Castell de Miralles: A Historic Castle in Santa Maria de Miralles, Spain
Visitor Information
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Official Website: invarquit.cultura.gencat.cat
Country: Spain
Civilization: Unclassified
Remains: Military
History
The Castell de Miralles stands in the municipality of Santa Maria de Miralles, Spain, and was originally built by the Catalan people during the 10th century. It was part of a defensive effort aimed at facilitating the repopulation of the Anoia river valley, a strategic measure in the broader context of territorial consolidation.
The earliest written record of the castle dates to 960, when Count Borrell II granted the castle of La Roqueta to Isarn, son of Sal·la of Sant Benet. Later, in 987, the same count transferred half of the rights and properties of the Miralles territory to the Bishop of Vic. This bishop then granted these lands to Ennyec Bonfill de Cervelló, who had already received the other half directly from Borrell. This arrangement ensured that the castle and its surroundings came under the control of the Cervelló family for several generations.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the castle passed through a succession of aristocratic heirs connected to the Cervelló lineage, such as Hug de Cervelló in 1018 and Guerau Alamany in 1079. By the 12th century, members of the Miralles family acted as vassals under the Cervellós, reflecting evolving feudal relationships. By 1347, Guerau de Cervelló was known as the lord of the barony of La Llacuna, which included Miralles, marking the castle’s role as an administrative and territorial center.
During the turbulent events of the Catalan Civil War in 1463, the castle was a focal point of allegiance struggles. Gonzalvo de Mendoza successfully secured the loyalty of the castle’s garrison to the Generalitat, the Catalan government of the time. However, control later shifted to Arnau de Cervelló, acting as commissioner for King Joan II, indicating the castle’s contested status in regional conflicts.
Subsequently, ownership of the castle changed hands through several noble families, including the Alagó family, barons of Alfajarín, followed by the Montcada family, marquises of Aitona, and later the Fernández de Córdoba family, dukes of Medinaceli. By the 19th century, jurisdiction was shared between the marquises of Aitona and Moja. Despite its enduring noble associations, by 1845 the castle had fallen into complete ruin, though some houses at its lower section remained inhabited until the Spanish Civil War in the 20th century.
In recent years, efforts have been made to enhance the site, such as the 2017 installation of a wooden staircase and floors inside the eastern tower, transforming it into a lookout point. This restoration project was led by architect Carles Solsona Piña and carried out by the Local Architectural Heritage Service of the Diputació de Barcelona.
Remains
The Castell de Miralles is situated atop a hill in the Serra de Miralles at an elevation of 662 meters, overseeing the upper valley of the Miralles stream. The castle’s layout is divided into two main areas adapted to the natural terrain: an upper enclosure known as the “souverain” and a lower zone called the “jussana.”
The upper enclosure features an almost rectangular structure with rounded corners, measuring roughly between 28.7 and 31 meters long by 20.6 to 23 meters wide. The remaining walls are constructed from small, roughly shaped ashlar stones held together with mortar. Some sections reveal a distinctive “opus spicatum” pattern, where stones are laid in a herringbone arrangement. Wall heights are often over three meters, with typical thickness around one meter. However, the southeast corner wall is thicker at 1.5 meters, and the southern wall was reinforced during a later period to a thickness of 1.9 meters. Entrance to the upper enclosure was originally through a door on the northern end of the west wall, although only the southern jamb of this doorway survives today. A second, more damaged entrance existed on the northern end of the east wall.
Defensive features in the upper enclosure include simple splayed arrow slits—these narrow vertical openings were about 45 centimeters wide on the inside—located below the wall offset on the northern side. Additional arrow slits are found on the southeast and west walls, providing guarded views of approaching threats.
The lower section is characterized by a south-facing open area, or esplanade, which is bordered by a collapsed wall facing the valley. This defensive line is defined by two main towers. At the eastern end stands a large square tower, known as an albarrana tower, likely constructed in the 13th century as a replacement for an earlier defensive tower on the site. At the western end is a smaller semicircular tower, estimated to date from the original 10th-century construction of the castle. This semicircular tower measures 5.2 meters internally in length, about 1.9 meters across, with wall thicknesses of approximately 80 centimeters. Its walls are made from small stones bonded with lime mortar.
Directly below the southern wall of the castle lies the Romanesque church of Santa Maria, built between the 12th and 13th centuries. The church remains in good condition, representing a significant medieval religious structure associated with the castle complex.
About 30 meters south of the castle, beyond the church, lie the remains of five houses that have been reconstructed in modern times. Historically, the southern wall of these buildings formed the first line of defense for the area and was strengthened by towers at each end. The western tower of this defensive line is rectangular, contemporary with the castle’s original construction, and has walls about 80 centimeters thick made of small stones. The eastern tower is a larger square albarrana tower, erected during the Late Middle Ages, further emphasizing the evolving defensive architecture around the castle.
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