Terres de Lleida

Transcripción

Terres de Lleida

Portada angles lleida.qxp
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Agència Catalana
de Turisme
Terres de Lleida
Catalonia
Terres de Lleida
Generalitat de Catalunya
Government of Catalonia
Ministry of Enterprise and Labour
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Terres de Lleida gb.qxd
Catalonia
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Terres de Lleida
Garrigues
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Noguera
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Pla d’Urgell
Segarra
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Segrià
Urgell
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Introduction
The tourist region of Terres de Lleida is a vast
plain, south of the Pyrenees, which forms the western part of the Catalan Central Lowlands, themselves part of the great Ebro basin. Its main artery
is the river Segre and Lleida has been its capital
since ancient times. Terres de Lleida borders on
Aragon to the west; the Segarra plateau separates
it from the region of Catalunya Central in the east;
and it extends as far as the lofty Monstant range
and the Ebro valley in the south.
The climate – Mediterranean, tending towards continental – is characteristic of the Catalan hinterland,
where the mild, humid Mediterranean air meets the
mountain ranges close to the coast. Hence the climate is drier than in other parts of Catalonia, with a
wider temperature range (higher maximums and
lower minimums).
The countryside is mainly flat though on the northern side the great, rugged crest of the Montsec
range – subdivided into Montsec d’Ares and
Montsec de Rubies – rises to nearly 1,700 m between the plain and the Pyrenees. The narrow
gorges of Mont-rebei and Terradets cut through
Montsec, allowing two large rivers, the Noguera
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Ribagorçana and Noguera Pallaresa, to flow out
onto the plain. The Segre meanders through the
gentler highlands to the east where the Rialb reservoir was built some years ago. The Noguera
Ribagorçana and Noguera Pallaresa join the Segre
near Corbins and Camarasa, respectively, in the
comarca of Noguera.
Thanks to this network of rivers, the region's economy and even its landscape were radically transformed in the second half of the 19th century by
the construction of the Urgell Canal. Some 70,000
ha of land in the comarques of Urgell, Segrià, Pla
d'Urgell, Noguera and Les Garrigues were made
fertile by the main and secondary canals. Another
large expanse to the west, along the border with
Aragon, is irrigated by the Pinyana Canal and the
Canal of Aragon and Catalonia. The latter is fed by
the rivers Éssera and Cinca. The Cinca flows
into the Segre at La Granja d’Escarp, downstream
from Lleida.
Terres de Lleida is rich in archaeological remains
(notably at Cogul, Tornabous, Guissona and El
Bovalar). Most are from the Iberian and Roman
periods and show that the region was inhabited in
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Olive groves in Les Garrigues
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Tàrrega. Shrine of Sant Eloi
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the far-distant past. During the period when
Catalonia was taking shape – the early Middle
Ages – this particular area was still dominated by
the Muslims. Parts of it came under Christian rule
in the 11th century – Cervera, for instance, which
was joined to the earldom of Barcelona, or
Balaguer, which became the capital of the earldom
of Urgell. But the powerful taifa of Lleida, which
governed a large stretch of territory, was not
overthrown until 1149. Throughout this gradual
occupation of Islamic lands, the region was a frontierland. As a result, numerous castles were built
along the borders, mainly in the 10th and 11th centuries, for defensive purposes and to facilitate
resettlement.
In ecclesiastical terms, the region is split between
the diocese of Lleida – which for many centuries
included part of Aragon – and that of Urgell, based
in La Seu d’Urgell. A smaller area (round Cervera
and Tàrrega) belongs to the diocese of Solsona. In
feudal times, the major towns and cities – Lleida,
Cervera, Balaguer, Tàrrega, Agramunt – had royal
charters and were the capitals of vegueries (magis-
Lleida. Murals of the Pia
Almoina (MLDC)
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Urgell Canal
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Verdú. Church of Santa Maria
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Montfalcó Murallat
tracies). Throughout the region there were also civil
domains (the viscountcy of Àger, the marquisate of
Camarasa, and others) and ecclesiastical ones
(including Gardeny, Bellpuig de les Avellanes,
Vallbona de les Monges, and Escarp).
The tourist attractions of Terres de Lleida are
numerous and varied. The scenery is primarily
farmland: fertile orchards in Segrià and Noguera,
extensive olive groves in Les Garrigues, cornfields
in Segarra, and vineyards producing wine bearing
the Costers del Segre label. The Montsec area
offers some magnificent rugged mountain scenery
which opens up into the lovely Àger valley.
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The many attractions of the capital, Lleida, include
historic buildings, culture, shopping, and good
eating. Many of the smaller towns, such as
Cervera, Tàrrega, Balaguer, Agramunt and Les
Borges Blanques, are well worth visiting as well.
The architectural heritage is rich and diverse, ranging from intriguing archaeological sites to medieval
civil and religious buildings. A tasty and varied cuisine made with top-quality local produce – vegetables, fruit, olive oil, and wine –, popular festivals,
and facilities for nature sports are further attractions which make Terres de Lleida a delightful place
to visit.
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Apple tree plantation
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The city of
Lleida
Lleida, the largest city and economic hub of the
Catalan hinterland, stretches along the right bank
of the Segre. Above it rises an ancient Arab fortress – La Suda – and the old cathedral – La Seu
Vella – which is the most characteristic feature of
its skyline. The old quarter runs parallel to the river,
at the foot of the hill. The main thoroughfare and
shopping street is the bustling Carrer Major. The
new residential district – the Eixample – is located
round Plaça de Ricard Viñes, behind the hill,
towards the roads to Huesca and Val d'Aran. The
newer districts, including Cappont, the site of the
new university campus, are on the other side of
the Segre.
Lleida, as a provincial capital and an important
and ancient episcopal seat, has many institutions
and public buildings. It is also an agricultural town,
surrounded by lush orchards, market gardens and
a fertile plain. In recent decades it has become an
industrial city as well – mainly food processing –
and a service centre. It has a long tradition of
trade and offers a wide range of shopping facilities. The new university has vitalized the city's
cultural life.
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Lleida's history dates back to Iberian times, when
it was the fortified capital of the Ilergetes tribe (4th3rd C BC) whose chieftains, Indibilis and
Mandonius, fought the Scipios in the 2nd Punic
War (218-205 BC) and became symbols of the
native population's resistance to Rome. Even so
the city was Romanized (under the name Ilerda)
and became a key objective in the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, as related by
Caesar in De Bello Civile and by the poet Lucan in
Pharsalia.
Lleida grew thanks to its strategic position on
the road from the Mediterranean to the heart of the
peninsula, at the intersection of several rivers that
flow down from the Pyrenees. It is documented as
a bishopric from the 5th century. During its four
hundred years under Muslim rule (719-1149), it was
a key bastion on the Upper Frontier, initially within
the sphere of influence of the emirate and caliphate
of Cordova, and as an independent taifa from the
11th century onwards. The Arabs erected the fortress of La Suda on the Roca Sobirana, built walls
round the city, and dug a vast network of canals
and irrigation ditches on the surrounding plain, thus
laying the basis for future agricultural prosperity.
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La Seu Vella
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In 1149 Lleida was conquered by the Catalan
counts Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and
Ermengol VI of Urgell, who shared the domain between them. The Templars received one-fifth of the
land and the Gardeny fortress. Jaume I granted
the city a royal charter and set up a municipal regime (Consell General de la Paeria – 1264) which
extended the privileges contained in the original
charter of settlement (1150). When the bishopric
was restored, a magnificent cathedral was built on
the Roca Mitjana. The Estudi General de Lleida,
founded by Jaume II in 1300, was the main university in his realms and for a time the only one.
Because of its strategic location, Lleida was frequently besieged and attacked. The bloodiest
sieges took place during the War of the Reapers
(Siege of Saint Cecilia, 1646) and the War of the
Spanish Succession (1707). Soon after the latter
war, Philip V abolished the city's most distinctive
features: the Estudi General – all Catalan universities were transferred to Cervera –, the Paeria –
which became a Bourbon-style municipal authority – and the cathedral (Seu Vella), which was
turned into a barracks. Overshadowed by the fortified bastion on the hill, Lleida went into decline,
and resignation and provincialism became the
keynotes of city life. The revival got underway in
the second half of the 19th century when the walls
were demolished (1861) and the railway arrived.
The Renaixença movement – the rebirth of
Catalan culture – and Catalan nationalism acquired considerable impetus in the city.
The dominant trait of Lleida's profile is the massive Seu Vella, the original cathedral, which was
built in transition Romanesque-Gothic style (1315th C) on the site of a former mosque. The striking front cloister has fine Gothic windows with
tracery and affords splendid views of the city, the
river and the agricultural plain. The magnificent
doorways – notably those of Els Fillols and
L’Anunciata – are the work of artists from the socalled Lleida School, whose style is a blend between Romanesque austerity and Arabian and
oriental fantasy. The severe but spacious interior
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Auditorium Enric Granados
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has a Latin-cross ground plan and a forest of slender columns. The superb 14-15th C bell tower
rises to a height of 70 m at one end of the cloister,
beside the door of Els Apòstols.
Above La Seu stand the ruins of the La Suda (El
Castell del Rei), a solid, compact building that
was once the residence of the Arab walis but was
extensively altered by the Catalan monarchs. Only
the shell remains (the tower on one corner has
recently been restored).
Two picturesque old streets, Carrer de Cavallers
and Carrer de la Palma, connect the upper part of
the old city with Carrer Major. On Carrer de
Cavallers (formerly called El Romeu) stands the old
Dominican convent of El Roser. Now the home of
the Museu de Pintura Jaume Morera, it has a
Baroque church and a three-storey cloister and is
to be converted into a Parador hotel. To the west
rises the church of Sant Llorenç, built at the same
period as the Seu Vella, which has an attractive
porticoed doorway and a slender bell tower. Inside
is an excellent collection of Gothic stone altarpieces – dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Saint Peter,
Saint Lucy, and others – and some fine sculptures
including a 15th C Madonna (Mare de Déu de la
Candelera), Sant Miquel (late 14th C), and a restored crucifix – El Sant Crist Trobat – which is the
object of a legend.
