Santa Magdalena del Collell

Santa Magdalena del Collell is a small chapel in the municipality of Guixers, in the Solsonès region of Catalonia, standing next to the El Collell farmhouse at an altitude of over 1,300 metres.

Where is Santa Magdalena del Collell?

The chapel sits at the southern edge of Guixers, close to the border with Berguedà, at the tip of a hilltop flanked by two streams — the Fontanella to the west and the Vallsadolla to the east. It is a remote, rural spot, typical of the mountain corners of Solsonès, where small chapels have accompanied scattered farmhouses for centuries.

How do you get there?

Access is via a dirt track branching off the road connecting Sant Llorenç de Morunys and Berga, roughly 8.4 km from that junction. The final stretch is unpaved, so a four-wheel-drive vehicle or a walk on foot is the practical option — the surrounding area is also popular with hikers and cyclists exploring the Vall de Lord and its nearby trails. The keys to the chapel are kept at the neighbouring El Collell farmhouse, to which the building is directly attached as an auxiliary structure.

What will you see on site?

Santa Magdalena del Collell is a single-nave building with a semicircular apse facing east, separated from the nave by a rather rudimentary triumphal arch. The walls were built from roughly-dressed stone, with larger blocks reinforcing the corners — a typical solution for the earliest religious buildings in the region. The walls are comparatively thin and were heightened at some point, a detail still visible in the stonework. The original timber roof was later replaced by a tile-covered vault. The facade carries a newer belfry with a rectangular opening, and the entrance is a doorway with a monolithic lintel and a flattened arch. The only window pierces the south wall, near the apse.

No documentary evidence survives regarding the chapel's construction, but its architectural features point to a transition from pre-Romanesque to Romanesque forms — researchers date the building to the early 11th century, possibly earlier. The plain execution and elementary building technique do nothing to diminish its typological interest; on the contrary, the modesty and archaic character of the forms make Santa Magdalena del Collell a notable example of the oldest religious architecture in Solsonès. The building remains private property.

When should you visit?

Given the altitude and the nature of the access road (unpaved, mountainous terrain), the best window for a visit runs from late spring to early autumn, when the track is dry and passable. In winter and after heavy rain the approach can become difficult, and the surrounding area, sitting above 1,300 metres, may see snow.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside the chapel? The keys are kept at the El Collell farmhouse, to which the building belongs as an auxiliary structure — it is worth asking there about access to the interior.

How old is Santa Magdalena del Collell? There are no documents confirming a construction date, but the architectural features point to the early 11th century or earlier, during the shift from pre-Romanesque to Romanesque forms.

Is the access road difficult? The final stretch is a dirt track of about 8.4 km from the main Sant Llorenç de Morunys–Berga road. A four-wheel-drive vehicle or a walk on foot is recommended, especially after rain.

What makes this chapel interesting? Its stark simplicity — a single-nave plan, a primitive triumphal arch, and thick, reinforced stone walls — points to a very early construction period, rarely preserved in such an unaltered form in the region.