PALS, GOTHIC AREA
On the top of the hill, standing on a rock, the Romanic tower of Les Hores dominates the mediaeval area of Pals.At his feet, the town clings to the hillside surrounded by walls.The town's labyrinth of streets and side streets contain Gothic houses, with large Renaissance windows and charming little places carefully restored.
The name Pals comes from the Latin Palus, meaning marshy land.As in much of Baix Empordà, the marshes once covered the plains and today, in heavy rains, former lagoons crop up again.
The mediaeval area is impeccable.It has also become an example to be copied.Other little mediaeval towns in inland Empordà have also been restored - with big, fortified rambling houses, Gothic arches, large Renaissance windows, balconies, towers and churches offering tranquillity as an alternative to the din of the beaches.
This collection of mediaeval buildings has deservedly won a number of prizes including the National Fine Arts Prize in 1973, the National Fine Arts and Tourism Award in 1980 and the Medal of Honour of Catalonia Tourism awarded by the Generalitat in 1986. In the Spanish Civil War, the Gothic area was totally destroyed and no historic heritage remained until, in 1984 - as a result of subsidies from private individuals and the City Council of Girona - it was possible to start the process of restoration. The area has become one of the most visited and best conserved in the whole region.
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