The new Museu de Lleida Diocesà i Comarcal –
in the Carrer del Sant Crist, off the Rambla
d’Aragó – houses an extensive collection, among
other contributions consisting of the centenary
collections from several of the city’s institutions,
such as the Institut d’Estudis Ilerdencs, the Museu
Diocesà, or the cathedral.
Parc de la Mitjana
The new cathedral (Seu Nova), built in the 18th
century when the Seu Vella was turned into a
barracks, stands on Carrer Major, the main street
in the old city. Pedro Martín Cermeño was the
architect of this interesting Neoclassical building,
which was consecrated in 1781. The magnificent
choir with sculptures by Lluís Bonifaç was de-
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stroyed in 1936 but surviving features include the
archive and a Madonna (Mare de Déu del Blau).
Facing it, the old building of the Hospital de
Santa Maria (15–16th C), which has a beautiful
central courtyard, is practically the only exponent
of Civil Gothic architecture from this period in western Catalonia. It houses the Institut d’Estudis
Ilerdencs, a cultural institution with a long tradition
but also a modern outlook.
Further east along Carrer Major, past the chapel of
El Peu del Romeu and Placeta de Sant Francesc –
where the Modernist-style Casa Melcior is located
–, we reach the Paeria (city hall), a 13th C Gothic
mansion with a small local archaeological museum
in the basement. Next we come to the Porxos de
Dalt and Porxos de Baix, with the Teatre Principal
on one side and the Modernist-style former Hotel
Palace on the other. There are archaeological
remains beneath a nearby square – Plaça de Sant
Joan – which has recently been developed on the
basis of a controversial, avant-garde project by
Basque architect Peña Ganchegui.
Beside the Arc del Pont – the old gate into the
walled city – stands a monument to Indibilis and
Mandonius, the heroes of the Ilergetes, which is a
replica of a sculpture by Medard Sanmartí. We
cross the Pont Vell to reach the Camps Elisis, a
park with a Romantic atmosphere where
Noucentista-style houses and trade fair buildings
are located. Other points of interest – slightly
removed from this route – are the castle and
church in the architectural complex of Gardeny –
once a prominent commandry of the Knights
Templar (12th C), which forms part of a Templar
route – the Romanesque church of Sant Martí, the
Museu Numismàtic de la Diputació Provincial (coin
Cloister of La Seu Vella
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collections), the Modernist-style Cases Noves on
Rambla d’Aragó, the Auditori Enric Granados
(1994 - a concert hall which is also the conservatoire), the Acadèmia Mariana (a neo-Romanesque
shrine), and the railway station, built in
Noucentista style by Adolf Florensa, at the end of
Rambla de Ferran.
many popular restaurants and music bars. On
summer evenings, Gardeny hill is another popular
gathering place. On the city outskirts is the Parc
de la Mitjana comprising 90 ha of lush vegetation
which has been declared of natural interest and is
ideal for strolling, practising sports and watching
wildlife.
Lleida’s vibrant shopping district
The upper city (or Eixample, on the north side) is
the scene of most of Lleida's night life, notably
round Plaça de Ricard Viñes, where there are
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La Paeria (City Hall). Altarpiece by Jaume Ferrer II (15 thC), detail
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Hospital de Santa Maria
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Church of Sant Martí
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La Seu Vella
Turó de la Seu Vella
Tel. (+34) 973 230 653
www.mhcat.net
Roda Roda. Automobile Museum
Santa Cecília, 22
Tel. (+34) 973 212 635
www.museudelautomociodelleida.cat
Lleida Diocesan and County Museum
Sant Crist, 1
Tel. (+34) 973 283 075
www.museudelleida.cat
Lleida Water Museum
Av. de Miquel Batllori, 52 (la Bordeta)
Tel. (+34) 973 211 992
www.museudelaiguadelleida.cat
Paeria Museum
Pl. Paeria, 1
Tel. (+34) 902 250 050
Enric Granados Auditorium
Pl. Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 223 320
www.turismedelleida.cat
www.paeria.cat
Jaume Morera Museum of Art
Major, 31 (Edifici Casino)
Tel. (+34) 973 700 419
www.paeria.es/mmorera
Institut d’Estudis Ilerdencs
(Archaeological Room and Coin Collection)
Pl. Catedral, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 271 500
www.fpiei.cat
Government of Catalonia Tourist
Information Office in Lleida and LleidaAlguaire Airport
(see page 85)
Interpretation Centre of the Order of the
Temple Gardeny
Turó de Gardeny
Tel. (+34) 973 271 942
www.domusempli.com
La Panera Art Centre
Pl. Panera, 2
Tel. (+34) 973 262 185
www.lapanera.cat
Leandre Cristòfol Room
Av. Blondel, 42
Tel. (+34) 973 700 419
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A few cities and
towns: Cervera,
Balaguer, Agramunt,
Ponts and Àger
Many localities in Terres de Lleida which are not on
run-of-the-mill tourist routes – because they are
far from the coast and major holiday resorts – deserve to be better known because they have preserved the character and charm of bygone years
and a rich architectural heritage.
Cervera stands on a hill on the right bank of the
Ondara, at the heart of the Segarra plateau of
which it is the capital. Built round a fortified
castle which was conquered by Ramon Berenguer
I, it grew outwards on either side of the picturesque Carrer Major (main street). Its importance from
the Middle Ages onwards is attested by its magnificent architectural heritage and the historic events
that took place there: the Catalan parliament met
here in 1359 to consolidate the country's institution of government, the Diputació del General or
Generalitat, and it was here too that the marriage
contract between Ferdinand II of Catalonia and
Aragon and Isabel of Castile was signed. But the
key event in Cervera's history occurred at the end
of the War of the Spanish Succession when Philip
V, as a reward for the city's loyalty to his cause,
founded a university there which was to be the
only one in the whole of Catalonia (Decree of Nova
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Planta, 1718). This sparked off a period of cultural
vitality which lasted until the start of the
Renaixença.
The vast university building, at one end of the old
quarter, is Cervera's foremost landmark. It was
built in Neoclassical style (1718-1740) but has
Baroque elements on the façade and in the main
lecture hall, the chief feature of which is the magnificent reredos by Jaume Padró. Nowadays it
houses various cultural institutions. At the other
end of the old quarter rises the impressive Gothic
collegial church of Santa Maria (13-15th C), with
its octagonal bell tower. Inside are some remarkable works of sculpture, including a Baroque altar
(El Santíssim Misteri). On the largely porticoed
Plaça Major nearby stands the Paeria (city hall), a
fine 17th C Renaissance building which was enlarged in the 18th century. The balcony rests on
interesting consoles depicting the five senses,
figures from the market, etc. In the interior some
Gothic rooms have been uncovered in recent
years. Other places of interest are: the church of
Sant Antoni (of medieval origin); the Hospital
Berenguer de Castelltort (Neoclassical); the
Museu Duran i Sanpere (on Carrer Major,
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Cervera
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Balaguer
the ancestral home of the distinguished historian
after whom it is named); the round Romanesque
church of Sant Pere Gros (11th C), on the outskirts; and the Modernist-style sindicat (agricultural
cooperative) by Cèsar Martinell. Certain stretches
of the medieval walls, which were reinforced by
Pere "the Ceremonious" (1368) during the war
against Castile, are in very good condition.
Balaguer, the chief town of Noguera and former
seat of the medieval earldom of Urgell, stands on
the right bank of the Segre. The original fortified
Muslim settlement was built on a terrace (Pla
d’Almatà – later Pla del Real) high above the river.
Long stretches of walls still rise above the medieval quarter, which lies along the river bank with
Plaça del Mercadal – one of Catalonia's largest
porticoed squares – at its centre. The town hall
overlooks the square, where the market is held
every Saturday. There are also some quaint porticoed streets. Over the river is the residential district (Davant Balaguer). A monument to Gaspar de
Portolà recalls the famous explorer of Lower
California who was born in Balaguer.
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Balaguer was once a major Andalusi fortress
dominated by the Banu Qasi dynasty. Following
the Christian conquest (1005), the Arab castle
(Castell Formós) became the residence of the
Counts of Urgell. It was destroyed in 1413 after
Ferdinand of Antequera – Ferran I – besieged the
town during the struggle for the succession to
the Catalan-Aragonese crown, a conflict sparked
off by the refusal of the Count of Urgell, Jaume
"the Misfortunate", to accept the Compromise of
Casp. The precinct has been excavated and the
finds are in the Museu Comarcal. The church of
Santa Maria d’Almatà, erected on the site of the
former mosque, became the chapel of a monastery of Poor Clares in the 14th century. It was
enlarged in the 17th century and subsequently
converted into the shrine of El Sant Crist, a place
of popular devotion where a Gothic-style crucifix
(remade in 1947) is venerated.
From the other end of the terrace, the large Gothic
church of Santa Maria (formerly a collegiate
church) dominates the town. Work on it began in
1351 but it was not consecrated till 1558. It has a
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wide nave and a slender polygonal bell tower and
affords a good panorama of the surrounding area.
The convent of Sant Domènec – originally
Dominican, now Franciscan – stands at the end of
the bridge. It was built on instructions left by
Count Ermengol X in his will (1314). Of special
note is the Gothic cloister with its slim, delicate
columns (akin to that of Sant Francesc in Majorca).
Some 3 km from Balaguer are the ruins of a 1213th C Romanesque church which once belonged
to a monastery of Cistercian nuns, Santa Maria de
les Franqueses.
Agramunt (Urgell), in the Ribera de Sió area, near
the Urgell canal, was already a bustling town with
an ancient market and numerous guilds back in
the Middle Ages. Proof of this is the magnificent
high relief on the lintel of the parish church of
Santa Maria, which was commissioned in 1283 by
the weavers' guild. The 12-13th C church, one
of the finest Romanesque buildings in Terres de
Lleida, has three aisles and three apses. The doorway is one of the Lleida School of sculptors' most
outstanding achievements: archivolts adorned
with rows of saints and virgins, carved capitals,
and the high relief already mentioned, showing
Mary, the Annunciation and the Epiphany. The
14th C lantern on the bell tower recalls those at
Poblet and Vallbona.
