La Bisbal d'Empordà

La Bisbal is located in the geographical heart of the Baix Empordà region. Crossed by the Daró River, it enjoys a privileged location that allows you to appreciate both the charm of the Empordà plain, dominated by the center of the Empordà Castle, and the wooded landscapes of the Gavarres massif. At the foot of this natural area lies the village of Sant Pol, with its Romanesque church.

Known above all for its ceramic tradition, La Bisbal is one of the most prominent pottery centers in Catalonia. This activity is evident in the urban skyline, marked by slender chimneys and numerous shops filled with clay and ceramic pieces, especially on the famous Carrer de l'Aigüeta. The Terracotta Museum of Pottery and Industrial Ceramics, located in a former tile factory, is a must-see to understand this legacy.

The local economy boasts a dynamic commercial sector, fueled by the tourism that comes to the region. The two international fairs—one dedicated to ceramics and the other to antiques—are a good reflection of this vitality. The city also boasts a very active cultural and leisure scene.

But the visit wouldn't be complete without a taste of our renowned cuisine and pastries. All of this makes for a stimulating and evocative experience.

Places of interest

Palau Castle

This place, which was a secular possession of the bishopric of Girona, is documented from the year 904, although the castle is not mentioned until 1180, probably with an even older origin. During the 12th and 13th centuries, its ownership was a source of dispute between the bishopric and the Cruïlles family, until King James I granted the episcopal see full jurisdiction.

The building, restored in the second half of the 20th century, preserves the late Romanesque structure—possibly dating from the late 12th or early 13th century—and the appearance it acquired following the renovations of the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was transformed into a residential palace in the urban centre.

Terracotta - Ceramics Museum

The museum occupies the building of a former ceramics factory, Terracotta-Fuster SA, founded in 1928 and operating until 1984. Three years later, the City Council acquired the property with the intention of using it as a museum dedicated to ceramics. The museum opened in 1991, with a room designated for temporary exhibitions. The first permanent exhibition opened in 1998, but it wasn't until 2015, after the final restoration, that the museum achieved its current form.

The museum's collection contains over ten thousand pieces, including ceramic objects, tools, and implements related to their production, many of which were donated by the La Bisbal makers themselves. It also includes a significant collection donated by the Generalitat (Generalitat), consisting of more than three thousand vessels from all over the Iberian Peninsula, as well as from the Balearic and Canary Islands.

Call (Jewish Quarter)

The Jewish quarter, or old Jewish neighborhood, of La Bisbal has been documented since 1285. As a vestige of that period, Call Street remains. It is a narrow, winding passageway with no streets running through it, accessed through two gateways, one at each end. In the Middle Ages, these gateways were closed to separate and protect the neighborhood from the rest of the town.

Church of Santa Maria

The first church in La Bisbal, located at that time in a place known as Fontanet, was consecrated in 904 by the Bishop of Girona. No trace of that first church has survived. The current building was erected between 1704 (the year engraved on the presbytery door) and 1757 (the date inscribed on the façade), using some of the materials from the previous construction. However, the bell tower was not completed until 1770.

Church of La Piedad

The old Hospital Church was rebuilt in 1783, as indicated by the inscription on its façade, and was blessed five years later. The bell tower remained unfinished for almost two centuries and was not completed until 1968, maintaining the building's original style.

The church has a Latin cross layout, with a dome at the transept, which also houses a niche housing the image of Our Lady of Mercy, a prominent 16th-century Renaissance sculpture. According to Josep M. Marquès, the original Church of Our Lady of Mercy was built shortly before 1576.

Church of the Sorrows

Consecrated in 1750, this church features a single nave covered with a lunette vault, divided into five bays, with a square apse and a niche that houses the figures of the Passion. It is currently connected to the College of the Sacred Heart of Mary, built next to it during the 19th century.

Among its most notable elements is the gate of the fence, made of wrought iron and crowned with an image of the Sagrat Cor.

Old Bridge

The bridge that crosses the Daró River from the portal of the Bisbal wall towards Girona has medieval origins, although the current structure dates from 1605. Its construction was carried out at the initiative of Bishop Francisco Arévalo de Zuazo. It consists of two large arches separated by a central pillar, which widens at an angle on both sides.

At this point, a gate with a tower once stood, now replaced by a boundary stone on which the cross of La Bisbal is engraved.

The Voltes

The group of buildings popularly known as Les Voltes extends along the road that connects Palamós with Girona and constitutes the most notable feature of the city's expansion in the mid-19th century. These are porticoed buildings with a ground floor, mezzanine, two floors, and an attic, all with a uniform design, conceived according to Neoclassical principles and with some Romantic details.

They were designed in 1854 by Martí Sureda i Deulovol (l'Escala, 1822-1890). However, the plan remained incomplete, and the last section, located to the east, was not completed until a century later, between 1944 and 1955, when Pelayo Martínez executed it faithfully following the original design.