Sight Castell d'Aro

The Castle of Benedormiens

Plaça Santa Maria | 17249 Castell-Platja d'Aro, Girona
Coordinates: 41.8151080000, 3.0307350000 (map)

The first mention of the Castell d'Aro castle dates back to 1041. That year, Countess of Barcelona Ermessenda, her brother Bishop of Girona Pere Roger, and the head of the Pals family Gaufred Vidal all granted the safekeeping of the castle to the monastery of Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

The castle was first known as the Castle of Benedormiens, from bé (Catalan — good) and dorm (Catalan — sleep). In the 11th century, the village of Castell d'Aro was perhaps known as the place to get a good night's sleep. Be that as it may, starting in the 12th century, the castle's former name has been gradually forgotten in favour of the name of the village where it is located. "Castell d'Aro" is thought to have originated from the Pre-Roman word aro, "valley".

The guardianship of the castle by the Catholic Church, a major landowner at the time, meant that it was regarded as a symbol of oppression by the local peasantry who paid land taxes to the Church. At least two instances of the castle's destruction, occurring in 1344 and 1462, are associated with local serf revolts rather than war conflicts.

Between the 17th and the 18th centuries, the castle of Castell d'Aro was completely replanned and rebuilt, becoming a big fortified house in accordance with the building practices of the time. By the mid-20th century, the castle was a sorry sight, and only the interference of the locally engaged citizens prevented its demolition by the municipal government.

The renovations began in 1970 but came to a halt after the head planner Miquel Oliva's death. The desire to wrap up the project with minimal effort and budget resulted in the loss of several typical Medieval design elements that the castle had, most notably its arched ceilings. Single pieces of the original structure have been preserved from the side that connects the castle to the church.

Today, the Castell d'Aro castle is municipally owned and serves as an art gallery and an exhibition space.