Early morning in the Old Quarter of Girona

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
21 April 2023 Friday 10:43
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Early morning in the Old Quarter of Girona

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia

In Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia, I share the sensation of seeing the old town of Girona at dawn, in this case, in some images captured at 1:30 a.m. from Santa Clara street.

The Old Quarter forms a historical-artistic complex declared a Cultural Property of National Interest. It includes a large part of old Girona, that is, the sector located between the Torre Gironella and the Onyar river.

It is delimited by an imaginary line that, starting from the Gironella Tower, follows the entire 14th century wall up to the Portal del Carme, goes back along Calle del Portal Nou to Sant Martí Sacosta, includes the entire Calle de los Ciutadans from the square from Oli to Vi.

Next, continue along Calle de la Força, turn off to include the Collegiate Church of Sant Feliu, continue towards the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligans, from there you will find the wall and return, along the Paseo Arqueológico de Girona, towards the Gironella Tower.

The nucleus of old Girona is made up of the Força Vella fortified enclosure, which formed a triangle bounded by the beginning of Carrer de la Força, the Gironella Tower and the Sant Feliu square, and which in its layout coincided with the limits of the Iberian and Roman Girona.

Some parts of the Roman wall are preserved in the courtyard of the old University and in the Plaza de la Catedral. In this square, in addition to the staircase and the baroque façade of the Headquarters, it is worth mentioning the Casa Pastors (nowadays the Palace of Justice) and the Pia Almoina building (now occupied by the Official College of Architects). .

From this square you can access, through the Portal de Sobreportes, the old town of Sant Pere, outside the walls of Calle de la Força, but later protected by the 14th century wall. The neighborhood is centered on the old Benedictine Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligans, which has the Chapel of Sant Nicolàs de Girona in front of it.

The Archaeological Walk starts from this sector, at the beginning of which we find the so-called Arab Baths, which are actually from Roman times. On the other side, from the Portal de Sobreportes towards the Onyar river, stands out the Collegiate Church of Sant Feliu.

From the Cathedral of Girona to the south is the bourgeois and stately part of the medieval city, located beyond Carrer de la Força is the Jewish quarter. In this street, the Casa Cartellà (or the Old Institute) stands out, which was a Convent of the Capuchins.

Following Carrer de la Força, we find Carrer Ciutadans, the old center of the urban bourgeoisie, with interesting manor residences, such as the Fontana de Oro.

At the end of the street is Plaça del Vi, where the Town Hall, the Girona Municipal Theater and Casa Carlos are located. From the Cathedral to the wall of Las Canteras, various buildings of a religious nature stand out.