Agramunt was captured from the Arabs in 1070
by Count Ermengol IV of Urgell. In 1163 his descendant, Ermengol VII, gave the town a generous
charter of settlement and Agramunt was in effect
the earldom's chief town until 1314. The old quarter still has some fine porticoed streets and a large
porticoed square, Plaça del Mercadal. The magnificent Casa de la Vila (town hall), built in the
Baroque period, has semicircular arches resting
on pillars and a three-part balcony on the first
floor. The old castle and walls (shown in a 17th C
engraving by Beaulieu) were destroyed. The for-
Cervera.
Corbel on the Paeria
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Agramunt. Church of Santa Maria
mer market houses the Museu Etnològic
Municipal (1980) and the Espai Guinovart (works
by the artist Josep Guinovart and illustrations of
the world that inspired them). Agramunt is famous
for its traditional sweets: torrons d’Agramunt
(made from hazelnuts and honey) and xocolata a
la pedra (chocolate). A special fair is dedicated to
them in October (Fira del Torró i Xocolata a la
Pedra).
Ponts is another town with a long history and an
ancient market. It lies at the eastern tip of
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Noguera, near the confluence of the Llobregós
and the Segre, at the intersection of ancient highways (one from Puigcerdà to Lleida, the other to
Igualada). The old quarter, with its porticoed
streets and squares, is overlooked by the hillock of
Les Forques, where the ruins of Ponts castle still
stand. In medieval times it was an important fortress in the earldom of Urgell, commanded by a
distinguished noble family named Ponts. The
magnificent Romanesque church below it belonged to the Augustinian canonry of Sant Pere de
Ponts. It has a single nave, three cross-shaped
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Àger
apses, Lombard-style decoration on the outside,
and a large eight-sided lantern which once supported a belfry. Construction began in 1143
thanks to large donations, primarily from Ermengol
VI of Urgell, for the purpose of setting up a
Benedictine monastery. The canonry was created
instead (1169) and survived until the 16th century.
Near Ponts one can also visit the remains of the
Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Gualter,
which was built in Romanesque times.
At the other end of the comarca of Noguera, the
town of Àger stands on a knoll in a broad, sunlit
valley at the foot of Montsec d’Ares. It was once a
important medieval viscountcy and some important ruins still remain. Àger was founded by the
legendary Arnau Mir de Tost, a knight in the service of the counts of Urgell, who captured the site
from the Muslims. After it finally fell in 1047, he
extended his domains throughout the zone and
resettled it. The viscountcy was set up later by
Ermengol V of Urgell. Arnau founded the
Augustinian collegiate church of Sant Pere d’Àger
in the precinct of the powerful fortified castle. The
ruins, which have been reinforced, reveal a spacious 11th C crypt with three aisles, and a handsome 12th C church, also with three aisles and
three apses. Only the middle apse juts out and it
has niches inside with semi-columns and carved
capitals. The cloister was built in Gothic style (1415th C). There are also impressive vestiges of the
two sets of walls, reinforced by round towers,
which encircled the castle, the collegiate church
and the old town. Inside the parish church of Sant
Vicenç, in the lower part of the town, there is a fine
Roman sarcophagus. An astronomical park will
soon be set up near Àger.
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Ponts. Church of Sant Pere
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Balaguer. Boundary cross and shrine of El Sant Crist
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Cervera County Museum
Major, 115
Tel. (+34) 973 533 917
www.museudecervera.com
Noguera Museum in Balaguer
Pl. Comtes d'Urgell, 5
Tel. (+34) 973 445 194
www.museucn.com
Guinovart Centre in Agramunt
Pl. Mercat, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 390 904
Lo Pardal House-Museum in Agramunt
Pl. Pare Gras, 4-5
Tel. (+34) 973 391 089
Agramunt Municipal Ethnological
Museum
Pl. Mercat, 1
Tel. (+34) 973 391 089
www.agramunt.cat
Àger Town Hall
Pl. Major, 1
Tel. (+34) 973 455 004
www.ager.cat
Montsec Astronomical Park in Àger
(Consorci del Montsec)
Pl. Major, 1
Tel. (+34) 973 455 230
www.montsec.cat
www.parcastronomic.cat
Agramunt, Cervera and Balaguer Tourist
Information Offices
(see page 84 and 85)
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Castles and
fortified
villages
From the 11th century onwards, Terres de Lleida
was a frontierland between Christian and Muslim
territory and this shaped both its history and its
landscape. Many towns and villages were built
below a fortress or castle for safety. Two main
types of castles are to be found: isolated, walled
castles, generally built in the early Middle Ages on
a hilltop above the town or village, and castlepalaces which had a residential function as well as
a defensive one. Many were altered and enlarged
at the end of the Middle Ages, in the late Gothic or
Renaissance period.
On the hill above the town of Camarasa (Noguera)
– on the left bank of the Segre, below where the
Noguera Pallaresa forms the Camarasa reservoir
– stand the towering ruins of a medieval castle
and church. The castle, originally a powerful
Muslim fortress, became part of the fiefdom of the
legendary Arnau Mir de Tost and the capital of
the Camarasa March, an extensive feudal domain
which was later turned into a marquisate. Some of
the castle walls and towers still stand, along
with the chevet and other parts of the 13th C
church of Sant Miquel, which was in RomanesqueGothic transition style. Within the same borough is
32
La Baronia de Sant Oïsme, a hamlet in a strategic spot overlooking the reservoir, at the end of the
Terradets gorge. Its salient features are the magnificent round tower of the castle and the
Romanesque church of Sant Bartomeu, which
has a nave, three small cross-shaped apses, and
a small bell tower.
Further south, to the NW of Balaguer, lies Castelló
de Farfanya, which grew up round a major fortress of Arab origin. Some massive towers and
fortifications from the castle precinct still rise
above it, alongside the Gothic church with its large
bell tower. There is a late Romanesque church
containing a splendid 14th C stone reredos by the
Lleida School in the old village centre, and some
interesting Renaissance and Baroque buildings.
Cubells (Noguera) nestles at the foot of a hill in the
area irrigated by the Urgell Canal. The ruined castle
stands on the hilltop, near the church of Santa
Maria del Castell, which has a handsome 13th C
late-Romanesque doorway by the Lleida School
featuring ornamented archivolts resting on six pairs
of columns. The 13-14th C Gothic parish church of
Sant Pere contains a 13th C alabaster Madonna
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La Baronia de Sant Oïsme
33
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Castelló de Farfanya. Altar, Church of Santa Maria
Montsonís Castle
➛
➛
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Castle of Les Sitges
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(Mare de Déu de la Llet) which came from the castle and an interesting 15th C pulpit. Some remarkable altarpieces now in the Urgell diocesan museum
and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
(MNAC) in Barcelona also came from here.
Another nearby fortress which lay within the
domains of Arnau Mir de Tost is Montsonís
Castle, in the borough of La Foradada (Noguera),
at the mouth of the Salgar gorge. Like many
neighbouring castles, it was turned into a large
residential palace in Gothic times. It was been restored by the present owners, the Barons of Albi,
and is now the headquarters of Castells de Lleida,
a group of castles open to the public where concerts and other cultural activities take place. Near
the castle, Salgar shrine stands in a beautiful spot
in the gorges overlooking the Segre.
In the same vicinity is Montclar Castle, on the crest
of the Montclar range in an enclave of the borough
of Agramunt (Urgell). It too has recently been restored by its owners, the marquises of Palmerola, and
can be visited (Castells de Lleida group). It is a
large, fortified mansion which was built in the 17th
century on the site of an earlier castle (the voussoir
over the main door is dated 1638). Between 1856
and 1860 a tunnel 5 km long was dug through the
Montclar range by a large gang of convicts who
had been sentenced to hard labour. This major
engineering project was part of the construction of
the first stretch of the Urgell Canal.
Also worth visiting is the castle of Alòs de Balaguer (Noguera), perched on a crag on the right
bank of the Segre, in the southern Meià valley.
Some impressive walls, a round tower and some
pointed arches still remain. Its existence is recorded as early as the 11th century and it too was part
of the domains of Arnau Mir de Tost. The village
spread over the hillside and has preserved its picturesque appearance. Inside the church is a handsome late 14th C stone reredos in characteristic
Lleida School style. To the north lies Vilanova de
Meià, the chief village in the Meià valley. Once a
fortified town, it has retained part of its walls and
36
Castle of Alòs de Balaguer
Castle of La Floresta
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a handsome church in Romanesque-Gothic transition style. A popular partridge fair (Fira de la Perdiu)
is held there in autumn. The shrine of La Mare de
Déu del Puig de Meià – once the castle chapel –
stands on top of nearby Meià hill.
Many castle-palaces are to be found in Segarra.
They are large manor houses of similar design
which were rebuilt on the site of earlier fortresses
and watchtowers in the late Gothic and
Renaissance periods (16-17th C), an age when
cereal production had brought prosperity to the
region. Especially worth mentioning are the castles
of Les Pallargues (the chief village in the borough of
Els Plans de Sió) which has a fine Gothic arcade
on the façade, and Florejacs, which has a large
crenellated tower. Both can be visited (Castells de
Lleida group). Near Florejacs is the castle of Les
Sitges, a rectangular building with a large keep in
the centre and towering crenellated walls. The
massive castle of L'Aranyó was rebuilt around
1569 and has numerous Renaissance features.
More recently it belonged to the family of writer
Manuel de Pedrolo, who was born there in 1918.
Also in the vicinity is Montcortès Castle, a remarkable building of hewn stones with two large
towers and Renaissance windows.
