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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Monars route
The pond of Bassa de Monars and its lush green surroundings is a welcoming place to stop. Monars is part of Montagut i Oix and according to the 2007 census, eight people live in this hamlet. The first documentary records for Sant Sebastià date from 1064.
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Sant Eudald de Jou route
Route around Montagut, where the first foothills of the Alta Garrotxa already offer some examples of the best Romanesque architecture in the area.
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Artistic Garrotxa
La Garrotxa is a county that is associated with a great variety of art forms.
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Sant Miquel de Coma-de-Roure route
In a small pass between the Borró valley and the Espinau valley, stands the small church Sant Miquel de Coma-de-Roure, located on top of the mountain of the same name with magnificent views.
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Montsacopa and Montolivet volcanoes. Route 3 Olot
This route visits two of Olot’s most remarkable volcanoes, Montsacopa and Montolivet.
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La Miana route itinerary. Route 1 Sant Ferriol
This is a very long circular route that allows you to reach La Miana and return via a different path. If we want to do shorter sections to Sagrat Cor, Sant Silvestre el Mor, Sant Fructós, etc... you can do a round trip route.
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Medieval Route
Monasteries, medieval villages, churches and, above all, castles are today some of the most important reminders of the medieval past of La Garrotxa.
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Villages and landscapes of Vall d'en Bas
To the south-west of the district in a large agricultural valley: Vall d'en Bas.
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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.
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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.