Monells, a town with 8 Catalan surnames
There is no other town on the Costa Brava that can say it has become so famous for being the site chosen to shoot one of the highest grossing films in Spanish cinema. Do you know which film and which town we are referring to?
On the big screen: “8 Catalan surnames”.
Bingo! The movie is 8 Catalan surnames and the town is Monells.
The film director, Emilio Martínez-Lázaro, chose this small municipality that belongs to the Baix Empordà to film many of the scenes of this comedy.
In the film, the Jaume I square appears as one of the main locations. There, the actors and extras gathered to tell the story, they gave proclamations and formed castells (human towers). Precisely, one of the funniest scenes occurs when Rafa (Dani Rovira) climbs one of these human towers, typical of the region, to impress Amaia (Clara Lago).
There are also arcades, houses and picturesque bars.
Medieval and charming
The village, which belongs to the municipal district of Cruïlles, Monells and Sant Sadurní de l’Heura, has been declared European Cultural Heritage and stands out for its architectural beauty, a sign of a clearly medieval past.
The first documents that speak of the existence of Monells date from the 10th century. They refer to the construction of the castle of the Viscounts of Bas, of which only the walls are preserved today.
Regarding the origin of its name, it is thought that it finds its origin in the mills that were formerly located along the course of the river Rissec, which runs through the center of the village.
It is a delight to have the opportunity to get lost among its streets while contemplating its amazing corners.
The route
We begin the itinerary in the Jaume I square, where the wide and imposing arches decorated with beautiful vines are striking. It is an irregular space with a porch on three of its four sides. The stone buildings that stand here are characterized by being of one or two floors. It is right at this point where it was located, in the seventeenth century, a market that was one of the most important in Catalonia at the time.
Another of the stops of rigor we will find it in the neighborhood of the Riera. We speak of the church of Sant Genís of which there is evidence since the eleventh century. It is a large building that was renovated in several stages. It consists of a nave with side chapels, polygonal chancel, gable roof and a bell tower.
The hermitage of Sant Joan de Salelles
During the walk through the area, it is inevitable to come across a hermitage built between the tenth and eleventh centuries. It is the hermitage of Sant Joan de Salelles. Despite belonging to the early Romanesque, is preserved in very good condition.
As you walk through the streets of Monells, you will discover such unique alleys as the street of the Arches: an example of a narrow road typical of the Middle Ages and that differs by the arches that mark it at the top.
Finally, we do not want to forget an arcaded square a little smaller than the Jaume I square located in the eastern part of the village: the Plaza del Aceite.
In addition to Monells, on the Catalan coast there are other amazing villages that are just 2 hours from Barcelona and that have no waste. We hope you can visit them soon. For now, you know, stay at home.
