Solsonès

El Solsonès is a Pre-Pyrenean region settled in the centre of Catalonia, where the land is a mixture of crops, large areas of forest and wild spots typical of the high mountain. Fifteen municipalities belong to this region, but there exist only six village settlements, since the major part of the lands are populated by disseminated farms, some of them characteristic magnificent buildings typical of the rural Catalonia and dated on the 15th and 16th centuries. El Solsonès, that has also been called the region with one thousand farms, conserves its ancestral folklore and an untouched natural landscape configuration. Away from the rush of the big cities, El Solsonès invites you to stay in its hotels, camping sites, rural tourism houses and children's school farms. El Solsonès also offers you the opportunity to practise several sports or discover the jewels of Romanesque, Gothic and Neolithic style, characteristic of these lands.

Solsona is the capital of El Solsonès. Some vestiges demonstrate that it had been populated during the Neolithic stage, about 3000 years B. C. The origin of Solsona dates on
the 10th Century. The city was born around the castle and the monastery. In 1594, the King Felip II conceded to the town the title of City. In 1953 was created the bishopric of Solsona.

Solsona maintains its former structure of walled city, with three Gates (originally five): Portal del Pont (the Bridge's Gate), Portal del Castell (the Castle's Gate) and Portal de Llobera (Llobera's Gate). It also conserves some fragments of the rampart in the part called Vallcalent. All the streets into the old village offer a special charming and some of them are still called by the name of its original social function.

Solsona's folklore is exceptional because of its majesty. The dances of the Giants, the Eagle, Little Horses, the Dragon and other traditional figures, as well as the Dance with Sticks (performed by children), have been maintained with the same essence as they were created, nearly all in the 17th Century. The Giants and the rest of the animal figures can only dance during the Major Feast, that is celebrated the days 7th to 11th each September, and during Corpus Christi. The trabucaires (traditional armed men) are also a typical element of Solsona's folklore.

The Carnival of Solsona is another of the great feast and has been considered of National Interest. It is one of the most famous of Catalonia and it stands out because it is different from the other. Multicoloured smocks parodying those that ancient traders in animals used to wear have substituted the traditional fancy dresses. The so-called "Mad Giants", that have articulated arms to hit the people around, and the hanging of the donkey are both irreplaceable elements of Solsona's Carnival.

OUTSTANDING FEASTS
- Sant Antoni (Saint Anthony), in January.
- Carnival, in February
- Fira de Sant Isidre (Sant Isidre Fair), on the weekend next to 15th of May. It is an agriculture, stockbreeding and craftsmanship demonstration celebrated since the ancient times.
- Corpus Christi, in June.
- Major Feast, 7th to 11th of September.
- Accordionists Meeting, in September

In the summer there are concerts and open-air dances every Saturday.

One of the most emblematic buildings is the Cathedral, which still conserves three apses, and the Bell Tower of the Romanesque Temple, consecrated in 1163. The present cathedral is in Gothic style, built between 1299 and 1630. On the left hand of the transept we can find the parish church, with a Baroque altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin called Mare de Déu de la Mercè. And on the right hand there is the chapel of Claustre, where the Virgin called Mare de Déu del Claustre, patron of Solsona, is venerated. This image is a black stone carved figure dated from 12th Century, catalogued as one of the most important sculptures of Romanesque style.

The Episcopal Palace is considered a typical example of Catalan Neo-classic style. The Diocesan Museum is situated in this edifice. This museum contains important Romanesque artworks, like the pictures of Sant Quirze de Pedret and Sant Jaume de Frontanyà. It also has Gothic artworks, and a room dedicated to salt sculptures.

A stroll around Solsona brings us to visit magnificent edifices like the City Hall, from the 16th Century, or Llobera's Palace, that belongs to Gothic style of a Catalan house of the 15th Century.

The surroundings of Solsona also present very charming places. We can find several of them in a range of less than 4 km from the city. Mare de la Font Park, a natural space to enjoy together with your family.  The Castle called El Castellvell, with the Sanctuary of El Remei, dated on the 15th Century, from where a magnificent general view of the region can be contemplated. And a large number of water sources, Romanesque Churches and other buildings of historical interest, as the Afrau's Bridge, formerly used to bring water to Solsona. All these interesting sites can be visited either by walking, following a B.T.T. route or by car.

CLARIANA - OLIUS - NAVÈS
El Solsonès is a natural region where forests and water play an important role. An outstanding site is the dam of Sant Ponç, in Clariana del Cardener, where aquatic sports like canoeing can be practised. The recently constructed dam of La Llosa del Cavall, in Navès, is also surrounded by beautiful natural spaces. Once in Navès, we can follow the way to the old Catalonia. In Busa, there is the magnificent viewpoint formed by the Church and the Castle of Besora. Following this way, we arrive to the plain of Busa, at 1,526 m high, where we can find the Capolatell, an authentic natural isle that was used as a military prison during the War against the France. Again on the road to Berga, we find the Church of Santa Margarida, that contains important archaeological remains. Following the course of the Aiguadora River, we find a group of Medieval mills, the monument dedicated to the Count Guifré and the Monastery of Sant Pere de Grau d'Escales, in Romanesque style, with three apses that conserve Lombard domes.

