Visiting Pals I - The Overview

During my stay at the Costa Brava, I visited the beautiful and historical village Pals. This was at the middle of a very bright and hot day, and off course it was very busy (and so was I with two kids jumping around!). So not the right time to get the camera out of the bag. But walking there, I got really inspired and I knew for sure I wanted to go back there on a quiet day. So I did set the alarm very early and went back, to make a small series of this amazing place. I don’t know a lot about the exact history of the town, except for the fact that the buildings are made in a gothic architectural style and by the nature of them it becomes clear that this village needed protection. And that it's a pretty photogenic place😊

 

Here's some more information I’ve found on the internet:

 

Situated just a few kilometres inland from the sea, Pals is a well preserved medieval village that traces its origins back to, at least, the 7th century. In fact, its name suggests possible ancient Roman origins as “Pals” derives from “Palus” which meant ‘swampy place’ or ‘marshland’ in Latin. The earliest recorded documentary evidence relating to a castle with a tower dates back to the year 889 so we know that the town is at least 1130 years old. Pals Castle was built on the highest point of the town on a rocky hill called Mont Aspre and so commanded views of the surrounding countryside. In 1293 the town was granted a market - a very big deal in those days - and walls were built around the town around the same period to improve its defences during some local conflicts.

 

About a century later the walls were further fortified - as they were in many coastal towns - for fear of the dreaded Pirates of the Mediterranean, especially those from North Africa. To this end Pals was given a pretty hefty loan of 40,000 solidus by King Martín of Aragón in 1401 to enlarge its walls and moats. It is worth noting that Pals was quite a bit closer to the coast then than it is now. The town is still in the same place, obviously, but the sea has gradually retreated over 2km since about 1300, and so the pirate threat was very real back then. Pals used to have six towers when the castle was at its biggest, and four of those towers are still standing today.

 

In 1478, a few years after the Catalan Civil War (1462-72), the castle was dismantled on the orders of King Joan II of Aragón, although he did expressely decree that the original tower be spared. That tower today is the Torre de les Hores (Tower of the Hours), so called because it has had a clock since time immemorial. A 16th century bell rings on every quarter of the hour while a larger bell from exactly 1701 rings on the hour. The views from atop the tower are pretty impressive!

There was an Església de Sant Pere (St. Peter’s Church) also recorded back in the 9th century but this was badly damaged in the aforementioned Catalan Civil War. When the king ordered that the castle be dismantled, the stones were used to rebuild the church that we see today.

 

Although the medieval part of the town had fallen into some neglect with the passing centuries, in 1973 it was declared a ‘Site of Historical Interest’ and was beautifully restored to the condition you see it in today.

 

Thanks for having a look! All faves and comments are highly appreciated!

Done