Mentui
Mentui
The small village of Mentui lies in the westernmost sector of the municipality of Baix Pallars, west of Lake Montcortès, on the edge of the Vall Fosca. It is a compact settlement, currently made up of four houses, arranged around the square of the Baroque church of Sant Antoni Abat. This is a rectangular church with a semicircular apse to the north and a tower bell tower to the east. The current structure dates from the 18th century.
The first documentary references to Mentui date from the 11th century, when Countess Estefania and her son, Count Bernat of Pallars, donated the place of Mentui to the monastery of Gerri.
Among the village houses, Casa Rei stands out, a manor house with a rectangular floor plan and two storeys, dating from 1690 (according to the inscription found above the main door), and which belonged to the Rei family, lords of Mentui, from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One of their sons was Joaquim Rey Esteve (1775–1850), a lawyer, professor, rector of the University of Barcelona, senator and member of parliament in several legislatures. He was even president of the Spanish Congress of Deputies during the 1821–1822 term.
Mentui is located in a place of great scenic beauty. The best way to enjoy its surroundings is to explore its woods and meadows on foot or by bicycle.