Sant Baldiri de Taballera's path

SITUATION

The hermitage of Sant Baldiri de Taballera is located within the municipality of El Port de la Selva, in the Massís del Cap de Creus, declared a Natural Park since 1998.

DIFFICULTY, DISTANCE AND TIME

It is an easy hike, with some climbs. The last section runs along a path that can present some difficulty. From the beginning of the Camí dels Masos to the hermitage there are about 5 km and it will take about 50 minutes on foot. If we go up from the town along the Cam de la Costa we will have to count about 6 more minutes.

DESCRIPTION AND HISTORICAL NOTES

Sant Baldiri is a complex made up of different buildings that originally formed an enclosure. It appears repeatedly in the documentation related to the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes and the Counts of Empúries. The activity of this hermitage is understood as that of the religious and economic center of the Cap de Creus mountains. As a result of the archaeological excavations we can say that Sant Baldiri was continuously inhabited from the s. VI until the end of the s. XIX.

PROTECTION

The complex was declared a Cultural Asset of Local Interest (BCIL) and the defense tower, a Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN).

LAST INTERVENTIONS

Él Port de la Selva City Council began the rehabilitation and consolidation of the complex, which was in a very advanced process of degradation, in 2004, thanks to a European INTERREG cooperation project, financed with FEDER funds and with the collaboration of the Girona Provincial Council and the Generalitat de Catalunya.

1. House of the priest and annexed dependencies

We find five clearly differentiated spaces. They are constructions of popular architecture, with many modifications. We cannot guarantee the function of each space, but we do know that there is the house of the priest, with access to the defense tower, a paved patio and a well. In 1787, the year of the Royal Certificate of Carlos III that gave El Port de la Selva the title of town, with the consequent segregation of La Selva de Mar, a count of the population was made and they found out that the priest and the maid were living there. The last architectural interventions are from 1849 according to Montsalvatge.

2. Bridges and enclosing wall

Sant Baldiri was built in a sheltered valley, close to the sea, with abundant water, fertile land for cereals and vineyards, with a nearby ravine (demonstrating a more or less continuous passage of cattle) and which communicated with the road that went from Cadaqués to La Selva de Mar. Sant Baldiri was not just a church but the temple of the surrounding people who warned in case of sudden attacks and a place where people lived. It was protected by a wall that surrounded the clos (enclosure) with a small watchtower from which the path and the two access doors to the complex were controlled. One of public access that communicated with a patio that led to the entrance of the church and another that communicated with the paved patio of the house of the priest. The two gates opened onto the path through two popular architecture bridges that passed over a water canal that came down from the mountain and headed towards the Talabre stream.

3. The church

It appears repeatedly in the documentation of the 10th century, related to the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes. It has a double dedication, that of Sant Baldiri, a Saint of Carolingian origin, and Sant Joan (Saint John), dedication of the first Christians. We find a superposition of structures from different periods. The last church was blessed in 1733. Previous to this temple there was another church probably from the 16th-17h centuries and below another church of pre-Romanesque origin from the 10th century with reforms of the 15th century. Archaeological excavations have uncovered the pre-Romanesque church, possibly with two apses and two naves. On the north exterior wall, we can see the exterior face of the wall with the old apse, two access doors to a sepulchral area and rows of opus spicatum on the wall.

4. Sacristy

The sacristies appear to be from 16th century as a result of the increasing complexity of the Christian liturgy to store utensils and clothes. It would coincide with the reforms of the 16th-17th centuries.

5. Sepulchral area

On the north side of the church we can see on the wall, the different extensions of the nave. We also found an area where there was a cemetery, articulated with different passageways and structures. Archaeological excavations have found different types of tombs from different eras. One of the tombs appeared with a richer treatment, with a construction around it, with opus spicatum on the wall.

6. Tower defense

It was built in the year 1558, by the master of houses Bartomeu del Mar, to monitor the maritime access through the Gou. This fortification was born at the same time as many coastal defense and watchtowers to protect the population from piracy. Although there is data of pirate raids of the 9th and 10th centuries, it is been proved that it belongs to 14th century.

7. Old cemetery

According to oral tradition, the area in front of the tower was the Sant Baldiri cemetery. Archaeological excavations have shown that it is not a burial area. The findings have uncovered a series of medieval agricultural structures, with ceramic material from different periods, the oldest from the 6th century.

Recommendations:

To make excursions on foot during the summer months, try to avoid the hottest hours.
Use sun protection.
Wear a hat and suitable footwear.
Bring water. You will not find any water supply point in the Natural Park.
Do not leave the marked paths.
Do not leave garbage on the mountain or on the paths.
Enjoy the smells of the plants and the landscape.