The fortified village is a quite specific type of
medieval fortress. One such village is Montfalcó
Murallat (borough of Les Oluges). Built on a hill, it
has preserved its castle and medieval walls and
the gate is the only entrance. The houses stand
along narrow, partly covered streets which meet
at a small square. Many have been restored as
second homes. Another nearby village, Vergós
Guerrejat (borough of Estaràs), has a similar
layout and is overlooked by an ancient castle.
In Urgell too there are interesting villages huddling
round a castle. Foremost among them is Verdú,
south of Tàrrega. The castle – once part of the
lands of Poblet monastery, which had jurisdiction
over the village – was converted into a large
manor house. It has defensive features from
various periods and a handsome Gothic hall.
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Guimerà
Verdú is known for its traditional pottery, black
ceramics being its speciality. It also has a museum
devoted to toys and automatons (Museu de
Joguets i d’Autòmats).
The walled village of Guimerà lies below a ruined
castle, surveying the river Corb. It is an attractive
maze of quaint, narrow streets and handsome
medieval buildings. Ciutadilla, also in the Corb
valley, nestles below the still impressive ruins of its
medieval fortress, which was rebuilt in
Renaissance times.
The prime features of the austerely beautiful landscapes of Les Garrigues are the olive groves –
which produce excellent oil – and the villages, which
have preserved their old-world appearance. Some
38
have an elegant castle-palace in the centre. One
such village, La Floresta, was the property of the
powerful Cardona dynasty who rebuilt the castle
(13-14th C). It is now a spacious stone manor with
some mullioned windows. The parish church of
Sant Blai and a defence tower are part of the
same building. L’Espluga Calba was a commandery of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem
(Hospitallers) from the 15th century onwards and
the castle façade – featuring doorways with voussoirs and Gothic windows – has been preserved
almost intact. The interior was extensively altered
in the Baroque period. L’Albi was a powerful
medieval barony and the old quarter is dominated
by the now ruined castle – one of the most noteworthy in the area – which was altered and enlarged in the 15th and16th centuries.
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Lleida Castles (Montsonís, Montclar,
Florejacs, les Pallargues, Vicfred)
Major, 14
Tel. (+34) 973 402 045
www.castellsdelleida.com/cat
Museum of Toys and Robots in Verdú
25340 Verdú
Pl. Major, 23
Tel. (+34) 973 347 049
Castles of the Sió
[BY MOUNTAIN BIKE]
Route: Partially signposted route that
takes us to a number of castles in the
Segarra County part of the Sió riverside
area from Cervera. En route to Agramunt
(L-303), we come first to La Cardosa and
then Montcortès de Segarra, where we
can visit the castle. To the NE we come to
Concabella (L-310) where a path leads to
Les Pallargues (castle open to the public).
To the E via Mont-roig we come to
Pelagalls, Sisteró (Farming Museum) and
Ratera (castle open to the public). To the S
(L-310 and L-303) are Muller and then
L’Aranyó (castle open to the public). We
return to Cervera via El Canós.
www.mjoguetsautomats.com
Balaguer, Cervera, Guimerà, Tàrrega and
Verdú Tourist Information Offices (see
page 84 and 85)
Degree of difficulty: difficult.
Getting there: A-2 motorway and the N-II
and C-25 roads to Cervera.
Further information: La Segarra County
Tourist Information Office in Cervera (see
page 85).
Palau Robert Routes
www.gencat.cat/probert
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Vallbona de les
Monges and
other
monasteries
The most important monastery in Terres de Lleida,
Vallbona de les Monges, belongs to the
Cistercian nuns. Religious life has gone on there
without interruption for many centuries. It lies in
southern Urgell, in a beautiful location in a valley at
the foot of the Tallat range. Along with two other
great monasteries – Poblet and Santes Creus – it
makes up the Catalan Cistercian Route. It arose
out of a community of hermits, documented in
1150, which joined the Cistercian order in 1175.
Alfons I "the Chaste" and Jaume I "the Conqueror"
contributed to the construction of the monastery,
which played an active role in resettling the area.
The daughters of leading Catalan noble families
took the veil there.
The overall layout follows the characteristic pattern
of Cistercian monasteries. After 1573, however,
when the Council of Trent prohibited communities
of nuns in isolated spots, the village of Montesquiu
was moved there and the three original precincts
were extensively altered. The church and cloister
occupy much of the third precinct of the enclosure. Beside it is a handsome square – a former
graveyard – on which tombs and sarcophagi (13th
C), a monumental fountain, and two magnificent
40
Romanesque doorways – the Portal dels Morts
and the church doorway – can be seen.
The 13-14th C church is a fine example of
Romanesque-Gothic transition architecture with a
Latin-cross ground plan, a single, very long nave,
and three rectangular apses opening onto the
crossing. The original octagonal lantern (13-14th
C) has eight windows and groin vaulting. Later a
second large lantern-belfry – also eight-sided –
was added, with tracery on the windows and filigreed ridges. The elegant tombs of Queen Violant
of Hungary (d. 1251), the wife of Jaume I, and her
daughter Sança of Aragon can be admired in
chancel. Other noteworthy features are the tomb
of the Guimerà family, a fine 14th C Madonna by
Guillem Seguer, the Gothic chapel of Corpus
Christi, a Burial of Christ (15th C), and the grille
enclosing the choir.
The cloister is trapezoid-shaped. The S and E
wings are Romanesque; the N wing is fully Gothic,
with ornate tracery on the arches; and the fourth
wing (15th C) is of Romanesque design. The
modern chapel of La Mare de Déu del Claustre
opens into the cloister and houses a beautiful
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Vallbona de les Monges. Cloister and dome
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Vallbona de les Monges. Tomb
of Queen Violant of Hungary
Romanesque statue. The splendid 14th C chapter
house, which is fully Gothic and very austere, contains the tombstones of several abbesses and a
15th C figure of the Virgin (Mare de Déu de la
Misericòrdia) attributed to Pere Joan. There is an
interesting archive and library, and a small
museum containing gold- and silverware, works of
embroidery, and an old pharmacy. The monastery
remains an active spiritual and cultural centre to
this day.
42
Bellpuig de les Avellanes – in the borough of Os
de Balaguer (Noguera), in the southern Àger valley
– is another monastery where monastic life still
continues, though it no longer belongs to the
founding order. For centuries it was a thriving
abbey of Premonstratensian canons. The counts
of Urgell were buried here (13-14th C) and in the
18th century it had an important school of history.
The Romanesque cloister, built in the early part of
its history with twin columns and very soberly
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ornamented capitals, has survived, along with
important buildings from Gothic times: the dormitory and chapter house and the broad chevet of
the church (14th C), which has become part of the
modern building. After the disentailment of church
properties (1835), it had a series of owners and
the tombs of the counts – one of the earliest manifestations of full-blown Catalan Gothic sculpture
(early 14th C) – were sold. They are now in the
Cloisters Museum in New York. The Marist brothers, who settled here in 1910, have done restora-
tion work in recent years. The monastery has a
spiritual centre and buildings for conventions.
The town of Bellpuig (Urgell), in the part of the
plain which is irrigated by the canal, was formerly
an important barony belonging to the powerful
Cardona family. In the late 15th and early 16th
centuries its owners were the Cardona-Anglesola
dynasty, one of whose members, Ramon Folc (III),
was in the service of Ferdinand the Catholic and
became Viceroy of Sicily and Naples and Captain
Bellpuig. Tomb of Ramon Folc of Cardona
43
Vallbona de les Monges. Cloister
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Bellpuig de les Avellanes. Cloister
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Vallbona de les Monges. Corbels in the Chapel of Corpus Christi
General of the Holy League (1511). He also had
the Franciscan convent of Sant Bartomeu built
on the outskirts of Bellpuig (from 1507 onwards)
as the site for his solemn burial. Many features of
the original convent – nearly all Gothic in design –
have survived: the cistern cloister with its ornate
second gallery, the wash basin in the refectory,
the sacristy cupboards, the chapter house, and
the fanciful spiral staircase. Also of note are the
top gallery in the cloister and its N and E wings,
the so-called Mirador del Duc – which has elements in Roman style –, and the Baroque-looking
main staircase. Ramon Folc's spectacular marble
tomb used to be in the convent church but in
1841, after the convent was secularized, it was
moved to the parish church where it can still be
admired today. Carved in Naples by Giovanni
Merliano da Nola in 1522-1525, it is richly orna-
46
mented with symbols and heroic episodes from
his life. It is the finest work of Renaissance funerary sculpture in Catalonia.
Other important monastic buildings in Terres de
Lleida include Gardeny castle in Lleida, which
belonged to the Templars, and the former monastery of Nostra Senyora dels Àngels, founded in
1250 by the first community of Trinitarian nuns
in Spain at Avinganya in the Segre valley
(borough of Seròs), on the westernmost boundary
of Terres de Lleida. The still impressive remains
include the great Gothic church and its bell tower,
the cloister, and vestiges of the tombs of the
Montcada dynasty and the Counts of Barcelona.
The ruins have been reinforced to house the
Centre d’Arqueologia d’Avinganya, part of
the Institut d’Estudis Ilerdencs.
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Monastery of Santa Maria de Vallbona
Major, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 330 266
www.vallbona.com
www.larutadelcister.info
Monastery of Santa Maria de Bellpuig
de les Avellanes
Ctra. C-12, km 181
Tel. (+34) 973 438 006
www.monestirdelesavellanes.com
Convent of Sant Bartomeu in Bellpuig
Ctra.. Belianes, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 320 292
Tàrrega,Bellpuig, Seròs, Guimerà, Verdú
and Vallbona de les Monges Tourist
Information Offices (see page 85)
Urgell County Castles Route
[BY CAR]
Route: This route around the castles of
Urgell County begins at Montclar Castle,
which is open to the public. Taking the
C-14 road through Tàrrega and turning on
to the LV-2101, we come to Verdú, a town
presided over by its ancient castle (open
to the public). South along the C-14, we
turn off on to the L-201 to reach Maldà,
whose castle is now being restored, and
Ciutadilla (L-234), with its palace-castle
(open to the public). Driving east along the
L-241 we can also visit Guimerà, a pretty
town where we can see the remains of the
old castle.
