Empordaguia

Calonge consists two parts: the inland neighbourhoods, the vila, and the seafront quarter of sant antoni. today we stroll through the narrow streets and secluded squares of the vila, the old town built on a knoll.

The town of Calonge grew around its castle, one of the largest citadels of the Baix Empordà. Founded by the Counts of Girona in the 8th C., its oldest remains are from the 10th and 11th C. The historian Jaume Aymar wrote that the castle is mysteriously both one and manifold. Seen from the North, it’s a dark and enigmatic medieval fortress that recalls the long reign of the Cruïlles, or the frightening blazes of the wars of the Remences and the Segadors. Yet from the main square we see a solemn Catalan Renaissance palace that evokes the Requesens, the Cardona-Anglesola, the Fenández de Córdova, and the Dukes of Sessa, the last owners. Entering the courtyard, we find a varied world of windows with columns and graceful ramparts, vaults that once held a colourful market and stables that bring to mind endless wars and brilliant tournaments.

The caste thrones over the medieval centre of Calonge that contains other interesting buildings: Can Savalls is a 16th C. house with a splendid façade with an arched door crowned by the coat of arms, and renaissance windows. Càlcul Street that runs under a low vaulted gallery starts opposite Can Savalls Plaça Major and ends on the main square, the . Two entrances to the castle come together at this point, the old Ajuntament (City Hall) and the parish church of Sant Martí, one of the largest of the bishopric. The monumental façade is of stone, with a bull’s eye above the door that is protected by two stone columns with the coat of arms of the town. The lintel also has two coats of arms sculpted into the stone, one of the Duke of Sessa and on the upper part, a relief of Sant Martí on horseback.

If we continue up the Carrer Major we reach the casa del senyor del Mal Ús. The main entrance in the façade is vaulted and bears a weathered coat of arms; another side is in Renaissance style. The Batlles de Sac inhabited this house for many generations. As tax collectors of the Castle of Calonge, they were not liked in the village, and their house received the sinister name of Mal Ús (bad use). Taking the first street on our right, we arrive at the Xato square. Here lies can Xifró, a 16th C. house once inhabited by the feudal lord Josep Vilanova, Viscount of Cabanyes. Next we can admire the doors of the ancient hospital that today houses the library. There are two interesting inscriptions and a bull’s eye. We end our walk through the old town of Calonge returning to the plaça Major, where we can enjoy refreshments, inside or out, at the always welcoming centre Calongí.// VÍCTOR POU