Clariana celebrated the Major Feast on the first Sunday of May. Navès on the first Sunday of October, and the Santa Llucia Fair in December.

Five kilometres away from Solsona, on the way to Berga, there is the parish of Sant Pere d'Olius, an outstanding token typical of the Lombard Romanesque of the 11th Century. The Church is a building with only one nave with a crypt under the altar, a Romanesque jewel constituted by three small naves and held up by six pillars. At a few meters, there is a Modernist graveyard designed by Bernardí Martorell and inaugurated in 1919. Some of the graves are carved in the stone.

Olius celebrates the Major Feast on the Sunday after Sant Esteve.

LLOBERA - CASTELLAR - PINELL
Llobera and Pinell are municipalities that during the wars of Morocco people against Christian people were borderlands, very dangerous to live. This is why we can find a large number of Watchtowers like Perecamps de Llobera, Vallferosa and Sallent de Pinell. They were built between the 9th and the 12th Century to establish the bases to repopulate the country, and they stand in the middle of small-populated villages or among pine forests. One of these watchtowers, the most colossal, is the Tower of Vallferosa, with a cylindrical shape and 30m height. In this area also stands out the dolmen of Llobera, one of the biggest of Catalonia.

Llobera celebrated the Major Feast on the first Sunday of May and Pinell on the Sunday after Saint Michael, in September.

Apart from the Watchtowers and the Romanesque Churches disseminated around El Solsonès, there are also small mountainous villages that are worth for visiting. One of them is Sant Climenç de Pinell, where there is an architectural group of great value, formed by a Romanesque Church dated on the 12th Century, a majestic house that still conserves some heraldic emblems, and the vile called Closa. Pinell has other charming places as the remains of the old Romanesque Church of Madrona.

Castellar de la Ribera also offers to the visitor buildings of great historical interest like the remains of the Castle or the Church of Sant Julià de Ceuró, dated on the 11th Century. And the Church of Sant Andreu de Clarà, that was constructed in the 12th Century and has an altarpiece in Renaissance- Baroque style of 1662. Castellar de la Ribera celebrates the Major Feast on the 15th of August. Sant Climenç on Saint John's day and Pinell's municipality on the first Sunday after Saint Michael, in September.

RINER - PINÓS - LA MOLSOSA
One of the attractive resorts of Riner is the Sanctuary of Miracle, where the Virgin appeared in front of three shepherds on the 3rd of August of 1458. The oldest edifices are the Big House and the Church, dated on 16th and 18th Century. It is also important the monumental major altar, in Catalan Baroque style, designed by the sculptor Carles Morató in the 18th Century. Benedictine Monks coming from Montserrat care the monastery since 1901.

Riner offers other interesting sites like the towns of Su and Freixinet, or buildings like the Church of Sant Martí or the Tower of Riner, with 18 meters of height. Riner celebrates the Major Feast on Saint Sebastian's day, on the second Sunday of March, El Miracle on ???, Su on the 15th of August and Freixinet on the last Sunday of September.

La Molsosa is a peasant farmers' land, full of historical vestiges, as the parish Church of Santa Maria, documented in 1008 and the remains of the old Castle. One of the most important villages of the municipality is Prades, which still conserves all the majesty of the medieval towns, with squares and streets made of stone, perfectly conserved. La Molsosa celebrates the Major Feast on the 15th of August.

ODÈN - LLADURS
Odèn is a land of witches and smugglers. The mysticism that generates its pure landscape has helped to provide a nice site. Places as El Forat de la Grallera (The Hole of La Grallera), the plain of Marcús and the salt mines have originated the smugglers' route of Cambrils. Other as Coves dels Moros (Caves of Morocco people) or Cala Rita, a house built into the stone, are suitable sites to visit on excursion, by walking or B.T.T. Speleology is present in the abyss called "Montserrat Ubac" and climbing in Canalda. Odèn is rich in cultural inheritance, as for example the Church of Santa Cecilia, the Castle of Odèn, the Church of Sant Martí or the remains of the Castle and the Chapel of Remei in Cambrils. Odèn celebrates the Major Feast on the 15th of August and Cambrils on the second Sunday of October.

The Romanesque Church of Santa Eulàlia de Timoneda is one of the Religious Temples that the municipality of Lladurs conserves. Other interesting sites are the remains of the old medieval castle and the Sanctuary of Massarrúbies, which celebrates its Feast on the first Sunday of September.

Natural spaces are another charm of Lladurs. It has forests of pines, holm oaks and oaks, as well as several sites modelled by water. As for example El Pont del Clop, in La Ribera Salada. The water from Lladurs provides Solsona since the 11thCentury. The old castle and the towns and parish of Els Torrents, Montpol, Santa Maria de Lladurs, La Llena and Timoneda, lived under the jurisdiction of Lladurs. Lladurs celebrates the Major Feast on the last Sunday of July, and moreover, each parish celebrates its Patron Saint.

