Romanesque churches with very different architectural styles, BTT routes through the area and a festival in early June give Cabanelles a distinct cultural and active character. The town is set in the natural and cultural surroundings of Salines-Bassegoda in Alt Empordà. Cabanelles is also associated with peaceful walks in the Espai Natural de l’Alta Garrotxa. When planning, it is worth distinguishing these natural and cultural connections, as well as the individual churches: their architectural styles, dates and states of preservation differ considerably.

Romanesque churches and their architectural styles

The Església de Sant Martí de Queixàs is a Romanesque church dating from the 11th and 12th centuries, with additions from the 13th century. The Església de Sant Mateu in Vilademires is a Romanesque church dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. The dates alone show that the churches cannot be reduced to a single building phase. Sant Martí Sesserres, by contrast, dates to the second half of the 12th century.

At Sant Martí Sesserres, the interior features take centre stage: the single-nave church has a pointed barrel vault and a semicircular apse. The late Romanesque Església de Santa Coloma, dating from the late 12th or early 13th century, also has a single-nave layout, a pointed vault and a semicircular apse. Its wooden door is also notable for its remarkable ironwork. The comparison reveals the similarities in the basic layout, while the dating and the detail of the door each offer their own points of reference.

Santa Maria de l’Estela is probably dated to the end of the 12th century and is also classified as late Romanesque. Its single-nave body has a pointed vault. The portal is particularly striking: it is framed by three stepped archivolts, while the lintel and tympanum are plain. Archivolts are the arch-shaped layers of a portal; here, a clearly articulated frame can therefore be contrasted with a simple finish.

Other buildings show varying states of preservation. At Sant Miquel de la Cirera, the rectangular nave and the badly collapsed semicircular apse are distinctive features. The church ruins of Sant Cristòfor de l’Estela are still visible beside the Cal Magre farmhouse. The range therefore extends from churches with described vaults and portal details to a badly collapsed apse and visible ruins. Those interested in Romanesque architecture will find a variety of forms and states of preservation, rather than a single, recurring building type.

Routes, BTT and regional connections

The G-05 Salines-Bassegoda BTT routes pass through Cabanelles. Cabanelles is also associated with peaceful walks in the Espai Natural de l’Alta Garrotxa.

To reach Sant Martí Sesserres, take the road towards Mare de Déu del Mont. From a turn-off, continue along a path for about 300 metres to the church. This information helps you factor in the final stretch when planning your journey; check local road conditions before setting off. The village of l’Estela can be reached from Cistella via a mountain track that is difficult to drive on. Take this limitation into account when deciding how to travel, and check conditions there in advance as well.

An occasion in early June

The Romeria de la Mare de Déu del Mont is celebrated in early June with a communal rice meal and dancing. If you would like to take this occasion into account when choosing your travel dates, check the specific event date before planning. This allows you to treat the festival as a separate focus alongside the churches and routes, without assuming it follows a particular annual programme.

Discover more destinations: Alp, Castell-Platja d’Aro, El Prat de Llobregat, Llanars, Les Olives, Esponellà, Calonge, Campdevànol

For the overview of destinations: Girona.