The best things to see and do in Castelló d´Empuries (Girona)

A vacation stay at Costa Brava en Catalonia not only allows you to enjoy its beautiful coastal landscapes, with beautiful coves and their walkways, but it also opens up the possibility of taking excursions to medieval towns inland.

There are numerous towns that you can visit, such as, for example, Besalú, in peratalla o Pals.

And in each one you will find different attractions, but also a characteristic or monument that especially motivates you to get to know it.

That would be the case of the famous Romanesque bridge of Besalú or Gothic style of Pals buildings.

In the Costa Brava They also highlight the heritage places, like the one you find very close to the peculiar coastal town of Empuriabrava.

Indeed, in the town of Castelló d´Empúries you can know and visit the considered CEmpordà Cathedral, la Basilica of Santa María, a church that has not actually had the title of cathedral.

Now, due to its dimensions and characteristics, the illustrious Catalan writer Josep Pla considered that it was the most important religious monument in those lands, after the Girona cathedral.

What to see when visiting Castelló d´Empúries on the Costa Brava

De Castelló d´Empúries There is news from the 11th century, when the counts of Empúries They decided to move the capital of their county to that enclave.

Already at that time there was a Romanesque church on which the current building was later built. gothic building.

When visit Castelló d´Empúries In its historic center you will be able to see some reminiscence of its medieval past, such as the remains of its Wall, Curia-Prison from the 14th century, now home to a Medieval History Museum, Palace of the Counts or old Bridge.

You can also visit a ecomuseum installed in the old flour mill, but my advice is that you focus your visit on the aforementioned Basilica of Saint Mary.

Basilica of Santa María in Castelló d´Empúries

Located in the main square of the old town, the current building was completed at the beginning of the 15th century on top of the old Romanesque church, of which only the baptismal fonts from the 11th century remain.

La Basilica of Santa María It is a style building Catalan Gothic of which, although most of its façade is very austere, its beautiful marble façade is not.

with six archivolts, presents twelve niches where the statues of the twelve apostles.

The 13th century bell tower maintains a Romanesque configuration of Lombard influence.

When you enter its interior you find a living room floor plan, where its large central nave stands out, clearly wider than the two side ones.

Alabaster altarpiece in the Empordà Cathedral

But without a doubt its great artistic attraction is its spectacular alabaster altarpiece, which you will see in the presbytery, after crossing its enormous wrought iron fence from 1544.

De flamboyant gothic renaissance style, this altarpiece from the second half of the 14th century is a unique work in Catalonia.

With a height of six and a half meters, in the upper central part of the altarpiece there is a niche with the figure of the Virgen de la Candelaria.

I can tell you that during your visit, when you see this illuminated with the lights alabaster altarpiece, you will spend a good time appreciating its artistic wealth.

The photos that accompany this article barely reflect this wealth.

What's more, it's worth going to Castelló d´Empúries if only to see this artistic piece.

Map: how to get to Castelló d´Empúries

Castelló d´Empúries you find it just 5 kilometers from Empuriabrava, and 45 minutes north of the city of Girona.