The ruined church of Santa Maria del castell de Claramunt

Claramunt is home to the ruins of the castle of Claramunt, featuring the church of Santa Maria del castell de Claramunt. The first mention of the castle complex dates to 978, and records of land donations to the church began in 990. By the 11th century, the Romanesque church was built within the fortified walls. Throughout the middle ages, the structure required repairs, notably to its vaulting and bell tower in the early 15th century.

During the summer of 1463, the Civil War saw the castle complex demolished at the request of the council of Igualada. During this period, the cult and the image of the Virgin Mary were moved to a nearby chapel. Although the castle was rebuilt by 1484, only the two aisles corresponding to the two preserved apses were reconstructed. Worship was eventually abandoned in 1606, though in 1754, Pope Benedict XIV granted a plenary indulgence for the blessing of the term during the feast of the Holy Cross.

The church features a basilical plan with three aisles, though only two of the three original semi-circular apses remain. These apses are built with small travertine stones and decorated on the exterior with a frieze of double blind arches. In 1983, a project was undertaken to consolidate the roofs of the apses and reconstruct the pre-apse arch.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons