La Torre del Cargol or Força d'Estany

La Torre del Cargol, also known as Força d’Estany, is a defense tower located at the ancient terme of Seró in Artesa de Segre, Noguera. It is situated at the extremity of an altiplano over one of the passes that allow communication between the conca del Llobregós and the contrada d’Artesa de Segre and Balaguer. The tower is declared a cultural asset of national interest. [2] It is related to the torre de Dàdila, mentioned in the carta de venda that of the castell d’Artesa de Segre by Count Ermengol II d’Urgell to Arnau Mir de Tost in 1039.

Constructed in Romanesque times (11th century), the second phase of the tower was plastered with a circular structure made of small stones united with mortar, only the northern wall remains. [4] The diameter of the tower is 7.2 m, and at the bottom, it adjoins the square tower. [4] Around the tower there are the remains of what was once a square enclosure of very large construction. [4] Inside there are vestiges of the four floors that divided it, closed by a vault with vertical slabs in the shape of a book. [4] Above this vault was constructed a room, larger than the lower one and with a height of about 4 m, also closed with a vault. [4] In this upper level there are four observation loopholes, all oriented to the north, more difficult to defend. [4] The door was probably located at the upper level and oriented to the south, at the side that has collapsed. [4]

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons