Standing tall on a hilltop in Camarasa, the Castell de Camarasa is a Hisn Andalusi castle, strategically located to dominate the passage towards the Llorenç plains and control the road to Cubells. The name Camarasa could come from the term 'kum ruàsa' or residence of chiefs. The castle is a bé cultural d'interès nacional, dating back to the 11th century. It was ceded to the count of Barcelona in 1050, who then granted it to Arnau Mir de Tost. In 1056, the castells of Camarasa and Cubells were assigned to the count's wife Almodis de la Marca as part of their wedding gifts.
A rectangular tower was built 30 meters west of Sant Miquel’s church. The construction has limestone blocks, small and well squared, with irregular masonry enclosed with lime mortar. However, it is unclear if it was part of the fortified enclosure or an albarrana.
An albarrana located at the west end of the castle street, oriented north-south, seems to be a 13th-century work. It still has three levels. The first floor has a door on the north side with a semi-circular arch, an opening on the south side, and three full and one sectioned arrowslits. The second floor has an opening on the north side with a semi-circular arch, two full and one sectioned arrowslits.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
Discuss this with the author and others
No comments yet. Be the first to start the conversation.