Degree of difficulty: easy.
Getting there: to Montclar from Tàrrega
along the C-14 Artesa de Segre road.
Further information: Urgell County
Information Office
Palau Robert Routes:
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The ancient
world
Vestiges of the ancient world – from cave paintings
to early Christian remains – are plentiful throughout
Terres de Lleida. We refer here only to the most
noteworthy sites and the Archaeological Room at
the Institut d’Estudis Ilerdencs, where exceptionally
interesting finds are on show.
The most famous cave paintings are at El
Cogul, a typical olive-growing village in Les
Garrigues where, in 1908, the parish priest,
Ramon Huguet, discovered some remarkable
murals in a cavity in a block of sandy rock (Roca
dels Moros) by the river Set. The event caused a
great stir because the existence of similar paintings – at the Cabrafeixet rock shelter (El Perelló),
for instance, or on the La Pietat range (Ulldecona)
– was still unknown at the time. The stylized naturalistic art common to them all is known as
“Levantine rock art”, or the art of els pintors de les
serres (mountain range painters). The discovery of
ceramics from various periods and Iberian and
Roman graffiti points to a long period of human
habitation dating back to the Neolithic. Of special
note are a hunting scene – two deer, an archer
with a wild boar, and other animals – and another
more famous scene featuring a group of nine
48
female figures who seem to be performing a phallic dance round a single nude male figure. These
scenes are classified within the rock art of the
Mediterranean seaboard, declared a Unesco
World Heritage Site.
Other paintings in the same style have been found
much more recently in the cave of Els Vilassos on a
limestone escarpment at Os de Balaguer
(Noguera). They show three red figures dancing: a
woman on either side and a naked man in the middle holding them by the waist. Below is a blackish
fox and, still further down, a highly stylized human
figure and other animals.
The ruins of the late Bronze Age settlement of Genó
(1100-900 BC) stand on an elevation some 3 km
from Aitona (Segrià), on the right bank of the Segre.
The long, narrow houses with stone and mud walls
are joined together and the back walls together
form an outer defensive wall. A single street runs
through the middle. After being inhabited for only
two or three generations, the settlement burnt
down and the population had to flee. It was discovered in 1955. The excavations (1976-1984)
uncovered items of great interest.
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Cave paintings at El Cogul
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In Iberian times, Lleida – then called Iltirda – was
already a major city. It belonged to the Ilergetes tribe
who, under the orders of chiefs such as Indibilis and
Mandonius, put up fierce resistance to Roman
occupation in the wake of the conquest. However,
Lleida's strategic location and good communications by land and river led the Romans to found a
new city there under the Latinized name of Ilerda.
Gebut, another key Iberian settlement, stands on a
knoll on the right bank of the Segre in the borough
of Soses (Segrià). Excavation of the site – a clear
illustration of the Ilergetes' advanced culture and
urban planning skills – began in 1940. It comprises
two stone-paved streets pointing in different directions and some sixty rooms belonging to about
twenty dwellings. In the centre was a large square
with a water tank on one side. At the top end (NW)
are a number of rooms which may have formed
some kind of acropolis. Remnants of the outer walls
stand on the western slope.
The ruins of El Molí de l’Espígol – one of western
Catalonia's most important Iberian settlements and
one of the Ilergetes' largest cities – can be seen in
the borough of Tornabous (Urgell). Excavation
of the site began in 1970. The ground plan is elliptical and a series of circular streets, connected by
straight streets, delimit the different districts.
Approximately 30 m of the outer walls still stand.
About thirty oblong, attached houses with stone
socles, mud walls and earth floors have been excavated. Some have paving inside, stone mortars for
pounding grain, and benches along the walls on
which earthenware vessels were kept. There were
communal ovens on some corners. The streets are
2-5 m wide and paved with flagstones. In the first
half of the 2nd century BC, a new district of larger
Tornabous. Molí de l’Espígol
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rectangular houses was added at the E end.
Opposite them is a building dating from the initial
period which may have had a religious function. It
had columns on either side of the door (the moulded stone bases still remain) and was later converted
into a dwelling.
Four kilometres NE of Arbeca (Les Garrigues) is
another valuable archaeological site: Els Vilars
d’Arbeca (750-325 BC). It was an Ilergetes fortress
and was inhabited for fifteen generations. The
remains – including fortifications with towers and a
moat – are of great archaeological interest. The origin of this site is unknown.
There are many Roman remains in the region.
Some can be seen in the city of Lleida, notably
beneath the Paeria and the Auditori Municipal Enric
Granados (the latter belonged to a building that
stood at the old city gate of La Magdalena). Also of
note are the ruins of a stronghold known as Castelllliuró, in the borough of Castellnou d’Ossó (Urgell),
which had an irregular semicircular base with a perimeter of some 30 m and double walls made from
large bossed ashlars of sandy stone. The surviving
structure is 4 m high. In the Middle Ages a round
tower with a cupola was built inside it.
At El Tossal dels Moros, near Corbins (Segrià),
where the Segre and the Noguera Pallaresa
meet, stand the remains of large Roman villa with
an interesting mausoleum (now restored). The
mausoleum (2nd century AD) has an oblong
ground plan and four underground burial chambers (conditoria), the floor and walls of which were
covered with marble plaques while the brick
ceiling was stuccoed and painted. The upper
chamber, devoted to the cult of the deceased,
was paved with fragments of earthenware and
had a vaulted ceiling.
Corbins. Tossal dels Moros
51
Museum in Lleida
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Castellnou d’Ossó. Castell-lliuró
Página 53
A remarkable white marble Roman sarcophagus
(2nd C AD) can be admired in the parish church of
Sant Vicenç in Àger (Noguera), a town lying at the
foot of Montsec with some splendid medieval architecture. Three sides of the sarcophagus (now a
baptismal font) are decorated with maritime motifs.
The central medallion shows the bust of a man in a
toga representing the deceased.
The town of Guissona, one of the most lively, thriving towns in the county of La Segarra, has interesting vestiges of its remote origins, namely the former
Roman city of Iesso, which was founded in the 2nd
century BC and attained the category of municipium. These vestiges include the defence tower of
the ancient ramparts that once protected the gates
to the city, the remains of the gates to the cardo
maximus and various building ruins, as well as the
necropolis. There are numerous steles with inscriptions and other artefacts on display at the Guissona
Museum, which has created an archaeological park.
The remains of an exceptionally fine early Christian
building – the basilica of El Bovalar – can be seen
on a hillock on the left bank of the Segre in the
borough of Seròs (Segrià). Though some features
date from the 6-7th centuries, its origin is earlier. It
has a rectangular ground plan, a three-part chevet,
and three aisles separated by columns. The baptismal pool, surmounted by a magnificent baldachin
with columns, capitals and horseshoe arches, has
been restored and is on show in the museum in
Lleida. Near the basilica are the ruins of a settlement comprising some fifteen detached houses,
each with two or three rooms and arranged around
two squares. Many rare and interesting tools and
other items have been found there (including a
Coptic-type bronze incense burner). These too can
be seen in the museum in Lleida.
The Museu de Lleida Diocesà i Comarcal contains the richest collection of archaeological finds
from Terres de Lleida, mostly from Segrià and
Noguera. The most remarkable exhibits – along
with the items from El Bovalar mentioned above –
come from the Bronze Age, Iberian and Roman
periods. The latter include mosaics from the
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Página 54
Seròs. Basilica of El Bovalar
Roman villa of El Romeral (Albesa), near the river
Noguera Ribagorçana, where excavation began in
the 1960s.
Àger. Roman sarcophagus
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Museum of Lleida (see page 23)
Aitona Town Hall
Major, 6. Tel. (+34) 973 794 010
www.aitona/cat
Arbeca Town Hall
Pl. Generalitat, 3. Tel. (+34) 973 160 008
www.vilars2000.com
www.arbeca.cat
Archaeological Museum (les Borges Blanques)
Carme, 21. Tel. (+34) 973 142 850
El Cogul Town Hall
Pl. Vila, 2. Tel. (+34) 973 120 367
cogul.ddl.net
Corbins Town Hall
Pl. Vila, s/n. Tel. (+34) 973 190 117
www.corbins.cat
Archaeological Museum and
Archaeological Park in the Roman
City of Iesso
Pl. Vell Pla, 1. Tel. (+34) 973 551 414
www.guissona.cat
Os de Balaguer Town Hall
Tomàs Fontova, 8. Tel. (+34) 973 438 004
osbalaguer.ddl.net
Ossó de Sió Town Hall (Castellnou d’Ossó)
Pl. Major, s/n. Tel. (+34) 973 390 790
ossosio.ddl.net
Seròs Town Hall (El Bovalar)
Pl. Escoles, 1. Tel. (+34) 973 780 009
www.seros.cat
Soses Town Hall
Pl. Ajuntament, 1. Tel. (+34) 973 797 806
soses.ddl.net/
Tàrrega Museum
Major, 11. Tel. (+34) 973 312 960
Catalonia Archeological Museum
Tel. (+34) 934 232 149
www.mac.cat
Molí d'Espígol Museum of the
Iberian Settlement (Tornabous)
Tels. (+34) 973 312 960
Guissona. Plaça Major
Lleida, Les Borges Blanques, Balaguer,
Agramunt, Guissona, Seròs and Tàrrega
Tourist Information Offices (see page 85)
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Les Garrigues
olive oil
Les Garrigues olive oil is one of Catalonia's most
prestigious food products. It has its own label of
origin (D.O.) and is made from the arbequina olives
grown in many parts of the comarca of Les
Garrigues – where olive groves occupy half the
total surface area – and certain boroughs of Segrià
and Urgell as well. Early-harvest olives yield a
greenish, fairly full-bodied oil with a fruity but
slightly bitter taste; oil made from late-harvest olives is sweeter, yellow and more liquid. The highest
quality oil – extra-virgin – has an acidity level
below 0.5º.
