The wall of Girona: itineraries and history

The wall of Girona is one of the most popular attractions in the city. Its state of conservation is very good and it also allows you to practically surround the city in a very pleasant walk and with spectacular views of the entire city.

Currently you can access the city wall from different points along the route, although we recommend that you start at one end (or a nearby entrance) and do the entire route. They are only 2 kilometers and can be covered easily in one morning. It is also highly advisable to go out at some of the entrances to visit different points of interest in Girona: the convent of Sant Domènec, currently the headquarters of the Faculty of Letters of the University of Letters of Girona or the Jardin de la Francesa are some of the places they are well worth a visit. Oh, and if you walk carefully, you will surely be able to see different Arabic writings and other drawings carved on the wall.

If you are one of those who likes to know a little more about the places you visit, below we will briefly explain the history of the wall, from its construction to the present day.

The founding wall was built in the 1st century BC by the Romans. The walled population of Gerunda was raised in the framework of the sertorian wars to control communications with the empire through the Vía Heraclia, which was later called Vía Augusta. The wall followed the orography of the land and included within what was later Carrer de la Força. According to some studies, it seems that it was built on top of the walls of the ancient Iberian settlement.

The original layout of the wall of the Roman city can now be covered practically in its entirety. The Torre Gironella bastion formed the upper vertex and the highest point of the city wall and from here it descended to the Àligues patio and the Sant Domènec convent until later reaching the Correu Vell gate, at the beginning of Força Street.

The second great reform of the wall was in the Carolingian period (9th-10th centuries). In this period, the city of Girona was located on the border between the Frankish kingdom and the Arab territories, so extensive reforms were made to the city walls. Towers were built, the walls were reinforced on the inside (doubling their width) and the perimeter of the northern sector was modified. In the 11th century, the castles of Sobreportes and Girona were built to protect the two entrances to the city.

During the fourteenth century, the great growth of the city forced modifications to the wall. On the one hand, the existing wall that protected the city (Força Vella) was consolidated and new fortifications began to be built to also protect the urban centers that were outside the original wall.

Since its construction, the wall has suffered several setbacks, but the two main ones have been the collapses that occurred in 1814 with the French siege of the city and the 19th century collapses to expand the city. Currently, the city wall has been considered a cultural asset of national interest since 1967 and different actions have been carried out to preserve it in its current perfect condition.

Now that you know a little better about the history of the city wall, all you have to do is admire its beauty live. If you are visiting the city for the first time, a walk along the walls is essential. If you visit Girona again, you will surely enjoy the tour of the wall again: few walks are so beautiful.