc garden, opened freely to the public, has been conditioned by the Foundation Nereo as a modest botanical garden where the most important plants of the western Mediterranean are represented. Also in Mas Pinc begins a nice forest trail, crossing a wooded area known as Es Quinze, that leads to Aiguafreda Creek in about 45 minutes. A car parking is offered free to the visitors in front of the farmhouse.

Around Mas Pinc, in the Es Quinze wood, starts a trail to Aiguafreda cove

Undoubtedly Mas Pinc, and its surroundings, is one of the most important points of interest in all Begur.