Besalu Spain
Guide to Besalu, a historic town located on the Costa Brava, Spain.
Costa Brava Towns - Besalu
Besalu - The medieval Spanish town of Besalu (Besalú) lies east of Olot in the district of Garrotxa in Catalonia. Besalu was a town of some importance during the middle ages and its territory covered an area equal to the current area of the entire Garrotxa district (comarca). The modern day town has a population of 2,265 (2007) and was declared a Historic National Monument in 1966, having many ancient buildings many of which have been subsequently restored.
Besalu stands at the confluence of the Fluvià and Capadella rivers and at the approach to the town you will see the stunning 11th century bridge (Pont Fortificat), which is the main landmark of the town.
Besalu was settled as far back as Roman times and was later a significant Visigothic town, it was ruled for over 200 years by a dynasty created by Wilfred the Hairy, who was Count of Besalu (and also Count of Barcelona among other titles), and is credited with the unification of Catalonia.
Besalu was settled as far back as Roman times and was later a significant Visigothic town, it was ruled for over 200 years by a dynasty created by Wilfred the Hairy, who was Count of Besalu (and also Count of Barcelona among other titles), and is credited with the unification of Catalonia. Besalu has several Romanesque churches, the most impressive being the churches of Sant Pere and San Vicenç, the former being the last surviving section of a Benedictine monastery which was established in AD 977 (the rest of the monastery was demolished in 1835). A notable discovery in the town in 1964 was a Jewish ritual bath (mikvah) dating from 1264 and one of only 3 surviving in the whole of Europe. The old town features a maze of narrow, arcaded streets and alleyways, interrupted by some pretty squares, a good day to visit is a Tuesday, when the bustling market is held in the Plaça de la Libertat.
The Romanesque 11th century bridge has been damaged or destroyed several times over the years, the last time being during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), at the centre of the bridge is a fortified gatehouse complete with portcullis.
To find out all the interesting places to visit in the town, head for the Besalu Tourist Information Office, located in the Plaça de la Libertat (972-591-240), here you can pick up a street map of the town and purchase tickets for some of the attractions.
To the south of Besalu is the lake of Banyoles, location of the rowing events during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, now a perfect spot for a picnic. Also worth a visit is the nearby town of Olot, an important town for textiles and home to the renowned Olot School of art, founded by a group of local artists.
Besalu Hotels - Besalu has a fairly limited choice of hotels and rental accommodation, places to try include the Comte Tallaferro, the Hotel Fonda Siques and the Can Guell.
Besalu Markets - There is a weekly market held in Besalu on Tuesdays.
Besalu Fiestas - Besalu of course holds a number of fiestas and celebrations throughout the year, these include the Festa Major (September) and the Medieval Besalu (September).
Besalu Camping - There are some camping facilities close to Besalu, at Camping Besalu - Camí de Sant Ferriol s/n, 17850 Besalu - Tel: 972 591 801.
Besalu is located on the N-260 between Olot and Figueres about 40 kilometres from the provincial capital Girona.
Besalu Links: Besalu Map - Besalu Weather
Besalu Property: Advertise your Besalu property on this page: Advertise Here.
Costa Brava Hotels: Casamar Llafranc - Eloy Tossa de Mar - Golden Bahia Tossa de Mar - Lloret de Mar Oasis
Costa Brava Golf: Club de Golf Costa Brava - Spain Golf Courses
Costa Brava Places: Begur - Blanes - Cadaques - Calella - Canet de Mar - Empuriabrava - Estartit - Figueres - L'Escala - Llafranc - Lloret de Mar - Malgrat de Mar - Olot - Palafrugell - Palamos - Pineda de Mar - Playa de Aro - Roses - Sant Antoni de Calonge - Tossa de Mar
Costa Brava Cities: Barcelona - Girona
Related: Catalonia - Catalonia Map - Catalonia Weather - Builders
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