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ARCHITECTURE

Foixà

Castell de Foixà
Sant Llorenç de les Arenes

FOIXÀ CASTLE

The existence of Foixà castle can't be traced in documents previous to the second half of the XIIIth. century; however, it's mentioned by a lord of this area in 1192. For this reason, the exact date cannot be established.

The strategic situation of the spot where it was erected could explain the possibility of a former fortification there. The hill where this castle was built outlooks all the old Empuries county. The large palace consists of two attached T-shaped buildings, two inner courtyards, a couple of floors, a semicircular tower (the oldest remaining part today) and a chapel. In the coat of arms a lion appears right in the centre and it's surrounded by eight fleurs de lis. All the façades have rectangular large windows. Inside the building we find the prison, the stables and the cellar. These rooms show the shapes of the canes used in the vault moulds. The vault of the kitchen is really striking because of its palm-tree shape. The tower is 12meters high. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Marc. On the aisles there are 2 Gothic tombs. In one of them was buried Bernat Guillem de Foixà and it's really of great interest. In the other one Guillem de Foixa and his son Friar Alemany were buried.

Most of the building was rebuilt mainly during the XVIth. and the XIXth. centuries. Only the tower and the chapel have remained original.

SANT LLORENÇ DE LES ARENES

The church of Sant Llorenç de les Arenes was built in the XIIIth. century. It was founded by count Ponç-Hug II. It has a nave with a semicircular apse, which belongs to the third period of the Romanesque period. On the western façade there is a main entrance with 3 arches whose ends lie on the wall; there's also a lintel and a tympanum. It's a typical technique used in la Garrotxa and El Baix Empordà. On the façade there is a belfry with two round arches.T his church is one of the most remarkable monument from the 3rd. period of Romanesque style in el Baix Empordà. Sant Llorenç is really well-preserved. Inside the church we find a Baroque font decorated with geometric patterns together with bas-relief heads.

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