Strategically placed on the principal communications artery that was the Via Augusta, Girona, in the heart of the Autonomous region of Catalonia, was built by the Romans on a hill that dominated a rich countryside watered by four rivers: the Ter, the Onyar, the Güell and the Galligants.
It is obvious that the defensive nature of the locality hadn’t been lost on the original inhabitants because remains of a much earlier Iberian settlement have been uncovered in the same place.
After turbulent centuries, during which time the settlement suffered numerous attacks from Rome’s many enemies, the Romans were replaced by Christian forces who, under the protection of the powerful King Charlemagne, formed the nucleus of early Catalan identity.
An uneasy relationship with their French neighbours has been one of the dominant factors in the formation of the city. The defensive walls that still brood in silent watchfulness have probably lost count of the number of times they have been besieged by French armies.
Stories abound of miraculous events such as the time when Narciso, now sanctified, conjured up a cloud of flies as big as sparrows that sewed plague and death amongst the French attackers thus saving the city.
The Arabs, although they didn’t stay in the north for long, also left their mark and, during an incursion when their armies first ravaged the face of Spain, were responsible for waves of lightning attacks and massive destruction that marked the wars of conquest of the 8th and 9th centuries.
Of the eminent citizens who have sheltered here, it is said that Queen Joan, mother of Ferdinand, the other half of the Catholic Kings duo, sought refuge behind the city walls of Girona when war ripped through the heart of neighbouring Aragon and into Catalonia. The result of that particular war was the centalisation of Mediterranean power in Barcelona and a reduction of Girona’s importance as a major commercial and political centre.
Girona’s old town is a maze of narrow streets framed by tall limestone walls and steep, apparently never ending steps that lead downwards into dark, arched recesses. The Jewish quarter, once home to prosperous traders who fanned the ambitions and considerable success of Catalan commerce, is a jumble of streets within which many surprises wait for the explorer keen to trace human development with her own eyes.
Architectural influences ranging from Moorish, Medieval, Romanesque and Gothic to Jewish and Modernist are all on display. Walking through the streets, the visitor comes across so many historical and archaeological marvels that time passes rapidly; a ‘magic lantern’ historical slide show.
In the old town, it's considered good luck to begin a tour by kissing the haunches of the ‘Lioness of Girona’, a copy of a Romanesque carving that is now located on the banks of the River Onyar and faces the impressive Gothic façade of Sant Feliu. Built on the site of a roman necropolis this church houses some of the most fascinating roman tombs that date from the 2nd to 4th centuries. The church is also a famous landmark on the skyline because of its two towers; one that is unfinished and the other that has been damaged by lightning and is, apparently, waiting repair.
Another famous landmark; one which dominates everything else, is the imposing Cathedral of Santa María. This immense rectangular building soars above the surrounding city and forms a central focus point that can be seen for many miles around. The Cathedral, built over the ruins of an earlier Visigothic church, was consecrated in 1038. Its interior, a testament to the undiluted skill of medieval religious interior decorator, is noted for its central nave which, at 23 metres, makes it the widest Gothic nave in Europe. Suffused daylight from the many stained glass 14th – 16th century windows imparts a soft, mysterious glow that frames its magnificent arches in a ghostly iridescence.
Not far from the cathedral is the small, yet exquisitely formed Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants. This small church, which now houses the Archaeological Museum, is a 12th century masterpiece of architecture, home to a small cloister the arches of which are supported by delicately carved columns representing Biblical figures.
Girona’s magic is in exploring its quiet streets, the high quality of restoration and preservation of its ancient heritage only acts as an appetiser for discovering the rest of the province of Barcelona.
