Olot and Besalu – Two Catalonian Towns

Two interesting inland towns of Catalonia in north-eastern Spain are Besalu and Olot, both worth a visit for their own merits Besalu and Olot are both within the comarca of Garrotxa and are in fact the former and present capitals of that district. Besalu, though only a small town with a population of just over 2,000, was formerly of great importance for the region and was controlled by a dynasty begun by Wilfred the Hairy for over 200 years. Settled by Romans, Visigoths, Franks and various other cultures Besalu has some very ancient buildings worth visiting, the landmark of the town is the eleventh century fortified bridge which crosses the River Fluvia at the entrance to the town, this unique bridge has a fortified gatehouse and a portcullis. Besalu became a Historic national Monument in 1966 and many of its buildings have been restored to their former glory. Olot, to the west of Besalu is the current capital of the Garotxa district and was very important for textile manufacture during the 18th and 19th centuries. The demands of the textile industry encouraged the forming of the Olot School of art, which was founded by a group of local artists whose work can be seen in the Museu Comarcal de la Garrotxa. Both towns are well inland from the Costa Brava coastline and experience a considerably different climate from the coast, in fact the weather in Olot can be very cold during the winter with possibilities of snow and temperatures often verging on freezing, the Garrotxa region also experiences more rainfall with around forty inches per year. Map of Olot.