This quality is due, not merely to the climate and
soil, but to the way the olives are picked – by
manually "combing" the branches so as not to
damage the fruit, instead of knocking it off with
sticks. The oil is extracted by purely mechanical
and physical means – the press system – and only
low heat is applied to prevent deterioration. The
result is the totally natural juice of the olive.
The bottling process is guaranteed by stringent
quality controls. Les Garrigues olive oil has won
numerous international awards ever since it has
been on the market.
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Les Borges Blanques, the chief town of Les
Garrigues and its oil-producing capital, lies between the area irrigated by the Urgell Canal and
the Central Lowland plateaus. It was built round a
Muslim castle and received its municipal charter
from Pere I "the Catholic" in 1206. Permission for
the first fair to be held there was given by Pere III
"the Ceremonious" in 1336. It was once a walled
town and the Plaça Major stretches along the foot
of the hill to the Cent gate. Round Plaça de la
Constitució there are wide porticoes – 51 arches –
and handsome mansions with Renaissance features (17-18th C).
One of the main attractions of Les Borges
Blanques is Passeig del Terrall, a magnificent park
with two ponds, large gardens and a variety of
plants and trees. It also contains a 17th C beamtype oil press, a monolith dedicated to the farmer
of Les Garrigues, and three monuments: one to
the sardana (Catalan dance), another to the victims of Mauthausen, and a third to the former
Catalan President Francesc Macià who was elected member of parliament for Les Borges in all the
elections he contested and had strong ties with
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Olive groves in bloom
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Olive oil cruet
Molí Ca l’Argilés in Arbeca
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the town. Some of the archways and columns
from the old cloister of the convent of El Carme
(demolished in 1974) were also moved to El Terrall.
One of the town's most interesting buildings,
Palau del Marquès d’Olivart, located outside the
old walls, was entirely restored when it was converted into the town hall. It also houses a small
archaeological museum. The chapel of Sant
Salvador, on the way to Cervià de les Garrigues, is
in Romanesque-Gothic transition style with a single nave. It lies amid gardens and is a place of
popular devotion.
An olive oil fair – Fira de l’Oli de Qualitat Verge
Extra and Fira de les Garrigues – is held at Les
Borges Blanques round about the feast of Saint
Anthony (January), which is also marked by a
parade of horses and carriages (festival of Els Tres
Tombs). Over a hundred exhibitors take part.
Another attraction is the olive oil theme park (Parc
Temàtic de l’Oli) at Masia Salat, a manor-farmhouse surrounded by olive groves NW of the
town, where antique oil presses, collections of oil
pourers, and other items to do with olive oil can be
seen. Other interesting places for finding out more
about olive oil production are: the Museu de l’Oli
i del Món Rural (Castelldans), the Molí Cal
Argilès (Arbeca) and the Ecomuseu de l’Oli (La
Pobla de Cérvoles).
Arbequina olives
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Harvesting the olives
Les Borges Blanques. Passeig del Terrall
Museu de l’Oli i Món Rural in Castelldans
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Les Garrigues Interpretation Centre
in Les Borges Blanques
Av. Francesc Macià, 54
Tel. (+34) 973 142 658
www.centreinterpretaciogarrigues.com
Olive Oil Theme Park in
Les Borges Blanques
Masia Salat. Carretera N-240, km 71
Tel. (+34) 973 140 018
www.grupsalat.com
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Fair and Les
Garrigues Fair in Les Borges Blanques
Carme, 21
Tel. (+34) 973 142 805
www.firaoli.com
Ca l’Argilés Mill in Arbeca
Tel. (+34) 973 160 008
www.arbeca.cat
Les Garrigues Oil Route: from Les
Borges Blanques to L’Albi
[BY CAR]
Route: From Les Borges Blanques to La
Pobla de Cérvoles. Near Les Borges
Blanques, we can visit the Oil Theme Park
(km 71 on the N-240). Returning to Les
Borges, we take the C-233 road to Arbeca,
where we find the Molí d’Argilès mill. Then
the LV-2012 leads us to L’Espluga Calba,
with its cooperative oil mill. The LP-7032
road takes us to L’Albi, with its great Art
Nouveau cooperative. We continue to
Cervià de les Garrigues and La Pobla de
Cérvoles, with the Oil Eco-Museum.
Getting there: AP-2 motorway Junction 7
to Les Borges Blanques.
Further information: Les Borges Blanques
Tourist Information Office (see page 85), Les
Garrigues County Council (see page 84).
Palau Robert Routes
Rural Life and Olive Oil Museum
in Castelldans
Empit, 9
Tel. (+34) 973 120 002
www.castelldans.cat
Olive Oil Ecomuseum in
La Pobla de Cérvoles
Pl. Sant Miquel, 9
Tel. (+34) 973 175 152
www.poblacervoles.cat
Les Garrigues Denomination of Origin
Regulatory Council in Lleida
Complex Caparrell, 97
Tel. (+34) 973 280 470
www.olidelesgarrigues.com
Les Borges Blanques County Tourist
Information Office and in Arbeca
(see page 85)
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Genuine
country fare
The cuisine of Terres de Lleida consists of hearty
country dishes in which Mediterranean staples –
wheat, olive oil and wine – are skilfully enhanced
by dried fruit and nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables,
lamb, pork, salt fish, and the produce of the
countryside such as snails and wild mushrooms.
There are two traditional dishes par excellence. One
is coca de recapte – a thin layer of dough, baked in
the oven with a garnish of onion, sweet pepper,
tomato, and salt herring, or sausage and oil, or alternatively samfaina (akin to ratatouille). The other is
cassola de tros or cassola de pagès, a stew containing pork conserve, sausage, snails, rabbit and whatever vegetables are in season. Both dishes – like
baked herrings with muscatel grapes, the typical
grape-harvester's snack – were designed to be
eaten in the country, in contact with nature.
But snails are the region's most famous speciality.
They are prepared in many different guises: cargols en suc, a la brutesca, a la llauna, bullits amb
allioli, amb conill, and so on.
Vegetables and pulses are the main ingredients of
dishes such as olla verda (stewed cabbage,
62
beans, potatoes, etc.), escalivada (broiled sweet
peppers and aubergines, dressed with plenty of
olive oil and salt), amanida de favetes and escudella de faves tendres (tender broad beans served as
a salad or casserole), carxofes a la brasa (charbroiled artichokes), truita de samfaina (omelette
with ratatouille), espinacs a la cassola (stewed spinach) and, first and foremost, the magnificent
salads which usually include pickled vegetables.
Thanks to its long tradition of cattle raising (mainly
pigs and sheep), the region produces excellent
sausages (botifarres, llonganisses, etc.), pork conserve and very tender lamb, ideal for charbroiling.
Other characteristic dishes feature meat stuffed
with fresh and dried fruit.
There are also delicious game dishes – hare or
rabbit with herbs and partridge cooked in various
ways (perdiu en crosta de fang, a la caçadora, or
en vinagreta) – and wild mushrooms with all the
aroma of the woods.
Typical desserts include the traditional orelletes
(subtly flavoured pastry made from flour, egg,
sugar and aniseed and fried in olive oil), which are
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Salad
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Coca de recapte
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Fresh local produce
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an essential feature of popular festivals. Another
favourite is pa de pessic (sponge cake) and the
comarca of Segarra has local specialities such as
plomes d’àngel, nevats, savines and morenetes.
Costers del Segre, an appellation with a growing reputation
In recent years the wines of Terres de Lleida have
won great popularity at home and abroad thanks
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to the introduction of new enological techniques
and short-cycle varieties of grape suited to the climate. The appellation (or D.O. – Denominació
d'Origen) Costers del Segre is a reliable guarantee
of quality.
Costers de Segre wines come from four areas:
Raimat, Artesa, Vall del Riu Corb and Les
Garrigues.
Snails
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Cellers Raimat, wine cellar
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Raimat, west of Lleida near the Huesca border, is
an area of rolling hills and stony, limestone soil.
The climate is continental but not overly harsh.
Besides the traditional varieties of grape – ull de
llebre, macabeu and parellada –, new varieties –
cabernet-sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir and chardonnay – have been introduced in recent years.
Raimat wines include fine, delicate whites, complex but well-balanced reds, and above all
sparkling wines and cavas with great personality
and an infinity of nuances.
Artesa lies north-west of the regional capital
Lleida. The river Segre flows through the area from
east to west and the chief town is Artesa de
Segre. The proximity of the Pyrenees creates a climate of extremes requiring short-cycle varieties of
grape: monastrell, trepat and cabernet-sauvignon
for well-structured red wines, and macabeu for
aromatic, elegant whites. Deliciously fresh, fruity
rosés are also made here.
Vall del Riu Corb comprises 15 boroughs in the
valley of the Corb, a tributary of the Segre.
The area lies along the provincial border between
Lleida and Tarragona and is part of the Ebro valley,
both geologically and in terms of climate. The arid
ground, the long hours of sunshine, and the short
rain cycle suit varieties such as macabeu, parellada and xarel·lo, for white wines, and ull de llebre
and garnatxa for reds. Both whites and reds are
robust, potent wines.
Les Garrigues, which is also part of the Ebro
valley, is a dry, sun-drenched area. Here grapes
such as ull de llebre and cabernet-sauvignon are
grown to produce warm, flavourful red wines,
while fresh, fruity whites are made from chardonnay.
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“Granados”
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Costers del Segre Denomination
of Origin Regulatory Council in Lleida
Complex Caparrella, 97
Tel. (+34) 973 264 583
www.costersdelsegre.cat
Raimat Wine Cellars
Afores, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 724 000
www.raimat.cat
Castell del Remei Wine Cellars
Finca Castell del Remei
Tel. (+34) 973 580 200
www.castelldelremei.com
www.gatroteca.cat
The Urgell Canal network of irrigation
channels
[BY MOUNTAIN BIKE]
Route: From Torregrossa to Sidamon,
through fields of cereals and fruit trees
watered by the complex Urgell Canal
irrigation network. From Torregrossa, we
take a path that follows the Auxiliar Canal,
skirting the cemetery. Crossing the canal,
we come to Molí del Bori, passing under
the motorway. Crossing the Tercera
irrigation channel, we enter Bellvís, existing
towards the east. Skirting the Tercera
irrigation channel again, we join the Auxiliar
Canal once more near to El Palau
d’Anglesola. Reaching the A-2 motorway
(km 24.4) we cross a bridge and head
towards Sidamon, where the canal goes
underground. We then follow a path
beside the canal to return to Torregrossa
once more.
