Visiting the Castles of Catalonia

Description of Castles & attractions related to Spanish Civil Wars

Catalonia is a land that has been fought over throughout the centuries leaving a series of fortresses, castles, bunkers and prisons in strategic locations. Discovering Catalonia's historic past through its castles is enchanting and sometimes a light workout that often ends with some breathtaking views.

Catalunya is on the frontier of the Spanish kingdom where the border with France has moved several times. As a result of this, the Girona region of Catalonia has many frontier fortresses. Additionally, Catalonia has a long coastline, so almost every coastal town and port has a medieval castle. The Romans also built fortifications everywhere they settled (conquered). See the Roman Ruins theme page for more about the Roman settlements.

Brief history of rule in Catalonia

• Roman Rule 200BC to 400AD: The first notable power to conquer Catalonia was the Romans. The principal cities were Tarragona (Tarraco) and Barcelona (Barcino), both being fortified and walled cities.
• Visigoth and Muslim rule 410AD to 9th Century: The Visigoths (Germanic Tribes) held Tarragona and many other cities in Northern Spain until about the 8th Century. Muslims from the South also conquered parts of southern Catalonia and Barcelona and held it till about the 9th Century.
• Carolingian conquest: The reconquest of Spain by Christian forces drove the Muslims out of Catalonia and by the 9th Century most of Europe was ruled by counts and kings. The first reference to Catalonia is during the rule of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona in early 12th Century.
• Dynastic union with Aragon 1137: Through marriage (Ramon Berenguer IV m. Petronilla of Aragon), the provinces of Catalonia and Aragon were ruled by one dynasty known as the Crown of Aragon which came to dominate a maritime empire that extended across the western Mediterranean after the conquest of Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia and Sicily. During this period the reconquest of Muslim‑held territory continued.
• War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714): The death of the childless King Charles II of Spain in 1700 caused the first European conflict as French‑backed forces battled with Austrian‑backed forces to insert a new monarchy onto the throne and inherit the Spanish Empire which, although in decline, still covered a lot of the globe.
• Spanish Civil War (1936–1939): Spain was a democracy with a monarchy until a military coup. The outcome was that General Francisco Franco installed himself as dictator of Spain until his death in 1975. While this period did not cause new castles to be built, there are air raid shelters in Barcelona and many of the medieval fortresses became prisons for civilian rebels.

Click on a photo below to find out more about each installation and how to visit it.

Happy Exploring!