The Village
History
Miravet is built on the rocks above the river Ebro and is dominated by the remains of Miravet Castle. The exact origin of the castle is unknown but it already existed in 1153 when it was donated to the Order of the Temple.
Some decades later, the Castle became the seat of the Order of the Crown of Aragon with its archives and provincial treasure.
From Miravet the conquests of Mallorca and Valencia were planned, and from there left the best armies of the Kingdom as recognised in various documents of the period.
On the 13th December 1307, James II ordered the detention of the Templars in his Kingdom as was desired by Pope Climent V and Felip IV, King of France. For twelve months the Templars who took refuge in the castle suffered the longest siege the order had known.
On the 12th December 1308 they gave in peacefully. Even after the fall of the Order of the Temple in 1317, Miravet Castle was still important, above all during the various wars that followed, especially that of 1640.
The castle suffered severe damage during the wars, especially during the Battle of the Ebro in 1939.
The Information Point of Miravet is quite different to the
rest of the region.
It is an original establishment called Lo Racó del Temple (The Templars store) where you can get qualified information not only about Miravet but also all of the region, maps, guides, books and magazines.
You will also find the typical products from the region wines, oils, food, pottery, medieval music and services like personal guide visits, restaurant recommendations and hotels bookings.
We would recommend you ask for Aurelio 'Monge' (The Monk). Aurelio has an incredibly informative web site with extensive information about the village and surrounding area. He is also responsible for some of the fabulous photographs found on our web site.
Below is a link to Aurelio’s web site:
The Castle
The castle strategically dominates the river Ebro, and was the last Arab redoubts in the country until 1153. Given by Ramon Berenguer IV to the Templars, it became a center of the great command of the Order that included Ribera d’Ebre and Terra Alta districts. When the Templar Order was abolished by the Pope of Rome, Miravet became the last place of resistance of the Templars at the Crown of Aragon.
It is considered to be the largest fortified complex in Catalonia and one of the best examples of Romanesque, religious and military architecture of the Templar order in the whole Western world.
The Ferry
The ferry is composed of two llaguts, or catboats, with a wooden platform joining them. It transports cars, animals and people from one side of the river to the other using the river current and the skill of the boatman who controls the vessel via the rudder
and the supporting cables.
The Old Village
Miravet is sheltered by the castle and the rock that overhangs the Ebro. Its streets still have porches and typical buildings with attics and wattle, but the most outstanding features are the last river shipyard of the Ebro, the medieval mill for varnish, wheat and oil, the arcade of the Moorish quarter, the balcony of the Sanaqueta and the Old Church.
The Potteries
There are still eight workshops, which are located together in the 'Raval' quarter. Here pottery masters can be found making pieces by hand and still using the potter’s wheel with shapes and glazes introduced from the Islamic world, such as pitchers, vats and jars.
The Village Today
This wonderful village not only has an amazing history but also boasts 3 bars, 2 restaurants, a chemists, bakery, newsagents, grocers, post office, 2 banks, a childrens park, an outdoor pool (summertime only) and in the near town of Mora (5mins drive) a large indoor pool, a gym, several large supermarkets, hospital, dentists in fact all of the kind of outlets and facilities you would expect in a mid sized town.
As well as the amazing walking and cycling routes along the river Ebro Miravet is only 35mins away from various fabulous sandy beaches including the stunning L'Hospitalet de L'Infant.
The link below will take you to an incredible web site with the most amazing photographs of Miravet and the surrounding areas.
