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In Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia we travel to the High Middle Ages through this photographic visit to the important castle of Sant Gervàs, located in the Barcedana valley (Pallars Jussà).
Its state is dilapidated, but you can distinguish its structure and the great tower, as well as the church that we find a few meters away, Romanesque, and with the same name of San Gervàs.
This medieval fortress is part of a group of “frontier” castles and defense towers scattered along the northern slope of the Montsec mountain range.
Through the study of these Pallars Jussà castles we can learn how the reconquest and colonization of the feudal era was carried out.
Specifically, the castle of Sant Gervàs dates back to the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th, when it acted as a key element in the repopulation process of the Barcedana valley.
The fortress occupied a strategic position to approach the Saracen domains established in Ager, just on the other side of Montsec. Access is via the old road that leaves Sant Miquel de la Vall, a short and circular route that allows you to enjoy excellent views of the mountains and the valley.
Sant Gervàs Castle, also known as Castelló Sobirà, was one of the two fortresses documented in the mid-11th century in the Barcedana valley. The other is Castelló Jussà, which has not been located.
