Montcortès
Montcortès
The village of Montcortès is located in the western sector of the municipality of Baix Pallars, in the Pla de Corts, at 1,063 metres above sea level, very close to the karstic lake of Montcortès, included in the Pla d’Espais d’Interès Natural of the Government of Catalonia. It lies in an area of great natural beauty, very suitable for hiking and mountain biking.
The old medieval walled village of Montcortès developed around the rock where the castle stood, already documented in the 11th century. Later, the village expanded to the south and to the north. Control of the castle was shared by the monastery of Gerri and the counts of Pallars. In the 15th century, during the conflicts between Count Hug Roger III of Pallars and the royal house, Montcortès was attacked by royal troops, who brought down the wall. After its capitulation, the 28 inhabitants of the village swore loyalty to Ferdinand the Catholic, and the castle was granted to the noble House of Cardona, supporters of the king. Today, almost no remains of this castle survive because between the 17th and 18th centuries a popular-style stone manor house was built there, known as “La Rectoria” or “l’Abadia”.
In the village square stands the parish church of Sant Martí. It is a single-nave church with a rectangular chancel and a round-arched doorway on the west façade. Beside the north side of the façade rises an octagonal bell tower, crowned by a capital.
CANALS
The abandoned hamlet of Canals is located in the southern sector of the Pla de Corts, at 913 metres above sea level, on the right-hand side of the Barranc de Canals. It borders Cortscastell to the north, Pujol to the east and Peracalç to the west.
The first reliable documentary mention of the village of Canals dates from the late 11th century, when Count Artau sold this village, together with its church and dues, to the monastery of Gerri. The church of Santa Eulàlia de Canals is now abandoned and in ruins.