Further information: Pla d’Urgell County
Information Office in Mollerussa (see page 85).
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The Tàrrega
Street Drama
Festival and
other
festivals and
traditions
Of the many festivities held in Terres de Lleida, the
Tàrrega Street Drama Festival (Fira de Teatre al
Carrer de Tàrrega) is one of the most important.
It ranks among southern Europe's foremost international theatrical markets and takes place in the
second weekend in September, at the same time
as the festival of Sant Eloi.
Tàrrega, the capital of the comarca of Urgell, is
one the liveliest towns in Terres de Lleida. It lies in
the Ondara valley and evolved in the Middle Ages
around Tàrrega castle, which belonged to the earldom of Barcelona. Ever since it has been a leading
centre for land-and-cattle produce and trade, and
the site of an important market. Prime features of
its architectural heritage include vestiges of the
castle and walls, the Baroque church of Santa
Maria, Palau dels Marquesos de la Floresta – a
handsome, well preserved mansion with elements
of Romanesque origin –, the old Gothic hospital,
and the porticoed square of Sant Antoni. The
shrine and park of Sant Eloi stand on high ground
above the town, affording views over the plain and
mountains. Cultural and sports facilities are numerous: archive and libraries, conservatoire, arts
and crafts school, etc.
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The Fira del Teatre al Carrer is promoted by the
town council and organized by the drama group
Comediants. Since its creation in 1981, it has
become increasingly dynamic and successful and
draws over 800 professionals and 100,000 spectators a year, turning Tàrrega into a magnificent
showcase for the contemporary performing arts
against the background of a thriving popular festival. It affords opportunities to stage, buy and sell
shows and provides a forum for professional contacts, exchange and diffusion. A wide array of disciplines and types of performance are covered,
though stress is usually on contemporary and
visual forms with a view to encouraging innovation. The prime goal is to help boost the performing arts industry.
Professionals from the Iberian peninsula are well
represented and the fair's international reputation
is growing steadily, thanks to contacts with organizations such as IFEA (International Festivals and
Events Association – Europe) and the Quebec
government. Interesting initiatives include invitations to selected artists to stage performances
specially designed for the fair and coproductions,
notably of street shows. Participating companies
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The Tàrrega Street Drama Festival
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Festival of Sant Anastasi in Lleida
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mount stands in the trade fair complex of La Llotja
for contacts and meetings with theatrical programmers. Camp grounds are set up to accommodate over 8,000 people in tents and caravans.
Celebrations to mark the fair's 25th anniversary
lent special prominence to the 2005 edition.
For many centuries a passion play has been
staged in the town of Cervera. There are records of
performances in the church of Santa Maria back in
the 15th century and the passion play tradition is
common to several other Catalan towns. The text
which had been in use since the 18th century –
attributed to the Trinitarian Antoni de Sant Jeroni –
was replaced in 1940 by a new text by Emili Rabell
and Josep M. Sarrate – “Crist Misteri de Passió” –
which is more faithful to the gospels. A special
theatre seating 2,000 has been built for the play,
which is performed to great acclaim in both
Catalan and Spanish in the Holy Week period.
Since 1978 Cervera has also been the scene of a
very different form of entertainment. Aquelarre,
which takes place at the end of August, evokes
the world of witchcraft and pays tribute to the
magical atmosphere of popular festivals. The
events include parades (cercaviles), spectacles
featuring devils and fireworks (correfocs and
devils' dances), and the Fira del Gran Boc.
In Mollerussa, the chief town of Pla d'Urgell, a
popular paper dress contest (Concurs Nacional de
Vestits de Paper) has been held each year since
1964 round about the feast of Saint Lucy, the
patron saint of dressmakers (13 December). It is
organized by the Societat Cultural i Recreativa
l’Amistat and draws spectators from far and wide.
The star event is a fashion show of the competing
dresses. The event attracts large crowds and considerable attention.
During the second weekend in July, Balaguer
(Noguera) is the scene of one of the most popular
festivals in Terres de Lleida: the Transsegre, a race
of home-made boats down the Segre from
Camarasa to Balaguer which starts on Saturday
afternoon and finishes on Sunday morning. There
Fireworks at the Parc del Segre in Lleida
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Mollerussa Museum of Paper Clothes
is all-night dancing and merrymaking in the Parc
del Transsegre.
Many festivals are dedicated to the ritual tasks that
mark the yearly cycle of work on the farm. Two
festivals held at La Fuliola (Urgell) are especially
attractive. At the Festa del Segar, in the last week
in June, the traditional method of harvesting wheat
is demonstrated. Then two weeks later comes the
Festa del Batre, when participants show how
the grain was separated from the chaff.
The grape harvest, another key event in the Lleida
countryside, is celebrated in early October. The
Festa de la Verema is held in Raimat (Segrià),
one of the places where the wines of the famous
Costers del Segre appellation are made.
Attractions include a large feast, plays (one of
which relates a legend about a snake), and a
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grape-pressing contest. At the Festa del Vi i la
Verema in Verdú (Urgell), demonstrations are
given of the old-fashioned methods of picking and
transporting the grapes and preparing the must
(including grape treading).
Local feasts are another established tradition. The
popular El Ranxo, held at Ponts (Noguera) at carnival time (February), is one good example. The
programme includes cercaviles (parades) on Ash
Wednesday and the preceding Thursday, the ritual
Burial of the Sardine, and a large feast for locals
and visitors. Another example is Catalonia's most
popular snail feast, the Aplec del Caragol, which
is part of the May festivals in Lleida. Members
of clubs of "snail-gourmets" gather to taste tons of
snails – the star culinary product of the local
countryside. This festival has been declared "of
national interest to tourism" and "of traditional inte-
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rest". And at Whitsun the Aplec de les Cassoles
del Tros is held in Juneda. Here the prime attraction is a contest between different teams for the
tastiest cassola de tros (stew).
So many festivals take place in Terres de Lleida
that it is impossible to mention them all. Many
mark religious festivities at different seasons: Saint
Lucy, Nativity plays and parades of the Three
Kings; the Tres Tombs parade for the feast of Saint
Anthony the Abbot; the Carnival; the feast of
Saint John (midsummer); and the lively festa major
which is held in each locality in summer. There are
also fairs and markets: the Festa de la Poma in
Barbens (apples), the Fira del Torró in
Agramunt (hazelnut sweets), the Fira de la
Perdiu in Vilanova de Meià (partridges), the Fira
de Santa Caterina in Arbeca (featuring a
demonstration by hunting dogs), the Mercat
Medieval in Guimerà (medieval market) where
ancient crafts are revived, or the Mercat Romà in
Guissona (Roman market) which evokes that
town's Roman past (when its name was Iesso).
The city of Lleida is the venue for major agricultural fairs: Fira de Sant Miquel, Eurofruit, Agrícola
dels Pirineus, etc.
Festa de la Verema (grape-crushing) in Verdú
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Cervera. Aquelarre
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Fira Tàrrega
Pl. St. Antoni, 1. Tel. (+34) 973 310 854
www.firatarrega.cat
Cervera Town Hall
Pl. Major, 1. Tel. (+34) 973 53 00 25
www.cerverapaeria.cat
www.aquelarre.cat
Organising Committee of the
Passion Play in Cervera
Pg. Balmes, 2. Tel. (+34) 973 532 661
www.lapassiodecervera.com
Mollerussa Museum of Paper Clothes
Ferrer i Busquets, 90-92. Tel. (+34) 973 606 210
www.museuvestitspaper.cat
Transsegre in Balaguer
Pont 1. Tel. (+34) 973 45 01 93
www.transsegre.org
Festes del Segar i el Batre de la Fuliola
Tel. (+34) 973 570 180
Around El Segrià County by bicycle
[BY MOUNTAIN BIKE]
Route: Partially signposted route around
the northwest area of El Segrià County
with superb farming and wine-growing
lands ranging from Raimat, the great
Costers del Segre DOC wine region, to the
Aragó i Catalunya Canal. Take a path
westwards, we come to Sucs, turning to
go north towards Almacelles
(archaeological and medieval remains on
Tossal de lo Vilot hill). The Sucs path takes
us on westward to the Serra del Bou
mountains, with canals and irrigation
channels, before we return along the Pla
de la Calàndria plains to Sucs and
Suquets and, finally, to Raimat.
Raimat Grape Harvest Festival
Tel. (+34) 973 724 000
www.raimat.cat
Verdú Grape Harvest Festival
Tel. (+34) 973 348 112
www.verdu.cat
Ponts Town Hall
Pl. Planell, 5. Tel. (+34) 973 460 003
www.ponts.cat
Juneda Town Hall
Major, 13. Tel. (+34) 973 150 014
www.juneda.cat
Agramunt Nougat Fair
Tel. (+34) 973 390 057
www.firadeltorro.com
Aplec del Caragol of Lleida
Obradors, 2. Tel. (+34) 973 281 473
www.aplec.org
Getting there: Raimat on the N-240 road
between Lleida and Almacelles.
www. festes.org
www.firesifestes.com
www.festacatalunya.cat
Further information: Lleida Tourist
Information Office (see page 85) and
Segrià County Council (see page 84).
Tourist Information Offices of Tàrrega,
Cervera, Mollerussa, Balaguer, Lleida,
Agramunt, etc. (see page 85)
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Sports and
nature
Terres de Lleida offers a wide range of attractive
facilities for practising nature sports in the mountainous Montsec area, on the Central Lowland
plains, and along the banks of the irrigation
canals.
