Castell Vell (Brunyola)

Castell Vell is a medieval castle in Brunyola, a village within the municipality of Brunyola i Sant Martí Sapresa in the La Selva comarca, Girona province, Catalonia. The building crowns a hill around which the settlement gradually grew, and it remains the most significant architectural landmark of this small Catalan community.

How to get there?

Brunyola i Sant Martí Sapresa sits in the heart of La Selva, a comarca in Girona province known for its scattering of medieval castles and Romanesque churches across the hills between the city of Girona and the Costa Brava coastline. The castle occupies the summit overlooking the village, so a car is the most practical way to reach it, following the local roads that connect La Selva's towns. The surrounding countryside is typical of inland Girona: rolling terrain, oak woodland, and dispersed farmhouses, with small feudal-era landmarks tucked among them.

What will you see?

The castle's history stretches back to at least the early 12th century. The first written record dates from 1106, when Count Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona granted the "castrum quod dicitur Bruniola" in full ownership to viscount Guerau Ponç de Cabrera. The grantor stated that he had inherited the castle from his father, meaning the fortification already existed under Ramon Berenguer II, who died in 1082.

During the 12th century the stronghold passed to the Vilademany family — by 1116 it had already been granted to Pere Ramon de Vilademany as a fief. Ownership changed again in 1293, when the castle became part of the estate of the Pia Almoina, the charitable institution attached to Girona Cathedral.

The building suffered severe damage in the earthquake of 1427, one of the strongest to strike medieval Catalonia. The destruction was extensive enough that repairs to the main tower and the surrounding walls took thirty-seven days. A surviving inventory from 1532 gives a detailed picture of the castle's interior at the time, listing a cellar, the bailiff's chamber, a kitchen, a great hall, and the main tower.

Although the castle has Romanesque origins, most of what stands today dates from the 15th century, the result of rebuilding after the earthquake. The layout is rectangular, with towers at the corners, some of them cylindrical in section. Three of these towers survive, along with almost the entire north facade stretching between two of them, featuring a rounded portal, Gothic-style windows, and traces of the machicolations once used for close defense of the walls. One of the towers formerly served as the bell tower for the parish church.

Today the castle is in good condition. Its western side houses the seat of the local town hall (ajuntament), while rooms on the eastern side are used for the village's cultural events. This continuity of use — from medieval feudal seat to present-day municipal building — makes Castell Vell an unusually rare case of a monument that has never stopped serving as the center of community life.

When to visit?

Inland Girona province is at its best in spring and early autumn, when temperatures are milder than in high summer and the rolling landscape of La Selva — fields, woodland, and hills — is at its most scenic. Since the building houses municipal offices, the exterior can be viewed year-round, but access to the interior may depend on the town hall's opening hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Castell Vell in Brunyola built? The first documented reference dates from 1106, though the castle likely already existed under Count Ramon Berenguer II, who died in 1082.

Who owned the castle in the medieval period? From the early 12th century it belonged to the Vilademany family, and from 1293 it passed to the Pia Almoina, the charitable institution of Girona Cathedral.

What damaged the castle, and how was it repaired? A powerful earthquake in 1427 caused severe damage. Repairs to the main tower and walls took thirty-seven days, and most of the structure visible today dates from the 15th-century rebuilding.

What is the castle used for today? The western part of the building serves as the seat of the Brunyola i Sant Martí Sapresa town hall, while the eastern rooms host the village's cultural activities.