A tower, a cistern and a cellar: Castell de Gimenells

Set atop a long hill, the ruins of Castell de Gimenells are situated 3 km north of the modern town of Gimenells. The remains of the castle consist of three distinct structures, though various modifications make it difficult to identify the oldest parts and the clear evolution of the construction.

The northern structure is the main building, a quadrangular tower with a sloped base formed by large stones bound with mortar. The wall rises straight from this base, using stones on the southwest corner and masonry elsewhere. Inside, three floors and a ground floor can be seen. The southern structure of the rectangular plan appears rustic and is joined to the tower. It is coherent to think of a possible Islamic origin, as it may have been a cistern of the primitive fortress that later served as a base for a farmhouse room.

The third structure on the hill, at midday, appears to have been a kind of cellar or storehouse, built in the 14th century and adapted later to the needs of a farmhouse in the last century.

The first mention of the castle is from 1212, when King Pere el Catòlic granted or ratified lands to the Order of the Temple. These lands were part of the city of Lleida and were under royal jurisdiction. In the 14th century, the site passed into the hands of the Desvalls, later marquises of Alfarràs. The area was depopulated as a result of the War of the Segadors.

In 1908, Ramon Albà bought the lands of Gimenells for the Obra Tutelar Agrària, which became the basis for the new town of Gimenells, born to the south of the castle ruins.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons