A castle surrounded by nature

Escornalbou is a mountain that was located on the limits of Christian and Muslim territories in the Middle Ages.

For this reason it served as a refuge for numerous Saracens during the years of the Reconquest.

That is why Alfonso II of Aragon, once the Reconquest was finished in 1165, ceded the land to the canon Sant Joan de Boi with the only conditions of building a chapel dedicated to San Miguel and a monastery.

So it was. For a few years the monastery was the center of spiritual life in the region, although it was never really influential. In 1580 it was ceded to the Franciscans who turned it into a seminary until 1835. Then it fell into oblivion. Until in 1920 the diplomat and bibliophile Eduard Toda bought the monastery and turned it into his home.

The church of Sant Miquel and the cloister are still preserved today, from which you can admire beautiful views of the Camp de Tarragona. It is also found surrounded by cork oak and pine forests, in a quiet and shady place.

For more information: Castell Escornalbou