A trip back into history
Les Garrigues is not just a major olive oil producer but also an area with a surplus of historical sites, from archaeological remains to Renaissance palaces and contemporary museums
The county of Les Garrigues in Lleida is a main centre of olive oil production, something which is reflected on its local emblem, which is an olive branch. However, Les Garrigues has much more than just agriculture to offer, as it also has a rich heritage that spans some 10,000 years.
1
Near to the village of Cogul are to be found a collection of some of the most important cave art in Catalonia. Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, the Moros rock paintings go back 10,000 years when the inhabitants of the time decorated the caves with some 50 red and black coloured figures. The cave art so impressed the Iber people and Romans who came later that the site was used by both as a sanctuary.
2
The history of Arbeca begins in the Iron Age, when the members of a small community built a fort on the plain and which became their home for the next four centuries. Over time, the Iber people would establish a settlement here, just about a unique act for this culture that almost always settled in naturally fortified areas. However, the fort soon became too small to house the growing population and was eventually abandoned. Today, the Iber fort, which has become the Vilars d'Arbeca archaeological site, is one of the area's main attractions among tourists and students of history.
3
One of the most fascinating sites in the Garrigues area, especially for lovers of Medieval history is the castle of Espluga Calba. Founded in the 13th century on the former site of an old Muslim fortification, the castle came under the jurisdiction of the monastery of Vallbona de les Monges, in Urgell, on the orders of King Jaume I.
However, from the year 1405, it passed into the hands of the order of Knights of Saint Joan of Jerusalem. The order went on to manage the villages and lands in the surrounding area for the next 400 years.
4
In the 16th century, the dukes of Cardona turned the old medieval Floresta castle, which they used as a summer residence, into a magnificent Renaissance palace.
The work carried out on the building included windows in the majority of rooms, a new staircase, a coffered (wood panelled) ceiling and a new tower. In the 18th century, the new owners decided to carry out more renovations to decorate the castle's interior and they also commissioned the building of a Baroque chapel that was dedicated to saint Blai.
5
The family roots of former Generalitat president, Francesc Macià, are to be found in Borges Blanques, where his predecessors were small farmers and traded in oil and wine. It is for this reason that the county capital of Garrigues decided to commemorate the republican politician with a study centre.
The Espai Macià, which opened two years ago, has a permanent exhibition with documentation and, audiovisuals on this period of contemporary history.
Heritage
Well-known for the quality of its olive oil, the county of Les Garrigues is also rich in historical heritage. Perhaps its most precious historical remains are cave paintings that date back some 10,000 years. Apart from evidence that the Romans used the area to build summer villas, it has above all imposing medieval castles that were renovated in the Renaissance era. The county also has a large number of museums and information centres spread around in its different towns. A trip to Les Garrigues is to take a unique journey back through history amid olive and almond groves.