Monasteries, medieval villages, churches and, above all, castles are today some of the most important reminders of the medieval past of La Garrotxa.
Throughout the county still stand the remains of castles such as the fortress of the lords of Montpalau in Argelaguer and that of Puigpardines. Many of the county’s villages date from this time: Santa Pau is an excellent example of a medieval village that sprung up in the protective shadow of the lord’s castle (in this case, belonging to the Barons of Santa Pau), while Sant Feliu de Pallerols, Riudaura and Tortellà all grew up as a sagrera, the area within a radius of 30 paces around a church in which people could take refuge from the abuses of their feudal lords..
