What to see in Horta de San Juan, footprints of Picasso in Tarragona

On a getaway through the regions of Terres del Ebre, In the Tarragona province, you also have the opportunity to walk around medieval towns.

And in this regard you have several arguments for visit Horta de San Juan, a town that you find in the interior, northwest of Delta of the Ebro and just 40 kilometers from Tortosa.

Horta de San Juan It is one of those small towns Catalonia with a long history behind it.

Located at the top of a hill, I can tell you that during your visit you will walk through narrow streets of medieval origin.

For get to Horta de San Juan you will pass very close to Els Ports natural park, which will offer you beautiful landscapes during your tour.

The current enclave of Horta It was already occupied by the Iberians, who were succeeded by the Romans and then the Muslims.

A key milestone in its history was when, after being conquered by the Christians, in the 13th century, it was handed over to the Order of the Templars, but after its suppression, in 1317 it passed into the hands of the Order of the Hospitallers.

What to see when visiting Horta de San Juan

From that time of the Templar and hospitallers It was the castle that they built on the site of this town, but you will no longer find any remains of it.

Of course, on your walk through the historic center of Horta de San Juan, in the upper part of the town, you will pass through a small square where the fortification was located.

At the foot of the nearby mountain Santa Barbara the old one is found Franciscan convent of San Salvador, which began to be built in the 13th century, at the time of the Templar, although its atrium and choir are from the time of the hospitallers.

The rest of the convent was built by the Franciscans, already in the 16th century, the same time as its Renaissance cloister.

Church Square in Horta de San Juan

But most beautiful corner of your visit to Horta de San Juan you have it in the church square, the geographical center of the historic center that extends over the hill.

It is a small but very pretty arcaded square Built in the 16th century, a reflection of the splendor that Horta must have had in its time.

In the the church square highlights his town hall of style RenaissanceAs well as command palace (Delme House), also in the same style.

And, of course, the parish church of San Juan Bautista, a Gothic style building, also from the 16th century, with a very austere façade and a single nave inside.

On your visit you must get lost in the narrow streets that surround the the church square, where you will pass several passages and find some nice corner.

Picasso Center in Horta de San Juan

During this walk, don't be surprised when you reach a building with a large banner on its facade with the name of Picasso.

There you have another very interesting argument to visit Horta de San Juan.

Indeed, it is the so-called Picasso Center, a two-story building where you can learn, through information panels, old photos and reproductions of paintings, the history of the visits that Pablo Picasso made to Horta de San Juan.

The first visit of Picasso It was in 1898, when he was barely 16 years old, and he went on vacation from Madrid to Horta de San Juan to his friend's house. Manuel Pallarés.

Finally he stayed until the following year's carnival.

Then Picasso He no longer returned to study in Madrid, but went to Paris.

Years later he returned to Horta de San Juan during another season, specifically, from May to October 1909.

During these visits he made numerous drawings and paintings, reproductions of which you can see in the aforementioned Picasso Center.

The works from the first visit do not show what would later be his characteristic artistic style, but they do reflect his stay in Horta de San Juan.

However, the paintings of the second period are already a good example of his cubist era.

Furthermore, it is said that Picasso was inspired by the characteristic rocks of the park The Ports to “invent” this new artistic trend.

Here you can consult the Visiting hours of the Picasso Center in Horta de San Juan.

Photos of Horta de San Juan

Here you have more photos of Horta de San Juan, in the province of Tarragona.

How to get to Horta de San Juan

Horta de San Juan It is located just over 100 kilometers southwest of the city of Tarragona, an hour and a half by car.