Castell d'Esclanyà

Castell d'Esclanyà is a medieval defensive tower standing in the village of Esclanyà, part of the municipality of Begur on the Costa Brava.

Where exactly is the castle located?

The building sits in Esclanyà, a small inland settlement that administratively belongs to the municipality of Begur, in the Baix Empordà region of Catalonia. Unlike the coastal coves Begur is famous for among visitors, Esclanyà lies away from the shoreline. The site's coordinates are approximately 41.9288°N, 3.1764°E, making it easy to locate on a map of the area around Begur.

How do we know the castle existed in the Middle Ages?

The earliest known written record of Castell d'Esclanyà dates to 1362. That document deals with fishing rights, recording that the inhabitants of the castle were entitled to fish and gather coral both in the waters belonging to Esclanyà itself and in the maritime zone under the jurisdiction of the neighboring Castell de Begur. The castle itself predates this reference, though — its surviving architecture points to construction before the 14th century.

Who owned the castle?

For centuries Castell d'Esclanyà remained in the hands of the same lineage that also controlled the nearby Begur castle: the Cruïlles-Peratallada family. That single family line held both castles until 1604, which illustrates how tightly the fates of Esclanyà and Begur were bound together administratively and militarily. The castle functioned as a border stronghold defending the territory of the barony of Begur.

What survives from the original structure?

What remains from the original fortification is chiefly a rectangular tower dating to the 12th century. Its base measures roughly 6 by 9.5 meters, and it rises to a height of about 13 meters. At the top, a section of machicolation has survived — openings in the wall that allowed defenders to drop projectiles or other substances onto attackers below. A window closed with a semicircular arch, which gives access to the machicolation, has also survived to the present day.

Are there other buildings alongside the tower?

Yes — next to the medieval tower stands a building dating from the 16th-17th century. Everything suggests that its construction reused the remains of the older medieval fortification, either as building material or as part of its foundation. This pattern — an old defensive tower paired with later residential or agricultural construction — is common across many Catalan castle complexes, which over time shifted away from a military role toward a residential or farming one.

How do you get to Castell d'Esclanyà from Begur?

Esclanyà lies inland, a short distance from the center of Begur, which makes the castle an easy destination for a brief excursion for anyone staying along the Costa Brava coast. It's worth pairing a visit with a stop at Castell de Begur itself, since the two sites share a common history and were under the rule of the same family for centuries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is the castle? The surviving tower dates to the 12th century, though the earliest written mention of the castle comes from a document of 1362.

Who ruled over the castle? For centuries, until 1604, the castle belonged to the Cruïlles-Peratallada family, the same lords who controlled the neighboring Castell de Begur.

What can visitors see on site today? A rectangular tower with a surviving section of machicolation and a semicircular-arched window, along with an adjoining 16th-17th century building partly built on the remains of the older fortification.

Where exactly is the castle located? In the village of Esclanyà, part of the municipality of Begur, in the Baix Empordà region of Catalonia.