Churches

The building of the church of Sant Esteve de Canapost consists of three blocks, each dating back to a different time period. The central block was erected in the 9-10th century A.D. Between the 11th and 12th centuries, a bell tower and an additional nave joined the central block, on the southern and the northern sides, respectively. The unfinished facade of the main entrance is a construction dating back to the 18th century.

The church of Sant Esteve de Canapost is dedicated not only to Saint Stephen, as evident from its name, but also to Saint Cletus, the third Pope of Rome, who held the papal throne between 76 and 88 A.D.

As was customary at the time, some of the land next to the church was made into a cemetery. Between November 2004 and May 2005, archeologists conducted a dig here, discovering 85 graves and 18 sarcophagi dating back to Medieval times. Large quantities of ceramic pots and St James scallop shells were discovered next to the buried remains, evidently brought along by pilgrims who had walked the Way of St James (Camino de Santiago).

The parish church in the village of Santa Susanna de Peralta of the Forallac municipality was built in the 10-11th centuries. The original structure had only a singular nave and a semi-circular apse. As is often the case with Medieval churches, Esglesia Santa Susanna de Peralta has gone through several restorations: a bell tower was added in the 12-13th centuries, while the nave was widened and the facade renovated in the 17-18th centuries. “1791” is carved in stone above the door — that was the year of the latest major rebuilds. This splendid example of the Romanesque architecture is in excellent shape to this day thanks to the 1976-1977 restorations paid for by the government.

Phone: 972 427 189
Opening hours: every day 10:00 am to 6:30 pm (April-October) or 10:00 am to 5:30 pm (November-March)
Closed on 1st and 6th January, 25th December and Good Friday.

The hermitage of Sant Elm (Ermita de Sant Elm), a patron saint of all seafarers, appeared in Sant Feliu de Guíxols in 1452 next to the fortress that had been built two and a half centuries earlier, in 1203.

Both structures were completely destroyed during the war with France at the end of the 17th century. In 1723, a new chapel was erected in place of the ruins, dedicated both to Saint Elm and the Virgin Mary in her role as the protectress of travellers (Nostra Senyora de Bon Viatge). This historic and cultural monument acquired its present look during the restoration completed in 1993.

Ferran Agulló i Vidal, poet and publicist, is regarded as the first to have ever used the adjective brava (from Catalan and Spanish: brave, courageous, wild) in describing the local coast. The story goes that the idea occurred to him while he was standing next to the hermitage of Sant Elm, admiring the panoramic views. On September 29, 1963, the municipality installed a memorial stone next to the hermitage to commemorate the author of the Costa Brava brand.

Address: Avinguda Sant Elm, 12 | 17220 Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Girona

Phone: 972 176 861
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Sundays 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

The construction of the church Sant Romà in Lloret de Mar began in 1509, just as the life of the town had been inching closer to the sea and outgrowing the modest parish church then available. In 1522, the new temple was opened to worshippers.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the economical growth of Lloret de Mar fortuitously coincided with the wave of returning indianos who generously opened their pockets to finance a grand reconstruction. Thanks to the efforts of the local architect Bonaventura Conill whose works may also be seen at the famous Modernist cemetery in Lloret, the church received a striking addition—the Santíssim side chapel crowned with a cupola and decorated with Art Nouveau mosaics.

The master managed to blend the Gothic foundations of the Medieval structure with the lively and fashionable motifs of Art Nouveau, also adding Renaissance, Byzantian and Islamic references to the equation. The new church was inaugurated in 1914.