One of the most famous and highly-rated areas
for free flying is the Àger valley, between the
Montsec and Port d’Àger ranges and the rivers
Noguera Ribagorçana and Noguera Pallaresa,
which has an east-west orientation and offers
excellent conditions for dynamic flights. Many
places are signposted for take off – Raudoral,
Gabrieló, Coll d’Ares, Sant Alís – and for landing –
Camp del Vertet, Camp de Tarrits – and alternatives are easy to find. The tradition of free flying,
which dates back over 20 years, has been reinforced by rising numbers of enthusiasts and national and international competitions which have
drawn fliers from all over the world (the World Hanggliding Championship was held there in 1995).
Paragliding is the most popular of these sports.
The flier leaps off a mountain slope, suspended
from a flexible, microlight glider, very similar to a
parachute, which is equipped with a hand brake.
78
The air currents cause it to rise, descend, and
revolve until it comes in to land. For hang-gliding,
a lightweight, semi-rigid structure is used which is
foot-launched and foot-landed and steered by
shifting the pilot's weight. Hang-gliders can travel
considerable distances on thermal currents.
Ballooning, microlighting, gliding, sailing and paramotoring are some of the other sports that are
practised here. Several specialized firms and
schools offer courses, maiden flights, flights with a
guide, equipment, etc.
The rugged Montsec range and its foothills are
ideal for mountaineering because they offer, nor
only beautiful scenery, but ascents for both novices and experts. Favourite spots include the
Terradets gorges, the areas round the Camarasa
reservoir (Agulla del Bisbe on the Santa Linya cliffs,
and Agulla del Pont Penjat) and the reservoir of
Sant Llorenç de Montgai (Paret de l’Ós), and the
Mont-roig range. Opportunities for mountain
hiking and rambling are equally vast. Walkers can
cross Montsec de Rúbies, ascend the Pic de
Mirapallars i Urgell, climb the Montsec d’Ares to
the Pic de Sant Alís up the Embut or Xurulla channels, or explore the Mont-rebei gorges via Corçà
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The Camarasa reservoir at the foot of Montsec
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Hang-gliding in the Àger Valley
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and the chapel of La Pertusa. For caving there are
some excellent places near the hamlets of Lluçars
and Tòrrec (borough of Vilanova de Meià). The
main long-distance footpaths are the GR-1 – from
the Costa Brava to the Pyrenees – and the GR-3,
which crosses the Catalan hinterland.
themes: the orchards of Segrià, the olive groves
of Les Garrigues, historic buildings in Urgell,
watchtowers in Segarra, etc. Golf is also gaining
popularity and there is a golf course at Raimat
and pitch & putt courses at Bellpuig and Torreserona.
The reservoirs in the north of Terres de Lleida –
notably those of Camarasa, Canelles, Santa Anna
and Sant Llorenç – are ideal for nautical sports
such as kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, and
sailing. Nature sports that can be practised on the
plain include cycle tourism – along the banks of
the various canals (Urgell, Pinyana, Seròs, etc.) –,
cross-country cycling over rougher terrain, and
horse trekking. Rambling and mountain biking
clubs organize routes devoted to particular
Lake Ivars i Vila-sana has now been recovered
and converted into an important natural heritage
site, equipped with services and facilities. The lake
is home to considerable biological diversity, and is
rich in fauna, particularly birds.
Rural tourism establishments are becoming more
and more widespread in Noguera and Segarra and
this form of accommodation is well suited to
sports and nature tourism.
Cycling
81
Mont-rebei Gorge
Fishing
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Página 82
Horse-riding
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Página 83
Raimat Golf Club
Afores, s/n
Tel. (+34) 973 737 539
www.raimatgolf.com
Golf Urgell Pitch & Putt Bellpuig
Ctra. Bellpuig a Ivars, km.1,8
Tel. (+34) 973 320 742
www.aegolfurgell.com
Montsec-La Noguera Mountain
Biking Centre
Tel. (+34) 973 455 200
www.turismedecatalunya.com/btt
Motocross Track of Catalonia
Montperler (Bellpuig)
Tel. (+34) 973 337 073
www.motocroscat.net
Urgell Canals Cultural Centre
in Mollerussa
Av. Jaume I, 1
Tel. (+34) 973 603 997
www.canalsurgell.cat
From the Chapel of La Mare de Déu de
la Pertusa to the Mont-rebei Gorge
[ON FOOT]
Route: Signposted route (GR-1) from the
Chapel of La Mare de Déu de la Pertusa in
the Serra del Montsec mountains to the
spectacular Mont-rebei Gorge. A path leads
up from Corçà to the chapel site. A path
north takes us to the Font de la Pardina and
on to the Mas de Carlets refuge. Finally,
taking the path excavated into the rock, we
cross the Mont-rebei Gorge by the hanging
iron bridge. We then retrace our steps back
to our point of departure.
Parc Astronomic Montsec a Àger
Tel. (+34) 973 455 246
www.parcastronomic.cat
www.lleidatur.cat
www.valldager.com
Tourist Information office in Ivars d’Urgell
(see page 85)
Degree of difficulty: difficult, a 570 m
ascent. Wear suitable footwear.
Getting there: Turn off to Agulló and
Corçà 2 km before Àger (C-12).
Further information: Balaguer Tourist
Information Office, La Noguera County
Council (see page 84-85).
83
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Useful Addresses
Página 84
Segarra County Council
Combat, 29
25200 Cervera
Tel. (+34) 973 531 300
[email protected]
www.ccsegarra.com
Segrià County Council
Canyeret, s/n
25007 Lleida
Tel. (+34) 973 230 686
www.segria.net
Catalan Ministry of Enterprise and Labour
Territorial Services
Av. Segre, 7 - 25007 Lleida
Tel. (+34) 973 728 000
www.gencat.cat/empresaiocupacio
www.catalunya.com
Urgell County Council
Agoders, 16
25300 Tàrrega
Tel. (+34) 973 500 707
www.urgell.org
Tourist Information Offices
County Councils
Les Garrigues County Council
25400 Les Borges Blanques
Tel. (+34) 973 142 658
[email protected]
www.garrigues.ddl.net
www.turismegarrigues.com
Noguera County Council
Pg. Angel Guimerà, s/n
25600 Balaguer
Tel. (+34) 973 448 933
[email protected]
www.nogueraturisme.org
Barcelona 08008
Pg. de Gràcia, 107 (Palau Robert)
Tel. 932 388 091
Lleida 25007
Turó Seu Vella, Edifici Canonja
Tel. 973 248 846
www.catalunya.com
Lleida 25007
Edil Saturnino, 1
Tel. 973 248 840
www.catalunya.com
Alguaire 25125
Aeroport Lleida - Alguaire
Tel. 973 032 700
Pla d'Urgell County Council
Prat de la Riba, 1
25230 Mollerussa
Tel. (+34) 973 711 313
[email protected]
www.plaurgell.org
84
www.aeroportlleida.cat
Balaguer 25600
Estació de tren
Tel.638 683 177
www.trensdelsllacs.cat
2/8/11
10:38
Other Tourist Information Offices
Agramunt 25310
Pl. del Pou, s/n
Tel. 973 391 089
www.agramunt.cat
Arbeca 25140
Lleida, 36
Tel. 973 142 658
www.arbeca.cat
Balaguer 25600
Pl. Mercadal, 1
Tel. 973 445 194
www.balaguer.cat/turisme
Baronia de Rialp, la 25747
Monestir, 1
Tel. 973 460 234
www.baroniarialb.cat
Bellpuig 25250
Homenatge a la Vellesa, 6
Tel. 973 320 408
www.bellpuig.cat
Borges Blanques, les 25400
Tel. 973 142 658
www.turismegarrigues.com
Cervera 25200
Major, 115
Tel. 973 531 303
www.lasegarra.org
Guimerà 25341
Major, 1
Tel. 973 303 525
www.guimera.cat
Guissona 25210
Pl. Vell Pla, 7, bxs.
Tel. 973 551 414
www.guissona.cat
Ivars d’Urgell 25260
Afores, s/n
Tel. 671 577 055
Página 85
www.plaurgell.cat/estany
Lleida 25007
Major, 31 bis
Tel. 902 250 050
Mollerussa 25230
Prat de la Riba, 1
Tel. 973 711 313
www.plaurgell.cat
Mollerussa 25230
Jaume I, 1
Tel. 973 603 997
www.canalsurgell.org
Sant Ramon 25215
Av. Santuari, 21
Tel. 973 524 018
santramon.ddl.net
Seròs 25183
Pl. Escoles,1
Tel. 973 780 009
www.birding.cat
Tàrrega 25300
Agoders, 16
Tel. 973 500 707
www.urgell.cat
Torres de Segre 25170
Av. Pearson, 2
Tel. 973 792 789
www.utxesa.com
Vallbona de les Monges 25268
Pg. Montesquiu, s/n
Tel. 973 330 567
vallbona.ddl.net/
www.larutadelcister.info
Verdú 25340
Pl. Major, 1
Tel. 973 347 007
www.verdu.cat
Vilanova de l’Aguda 25749
Major, 30
Tel. 973 460 927
85
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Página 86
2/8/11
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Página 87
Map of Terres de Lleida
2/8/11
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Página 88
© Generalitat de Catalunya
Catalan Tourist Board
Published by: Catalan Tourism Board
Photographs: O. Alamany, J. Balanyà,
F. Bedmar, J. Borrell, F. Guillamet,
R. López-Monné, R. Manent, F. Ontañon,
J. Pareto, R. Peña, T. Vidal, County councils
of Les Garrigues, Segarra and Urgell, Turisme
de Lleida, Ignasi Iglesias (I.R.T.A.) and Mario
Krmpotic.
Printed by: Gràfiques Cusco, S.A.
Translation: Jacqueline Hall/Discobole
D.L.: B-29839-2011
Printed in EU
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Página 2
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Página 1
Agència Catalana
de Turisme
Terres de Lleida
Catalonia
Terres de Lleida
Generalitat de Catalunya

Terres de Lleida

Transcripción

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