The medieval fortress of La Torre in La Vall del Bac

Located in La Vall del Bac, in the municipality of La Vall de Bianya, stands La Torre. This ancient fortified house occupies an ideal position to monitor the route toward Ripollès, situated opposite the church of Sant Miquel. Due to its historical importance, it has been declared a cultural heritage site of national interest.

The medieval construction features a rectangular living area with a double-pitched roof, consisting of a lower floor and one upper floor. On the lower floor, there is a spacious hall from the Romanesque period that features five large arches crossing the nave from north to south, which support the roof. The building also includes an integrated three-story defensive tower, which is now partially ruined but still shows remains of its machicolations and spires.

Constructed with small stones, volcanic stone, and large stones at the corners, the tower is the oldest part of the building. According to ancient documents, the Vall del Bac once had two castles. One was La Torre, where the Bac family lived. The other is mentioned as Doscastells, but its location remains unknown. The history of La Torre is linked to the Bac or Desbac family, a group of knights who owned properties in the area until they abandoned the house in the Vall del Bac to move to the castle of Rocabruna.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons