Castell de Peralada

Peralada Castle, built in the ninth century under the name Castell Toló, was once at the heart of the county of Peralada, and today it's been declared a national asset of cultural interest. The building as it now stands was constructed following a fire during the French invasion of the Empordà as part of the crusade against Catalonia by Felip l'Ardit (Philip the Bold of France) in 1285. Towards the 14th century the Gothic castle started to be built, but there's little left of the original construction nowadays. The estate was acquired in 1923 by Miquel Mateu i Pla, a Catalan politician and businessman, and the castle is still in the Mateu family. During the months of July and August, the gardens are opened for the Festival Castell de Peralada.