Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Pont de Molins
The village of Pont de Molins, situated in the comarca of Alt Empordà and bordered by the River Muga, takes its name from the old 18th-century three-arched bridge in the centre of the village.
Its history dates back to the Neolithic period, as evidenced by the remains of a necropolis dating from between 2,500 and 2,000 BC, followed by Iberian settlements in the 5th century BC and the Romanisation of the area in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, with the resulting improvements in transport links, construction and agricultural practices, among other developments. In fact, agriculture has been the driving force behind the town’s economy, particularly since the 16th century, when its mills and farmhouses were renovated.
A must-see in Pont de Molins is the 18th-century parish church of San Sebastián, which has a rectangular floor plan and a single nave with side chapels and a semicircular apse. Its façade features a rose window, while the bell tower is characterised by its pointed tiled arches. Very close to the church are houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Next to the church, a visit to the old 17th-century monastery of Santa María de Roure – now in ruins – is a must. Built on the site of a Romanesque church that housed a revered carving of the Virgin Mary, it experienced a period of revival in the 17th and 18th centuries. Furthermore, the remains of the tower and the walls of the town’s 12th-century castle, which stood on the border of the county of Besalú, can still be seen today.
Old houses, mills, flour mills and lime kilns – where wood was burnt to break down limestone – as well as the locks at Molino de Calvet and Molino de Jordà, are part of the town’s tourist appeal; its economy is based primarily on the service sector.
Pont de Molins celebrates its annual festival in early September and organises musical, traditional and recreational activities for everyone: petanque tournaments, visits to the sanctuary of Santa Maria de Roure, traditional dance and concerts…