Sant Cebrià de Pujarnol

Sant Cebrià de Pujarnol is a Romanesque church in Porqueres, in the Pla de l'Estany county of Girona province. It stands at the mouth of the Matamors valley, forming a small rural cluster together with its adjoining cemetery and the manor house of Torre de Pujarnol. The building is listed in Catalonia's Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

What does the church look like?

The church follows a rectangular plan closed at the east end by a semicircular apse. Its single nave is covered by a slightly pointed vault, and the walls are finished with smooth plaster — a common trait of rural Romanesque building in this part of Catalonia. Over time, chapels, a sacristy and a choir were added along the north side of the nave, extending the original simple footprint.

Above the main doorway rises a square, single-storey bell tower. Its east and west faces are each pierced by two window openings, while the north and south faces have one opening apiece. That arrangement let the bells carry clearly across the valley and toward the scattered farmhouses nearby.

Where does the name come from, and what is the site's history?

The place-name traces back to the old settlement of Puigarnolf, already recorded in documents from the early eleventh century. A bull issued by Pope Benedict VII in 1017 records that the monastery of Banyoles held property at a place called Podio Arnulphi, then part of the county of Besalú — one of the earliest written references to the area.

The church itself gained parish status in 1248, when the bishop of Girona, Berenguer de Castellbisbal, consecrated it as the parish church of the locality. From that point on, Sant Cebrià de Pujarnol served as the main place of worship for the farmsteads scattered across the Matamors valley, also acting as a point of reference for the families living there, including those linked to the neighbouring manor house.

What else is there to see nearby?

The immediate surroundings form a compact ensemble: the church itself, its adjoining cemetery, and the Torre de Pujarnol manor house, once the seat of the family that held these lands. The site sits at the head of the Matamors valley, in a quiet, agricultural stretch of the Pla de l'Estany county, away from the main tourist routes — good territory for a short walk among the surrounding hills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the church of Sant Cebrià de Pujarnol? In Porqueres, Pla de l'Estany county, at the head of the Matamors valley, Girona province.

What architectural style is the church? Romanesque, with a rectangular nave closed by a semicircular apse and a slightly pointed vault.

When did the church become a parish? In 1248, when it was consecrated by the bishop of Girona, Berenguer de Castellbisbal.

Is there anything else to see near the church? Yes — the adjoining cemetery and the Torre de Pujarnol manor house, which together with the church form a small historic ensemble.