In the second half of the XIX century, Catalan landscape painting acquired an importance and personality previously unknown to this genre. Among the landscape artists of the moment were Josep Armet and Josep Berga, however it was Joaquim Vayreda who became the foremost Catalan landscape painter. In his work, the landscape took centre stage.
Vayreda was the founder of the Olot School of countryside painting, a movement characterised by the taste for painting from nature and directly inspired by the works of the French artists of Barbizon School. Their canvases, which enjoyed wide exposure and considerable success, influenced numerous Catalan landscape painters.
The Museu de la Garrotxa has an extensive collection of paintings by the Olot School, and the Museu dels Sants has a collection centred on one of Olot's traditional industries: religious imagery. And it is Olot's saints' workshops that make virtually all the religious sculptures that are found around the world. The museum shows the whole process of making these pieces and allows you to see, first hand, the inside of a workshop (on week days).
Olot School
Routes and excursions TOP
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Garrell route. Route 2 Argelaguer
Garrell’s art takes advantage of its surroundings and recycled material and creates spaces and installations in between the hills, a stream and the river Fluvià.
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Sant Pere Sacosta. Route 1 Les Planes d'Hostoles
The parish of Sant Pere Sacosta has the privilege of being one of the oldest and most remote inhabited villages of la Vall de Hostoles. Located on the slopes of la Serra del Puig del Moro, on the north ridge of el Far and below el Coll de Condreu.
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Les Bisaroques and Font de les Tries. Route 2 Olot
The Bisaroques volcano is the smallest of the four volcanoes in Olot. Along the way, we will see the black, brown and reddish colors of the volcanic soil.
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Volcano Racó and el Parc Nou. Route 5 Olot
Once you leave the built-up centre of Olot it takes but a few minutes to reach the marshy woods of La Moixina. From here, you can walk through the beeches that form part of the final reaches of the forest of Fageda d’en Jordà
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GR 2 - La Jonquera to Aiguafreda
This GR runs from La Jonquera to Aiguafreda through medieval towns and villages such as Besalú and Santa Pau, and natural protected areas including La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone and Montseny natural parks, and the Collsacabra, Savassona and Tavertet Cliffs.
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Sadernes - Puig de Bassegoda. Route 5 Consorci Alta Garrotxa
Very long route, demanding and very uneven by some of the most unique places of the Alta Garrotxa.
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Croscat volcano. Natural Park route 15
The volcano of Croscat and its gredales are one of the jewels of the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of La Garrotxa. This itinerary will take you inside the youngest volcano in the Iberian Peninsula.
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Olot and its volcanoes
Rediscover nature in the heart of the city. The urban layout of Olot is set around one of the most famous volcanoes: Montsacopa.
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Vayreda’s Alta Garrotxa. Route 8 Garrotxa
Marian Vayreda’s novel La Punyalada provides one of the best ways of discovering the Alta Garrotxa. The places depicted by this 19th century author in the scenes from his famous novel have been joined in a discovery route.