27 fascinating photos of Romanesque art in Catalonia

The seaside town of Tossa is still guarded by the 12th century castle and the walls with round towers built to protect the town from pirate attacks

One of the most complete sets of Romanesque mural paintings that survives is that of the Church of Santa Maria de Taüll, in Vall de Boí, featuring the Virgin Mary with Child in the apse

The village of Forallac, in the Empordà region (Girona), still has streets and several churches from the Romanesque period

The medieval village of Beget, in the Girona Pyrenees, still has the Romanesque Church of Sant Cristòfol

A Romanesque bridge with eight arches takes you into the fortified town of Besalú (Girona)

Arcade of the 12th century Church of Sant Vicenç de Besalú

Built in the late 12th century, Camprodon's Pont Nou is a stone bridge with a single arch

In Camprodon you can still appreciate the importance of iron work in the Middle Ages

The Shrine of Mare de Déu de Pedra is located in the foothills of the Montsec d'Ares mountain range, in the village of Àger (Lleida)

Tamarit Castle, in Altafulla (Tarragona) stands on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea

The Romanesque sculptures that have survived include this outstanding 12th century Descent from the Cross in the Church of Santa Eulàlia d’Erill-la Vall.

The Porta de Fillols in the Seu Vella (Lleida) dates from the first Romanesque building and has many archivolts, abacuses and capitals decorated with vegetal motifs

Aisle in the cloister of the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, one of the most impressive buildings of the Catalan Romanesque period

In the cloister of the Monastery of Sant Cugat there are 144 capitals, many of which show figurative scenes from the story of Christianity

Built between the 9th and 14th centuries, the Benedictine Monastery of Sant Cugat is noted for its impressive cloister

Among the purest examples of European Romanesque art are the paintings that decorate the Church of Sant Climent de Taüll, in Vall de Boí, with the Pantocrator as its symbol

The medieval walls of the town of Montblanc (Tarragona) bear a set of Romanesque elements that have given rise to many legends

A stroll through the streets of Peratallada (Girona) takes you back to medieval times

Founded by the Order of Cistercians in 1150, the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet is one of the most important monastic sites in Europe

The main altar of the Church of Sant Andreu de Salardú, in Val d'Aran, has a wood carving of Christ, one of the best preserved sculptures of the Romanesque period

The old Romanesque Montsonís Castle, renovated over the years, was built in 1024 and is still inhabited today

In the heart of Barcelona, in the midst of the Raval neighbourhood, you'll find the Benedictine monastery of Sant Pau del Camp, with the oldest church in the city

The Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses houses a set of sculptures known as the Holy Mystery, from the 13th century, with a small reliquary in the head of Christ

Located in an exceptional setting, on a mountain open to the sea, the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes has a basement cloister with portico galleries

Located at the top of a small mountain, the old town of Pals (Girona) retains the magnificent circular Torre de les Hores, in Romanesque style

Built in the mid-11th century, the Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç de Cardona, with its crypt, is one of the most emblematic examples of Catalan Romanesque architecture

The mural paintings of the Church of Sant Quirze de Pedret, dating back to 1100, have a style that reminds us of the Italian art of the time and Byzantine iconography