What to see in Montfalcó Murallat, medieval town in Lleida

Surely you have visited many medieval towns with walls, but I can tell you that a town like Montfalcó Murallat It's not easy to find.

In fact, until my recent route through the province of Lleida en Catalonia I hadn't had the chance to see an example like this one. medieval village located at the top of a hill.

Located in the municipal area of Les Oluges, in the region of the Segarra, from afar it will be easy for you to recognize the location of Montfalcó Murallat upon spotting a small wall on a hill.

Indeed, it is a very small town, since inside its walled area there are only 15 houses and a church.

When you get closer you will see a robust stone fortification without any house on the outside of the wall, so it will really be easy for you to transfer your imagination to the Middle Ages when the medieval towns They had that same configuration.

Curiosities history of Montfalcó Murallat in Lleida

In fact, the first historical references to Montfalcó Murallat They date back to the 11th century, during the reign of Count of Berga, Bernat I.

At that time, that area was border territory after having been conquered from the Muslims, so it is easy to understand why such a fortification was built taking advantage of the height of the hill.

The exterior of it has been dedicated to farmland to this day, and it has been in the nearby town of Les Oluges where urban development has occurred for the residents of the area.

Along the history, Montfalcó Murallat has been besieged on several occasions, specifically in the Catalan Civil War from the mid-15th century and in the reapers, in the middle of the 17th century.

In those wars it is medieval village showed its impregnable character, and in fact there is a legend that affects this fact.

Legend of Montfalcó Murallat

This legend dates back to the conflicts during the Middle Ages among nobles who occupied this territory.

The population of Montfalco At that time, it suffered a long siege after having lost the battle in the open field and having taken refuge inside the fortification.

To try to create discord among said population, with a catapult the attackers launched messages inciting surrender, which were tied to pieces of bread, a way of making them understand that only then would they be able to have food.

But these attackers received from the defenders of Montfalco with defiant messages tied to fresh fish, so that in the end the attack was given up.

The legend says that these fish had been brought up to the fortification through a long tunnel that descended to Les Oluges, and that was the way they had to supply themselves with food.

I will tell you that during our visit of Montfalcó Murallat They did not confirm the existence of said tunnel to us.

What to see when visiting Montfalcó Murallat in Lleida

You can only access the interior of Montfalcó through its southern façade through two successive doors joined by a passage at right angles, a traditional system used by Muslims to facilitate the defense of the fortifications.

En Montfalcó Murallat Currently only two people reside there, so if you visit outside of the weekends and high holiday season, it is possible that you will be able to walk around completely alone, just as happened to us.

After passing these doors with vaulted arches, you arrive directly at the central central plaza, where you will see that there is a restaurant,

On one side of the square you will see the hole in the ground where the cistern still used today to supply water to the town is located.

The fortification has wall structures later than the original, and there are also houses from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Although most of the houses show abandonment, others are occupied by several rural houses where you can stay, so that Montfalco has become a prominent destination turismo rural, mostly in summer.

La Romanesque style church Located next to one side of the wall, it has its origins in the 11th century, but has had extensions later.

It should be noted that the apse of the church takes advantage of the structure of a circular tower that was next to the wall.

In your walk through Montfalcó Murallat You will go through narrow alleys and cross under arches and porticoed galleries.

If you start or complete the visit by surrounding the wall along a path enabled for this purpose, you will see its robustness and you will also find some doors and windows opened more recently by the owners of some house.

In short, I tell you that Montfalcó Murallat It is one of the most charming medieval corners, not only in Lleida, but also in Catalonia.

Photos of Montfalcó Murallat in Lleida

Here are more photos of the amazing medieval town of Montfalcó Murallat in the province of Lleida.

Map: how to get to Montfalcó Murallat

Montfalcó Murallat you find it in the region of the Segarra for the Lleida province, 67 kilometers to the east of the capital, arriving via the A2, from which you must exit in the town of Cervera.

And also just an hour and a quarter to the northwest from Barcelona going on the same highway.