We Go Through The Beautiful Old Town Of Girona
We are going to a beautiful Catalan city. Girona’s old town is one of the best preserved in all of Europe. We are going to him, to show you all the places of interest in the area known as “Barri Vell”. Here we will come across its wall, its Jewish quarter and its Gothic cathedral, among other gems.
Strolling through the old town of Girona
Girona’s old town is one of the most interesting not only in Catalonia, but also in Spain and, without fear of being wrong, in Europe. On your journey you can go back up to two thousand years in time to the Forca Vella (founded with the Romans) or the medieval expansion (with the expansion of the walls between the 14th and 15th centuries).
In the old town of Girona you can find many attractions. We are going to highlight those that you should not miss for the world:
1. Santa Maria Cathedral
It was erected between the 12th and 18th centuries and throughout the years it was adding elements of different styles: Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic.
It has a wide nave, the second widest in the world, after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The façade is divided into three sections, the choir contains 16th century stalls and the tombs contain important personalities such as three bishops, a count of Barcelona and the architect of the cathedral.
2. Forca Vella
It is a fortress built by the Romans in the 1st century BC in an almost triangular shape, as if it were an acropolis. In this way, the incipient city was protected with stone walls and large ashlars. It is the first enclosure in the city and today we can see some fragments.
3. Arab Baths
This 12th century construction was inspired by the thermal baths and pools used by the Romans. The most prominent corners are the entrance, the changing room, the rest area and the annular vault. Undoubtedly, the most admirable site of these baths is the central pool, covered by a dome set on columns and ornate capitals.
5. Medieval expansion
Another of the must-sees of the old town of Girona are the walls, which were built after the appearance of new neighborhoods such as Forca Vella, Sant Feliu and Sant Pere, Mercadal and Vilanova. Some sections of the walls can be visited.
5. Jewish Quarter
Known as the “Call”, it is an area full of labyrinthine streets that lead to alleys or patios and that will make you travel back in time. The Jewish quarter of Girona is one of the best preserved and shows how important its inhabitants were to the city. The Centro Bonastruc Ca Porta stands out, a study center that aims to recover and maintain the Jewish heritage.
6. Houses of Oñar
They are “hanging” over the Oñar river and it is a group of houses built over the centuries. One of the most outstanding houses is that of Rafael Masó i Valentí, a local architect. It has a white and blue facade, standing out from the others, with more striking colors. To get to these houses we must go through arcaded squares and steep alleys that are more than beautiful.
And since you are bordering the river, we recommend that you use one of the bridges to get to the other bank. The Oñar bridges are the Piedra (or Isabel II, from 1856, for people and carriages), the Hierro (or the Pescaderías, from 1877, with pedestrian access stairs), the Gómez (from 1916, built in reinforced concrete and with a single arch) and that of Sant Feliu (the most modern, from 1995).
7. Independence Square
It is another of the must-sees of the old town of Girona. It was projected on the site of the former convent of San Agustín and is the most important square in the city. This neoclassical porticoed space is surrounded by restaurants and in the center houses a monument dedicated to the defenders of the town.
8. Plaza del Vi
This place is well known and visited by tourists. It is delimited by arcades and the main building is the Palacio del General, in Gothic and Renaissance styles. It functioned as the headquarters of the Generalitat, the City Council and the Municipal Theater.
