MIRAVET CASTLE

In 1153, Ramon Berenguer IV conquered the castle of Miravet, the last Muslim fortress built on the cliff in the ninth century, before donating it to the Templar order. They transformed it into an important commandery and a monastery. In the 14th century, the castle was one of the last to resist the dissolution of the Templar order ordered by Rome: it gloriously resisted a siege that lasted almost a year, between 1307 and 1308, before it finally passed into the hands of the Hospitaller order. The Templar castle is an essential witness of medieval military architecture: it presents, most often, a transitional style between Romanesque and Gothic art. There are 14 outbuildings organized on three levels around a central courtyard. The Plaza de Armas, the Romanesque church of Sant Martí (13th century) with its single nave topped by a barrel vault, as well as the imposing 25-meter high wall that extends into the river, are noteworthy. A staircase not to be missed leads to the terrace, which offers a superb view of the surrounding area, where you can grasp the strategic importance of the Miravet Castle site, which continued to play a major role in the conflicts that affected the region, from the Wars of the Segadors to the Battle of the Ebro. If the interior is a bit empty, the view is worth a visit.

The TARVITUR agency organizes programmed visits to discover Miravet Castle (6 pers min - ✆ +34 691 561 868)