The Houses on the River Onyar
Girona offers spectacular images of steep alleyways, porticoed streets and squares and, above all, the brightly painted façades of the houses overlooking the Onyar which provide the most emblematic image of the city.
La Rambla de Girona
Space built the thirteenth century to hold the market, is a magnificent long space walk Onyar whose characteristic element vaults, porches low Arcade uneven, and has been since ancient times and the main shopping center recreational Girona where there are interesting buildings such as the modernist facade of the house Norat (1912).
The Cathedral
The Cathedral is located at the heart of the Força Vella. Built between the 11th and 18th centuries, it includes a series of walls and spaces in different styles, from Romanesque (the cloister and Charlemagne tower) to the baroque façade and steps. Its most singular feature is its large Gothic nave (15th-16th centuries) which, at a width of 23 metres, is the widest of its kind in the world.
The Arab Baths
A singular Romanesque construction (12th century) inspired by Roman baths, its most outstanding elements include the entrance, which was used as a changing room and relaxation area and is covered with a barrel vault, and the cupola covering the central pool, which is supported by slim columns with ornately decorated capitals.
Basilica of Sant Feliu
Girona’s first cathedral until the 10th century is one of its most representative Gothic buildings, above all the slender bell tower (14th-16th centuries). With its castle-like appearance, the Romanesque chevet was completed with Gothic naves and a baroque façade. The church houses some remarkable works of art, such as the eight pagan and early Christian sarcophagi (4th century) and the Recumbent Christ (14th century)
Jewish Quarter
Located within the Força Vella, the Jewish Quarter or Call is one of the city’s most emblematic areas. It consists of a labyrinth of narrow streets and patios that have maintained their medieval atmosphere. It is one of the best preserved Jewish quarters in the world and clear evidence of the importance of the Jewish culture in Girona.
The Força Vella
In the first century BC, the Romans built a mighty fortress with an almost triangular perimeter (a kind of acropolis) which is known as Força Vella. The fortress was very well protected by a defensive rampart built from large stone ashlars. This was the first city enclosure and it remained unchanged until the year 1000. Parts of this wall can still be seen today.
Sant Pere de Galligants and Sant Nicolau
The grandeur of the temple, with its basilical plan, and the iconographic interest of the capitals in the central nave and the cloister of this Benedictine monastery (12th century), which is today used as a museum, together with the church of Sant Nicolau (now an exhibition room), form one of Catalonia’s most important Romanesque sites.
Plaça de la Independència
Designed by Martí Sureda on the site of the old convent of Sant Agustí, this is Girona’s most popular square. A porticoed square in neoclassical style, Plaça de la Independència is a busy place due to the large number of restaurants here. In the centre of the square stands a monument (1894) commemorating the 1809 defenders of the city of Girona, created by the sculptor Antoni Parera.
Museum of Jewish History
This museum tells the story of Catalonia’s medieval Jewish communities, paying special attention to Girona. Of particular interest is a unique collection of medieval Jewish tombstones from the Jewish cemetery of Montjuïc.
Museum of Cinema
Housed in the former Casa de les Aigües, a central location in the Mercadal neighbourhood, this museum exhibits Tomàs Mallol’s valuable collection of pre-cinema pieces, from the first moving images from shadow theatres to today’s cinema.
Girona History Museum
Housed in an old Capuchin monastery (18th century), of which the desiccator, cloister and cistern still remain, this museum tells the story of Girona, from its foundation by the Romans (1st century BC) to the return of democracy from 1975 onwards. It is completed with several themed rooms, such as the Sardana Room.
Casa Masó
Family home of architect Rafael Masó (1880-1935), this is one of his most important architectural works and the only one of the famous houses over the River Onyar that is open to the public.
Museum of Archaeology
Founded in 1846, this is one of the oldest museums in Catalonia. It houses archaeological finds from excavations in the region of Girona, from prehistory up to the Middle Ages, in particular from Empúries and Girona.
Art Museum
The Girona Art Museum is located in the incomparable setting of the old Episcopal Palace. It contains the most important collection of art in the diocese and province of Girona, dating from the Romanesque age to the dawn of the 20th century.
Cathedral Treasury Museum
This museum houses important works of religious art, such as the Beatus manuscript (10th century), the famous Creation Tapestry (12th century), a valuable collection of Gothic sculptures, paintings and silverware and the Renaissance altarpiece of St. Helena