SANT LLORENÇ - GUIXERS
Local Feasts
SANT LLORENÇ DE MORUNYS
January: Winter Major Feast, Sant Antoni Abat
Last Sunday of May: Spring Fair
Corpus Christi: arbours
10th of August: Major Feast
First Sunday of October: Autumn Fair

GUIXERS
8th of May: Major Feast of Vilamantells
Second Easter: Local Feast
The Saint Trinity: Major Feast of Sant Martí
29 of June: Major Feast of MontcalbÇ
15th of August: Major Feast of Valls
Second Easter: Feast in the Sanctuary of Lord

La Vall de Lord, constituted by the municipalities of Sant Llorenç de Morunys, Guixers and La Coma i la Pedra, is settled in a Pre-Pyrenean landscape of great beauty.
Sant Llorenç de Morunys has its origins in the community of priests erected in the latest 9th Century. From the 14th Century until the last century, this municipality was famous due its industry of wool cloths called "piteus". It is famous thanks to its sausages and to the mushrooms that can be found around the area. It is very interesting to visit the architectural group constituted by the Romanesque cloister and the parish Church, where it is settled the Chapel of La Mare de Déu dels Colls. The Church of La Pietat and the Medieval Gates to enter the town are other works of historic interest.

Guixers is a municipality with no towns, with hills as Montcalb that invite to go on excursion. In Coll de Jou we can find the area of picnic and the viewpoint of La Creu del Codó. And still, Guixers has the Sanctuary of Puig Aguilar and important Romanesque Churches, as Sant Serni, situated on the way to the Sanctuary of Lord at 20 minutes walking from the road. This Sanctuary is a centre of devotion and several Feasts are celebrated there, one with Giants.

La Vall de Lord dispose of a large number of routes to follow by walking or B.T.T.

LA COMA I LA PEDRA
It is the third municipality that constituted La Vall de Lord, and one of the most popular of El Solsonès thanks to the ski resort of El Port del Comte. A stroll around its picturesque old village and the water sources of El Cardener River, where there is a leisure area can be very interesting. The municipality has other pure or medicinal water sources, like La Puda, known because of its curative properties. This land has green grass and white snow in winter, and it has grey of stones that constitute Romanesque hermitages or Churches like the Church of La Pedra. In this town there are also the remains of the old Castle.

Local Feasts
La Coma i la Pedra
25th of April, Winter Major Feast
16th of August, Major Feast, Sant Roc
First Sunday of October, Major Feast of La Pedra

SPORTS - GASTRONOMY
El Solsonès is an area where a large number of sports can be practised, from the traditional ones to risk sports. Ski, golf, trekking, mountain bike, fishing, climbing, parapent and canoeing can be practised there.

Gastronomy is another important part. El Solsonès' traditional cuisine is rich and delicious like any other mountainous cuisine. Excellent meats are cooked: rabbit, lamb, veal, chicken, wild boar, etc. Pork and its derived sausages are also very tasty. The great gastronomic event of Autumn are mushrooms. To enjoy this cooking, El Solsonès counts on a great variety of commercial establishments, from the most traditional to the most sophisticated. The pastry-making of El Solsonès has also a deserved fame.

El Solsonès is one of the kindest and most passionate regions of Catalonia. Settled in the centre of the Principality, among large mountains with pines, the region is a mixture of quiet crops and wild spots of the Pre-Pyrenean Mountain. This scarcely populated land offers magnificent spots of untouched nature that invite to the leisure, to sport, to rest and meditation. It is a land with ancient traditions and it conserves valuable examples of folklore and culture that invite to participate, and important ancient monuments, authentic jewels of Neolithic, Romanesque and Gothic.

Forests and water are two of the natural elements that El Solsonès offers. There are very charming landscapes, that bring to the visitor to mythic and fantastic worlds. This occurs in Odèn, where smugglers and witches have originated a tourism route. The dams of Sant Ponç and La Llosa del Cavall, together with spaces as the hills near Busa, La Mola de Lord (with the Sanctuary) or the Water sources of El Cardener have also helped to configure more than 30 routes that can be followed by mountain bike (B.T.T.), by walking or by car, through places where magic mixtures with the landscape's peace. Information on these routes can be found in the Tourism Office.

El Solsonès is a very rich region in cultural inheritance. Tens of Romanesque Churches and old watchtowers stand up in the middle of spots with great natural attraction. Apart from Romanesque style, there exist also many representative Baroque works, like the altar in the Miracle's Sanctuary. The main Museums of the region are the Diocesan Museum, which is catalogued one of the most important of this kind in Europe, and the Knives' Museum. One of the most relevant architectural groups of the city of Solsona, is the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Solsona. In it, there is the Chapel of La Mare de Déu del Claustre, dated on the 12th Century. Other important edifices of El Solsonès are the Church of Sant Esteve in Olius, with a pre-Romanesque crypt, the Church and cloister of Sant Llorenç de Morunys, with the altar of Colls or the Monastery of Sant Pere de Grau d'Escales, in Romanesque-Lombard style.