Sant Llorenç de la Muga
Sant Llorenç de la Muga is a municipality situated at the foot of the Spanish Pyrenees, in the valley of the River Muga in the Girona province in the autonomous region of Catalonia. Surrounded by pine trees, chestnut trees, cork oak forests and agricultural land.
Location
Sant Llorenç de la Muga located 18 kilometers west of Figueres, 65 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Girona and 25 kilometers southwest of La Junquera. About the road GI -510, the municipality has direct access to the A -7 motorway.
History
In the 10th century, a record documenting the name of the place as Santi Laurenti de Sambuca and refers to a Roman settlement. 1311 King James II granted Sant Llorenç de la Muga and the market town rights.
In the 14th century, from the settlement of a fortified town with a medieval structure. The city walls that surround the city center, have an almost triangular floor plan with four towers and three city gates. Under the reign of Charles III. arisen in the church in the 18th century, several armories for the production of munitions, such as land mines of iron and lead, the most famous blacksmith Farga Real San Sebastian.
In May of 1794 the troops of the French General Charles Pierre François Augereau at the Battle of San Lorenzo de la Muga destroyed a substantial part of the factories and the medieval town structure.
Population Development
The community consists of three parts, Riberada d' Amunt, Riberada d' Ava II and the administrative seat of Sant Llorenç de la Muga. Due to the topographical location flourished in the 18th century, agriculture, animal husbandry and the timber industry. In addition to the weavers and the ore mining and an ammunition factory contributed to the economic boom. Mid-19th century there were over 1100 inhabitants in the city. Due to the decline of agriculture, the industrial timber industry and the increasing ore imports later led to rural depopulation, so that on 1 January 2013 in Sant Llorenç de la Muga, only 256 people lived.
Sant Llorenç de la Muga is now a popular destination for day trips from the Costa Brava.
Attractions
- Església de Sant Llorenç, church in Romanesque style
- Ermita de Sant Antoni, 1835erbaut on a former oratory for the Virgin of Montserrat ( Verge de Montserrat )
- Castell de Sant Llorenç
- El pont vell, a bridge with three arches of the 10th century.