Hospital de Sant Julià

Costa Brava


Of Besalú's ancient Sant Julià hospital, built to house pilgrims, only the 12th-century facade is original; it displays four intricately carved capitals, three with animal figures.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Costa Brava attractions

1. Monestir de Sant Pere

0.02 MILES

This Romanesque monastery dates from the 11th century and has an unusual ambulatory (walkway) with floral-motif capitals behind the altar.

2. Micromundi

0.05 MILES

Prepare to squint with increasing intensity as you enter this peculiar 2000-item museum. Peer through a magnifying glass at jewellery, figurines and tiny…

3. Jewish Square

0.07 MILES

Besalú’s thriving Jewish community fled the town in 1436 after relentless Christian persecution. It left behind a 12th-century riverside miqvé (ritual…

4. Església de Sant Vicenç

0.1 MILES

The Romanesque Església de Sant Vicenç dates to the 10th century, though it has a few Gothic flourishes. It's normally closed, but you can peek in by…

5. Pont Fortificat

0.13 MILES

Besalú’s fortified stone bridge is so old, it strains memory. The first records of the bridge date to 1075, though periodic modifications have bolstered…

6. Santa Pau

7.53 MILES

With its tangle of slender cobbled lanes leading past flower-filled corners and pottery workshops to the attractive colonnaded Plaça Major, medieval Santa…

7. Castellfollit de la Roca

7.76 MILES

Aside from the hills, one of La Garrotxa's most remarkable geological sights is the town of Castellfollit de la Roca (10km northeast of Olot), teetering…

8. Monestir de Sant Joan les Fonts

9.55 MILES

Dating to the 12th century, this broad Romanesque riverside monastery is squirrelled away at the northern end of Sant Joan les Fonts, 6km northeast of…