This itinerary starts at the Tourist Office in the Plaça
Major, carrying along Carrer de Girona and then
Carrer de Sant Pere, home to the Llotja del Tint. The
route then heads down Carrer de la Pia Almoina
towards the recently restored City Wall. It then
continues up Carrer de la Pia Almoina, before
finally arriving at the Plaça de la Font and Pia
Almoina Palace, home to the Regional Archaeological
Museum. Next, you will continue along Carrer
de las Escrivanies, Plaça del Teatre and Carrer del
Puig, ending up at the Sant Esteve Monastery, the
origin of the city. The itinerary then moves along
Carrer Nou, one of the city’s oldest streets, right to
the Church of Santa Maria dels Turer, before
passing along Carrer Paraireria, dedicated to cloth
trading and moving up Carrer Mayor. Arriving at
Carrer Mercadal turn right until you reach the
Museo Darder - Espai d’Interpretació de l’Estany,
where the itinerary comes to an end.
1. The Plaça Major (0h 00min)
Here we find the city’s Tourist Office, located in the
old Cal Moliner building, which dates back to the
13th century. This building’s renovation has unveiled
an old mill, which made the most of the water
flowing through the city. The Plaça Major (Main
Square) is nowadays Banyoles’ most important
square, as well as the most typical. It has a straight,
noticeably square shape, is adorned with plane
trees and surrounded by 40 large arcades. The
square is home to the city market every Wednesday
and, on Saturdays, there is also a small fruit and
vegetable market. The historical area of the Plaça
Major is protected by the Generalitat de Catalunya
as a Cultural Property of National Interest.
2.The Llotja del Tint (0h 05min)
This is one of the very few medieval Catalonian
factories that still retains its original structure. A
gothic civil building from the 15th century, it was
used to dye the clothing and woollen fabrics made in
Banyoles. To do so, it made the most of the Rec Major
(Main Canal), which passed by and provided water for
the dyeing process. Today, it serves as the municipal
exhibition centre.
Opening hours. Tuesday to Sunday from 18:00 to
20:00. Holidays from 18:00 to 20:00. Closed on Mondays.
Free entry.
3. The Muralla (0 h 10 min)
The only section of wall that once container Banyoles
is that which has been recently reformed, running
parallel to Carrer de la Muralla. On both ends it is
finished off with two gazebos, gothic in style, with a
hexagonal base and a dome topped off with six finials.
The area lasted from the 13th to the 18th century.
4. The Pia Almoina (0 h 20 min)
This gothic palace once housed a charitable institution
dedicated to handing out bread and clothing to
the town’s poor families. The building itself was
created from two Romanesque houses (13th
century). The building is currently home to the Regional
Archaeological Museum, as well as the Centre for
Regional Studies.
5.Regional Archaeological Museum(0h 20min)
The Regional Archaeological Museum has
extremely interesting exhibitions on palaeontology,
archaeology and currency, all coming from the
entire Pla de L´Estany region. Of particular interest
are the Inarcal Archaeological Site, the Palaeolithic
Caves in Serinyà, the Neolithic Village of la
Draga, the Martís Calcolithic Burial Caves, the
Iberian Village of Mas Castell de Porqueres, the
Roman Village of Vilauba, the Ermedàs Medieval
Castle and the collection of Catalonian pottery
from the 13th to 19th centuries. The Museum’s
star piece is the Neanderthal Banyoles jawbone,
dating back some 45,000 years.
Opening hours. From 1 September until 30 June:
Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:30 to 13:30, and
from 16:00 to 18:30 .
Sunday: from 10:30 to
14:00. Closed on Mondays (except holidays).
Opening hours. From 1 July until 31 August:
Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:30 to 13:30, and
from 16:00 to 1p:30. Sunday: from 10:30 to
14:00. Closed on Mondays (except holidays)
Entry: €3/person (joint entry for both museums).
6. Sant Esteve Monastery (0 h 35 min)
This is the area on which the city was initially
founded. The entire built area has gone through
various phases of destruction and reconstruction
throughout its history. Due to this, there are
highly diverse remains from various periods. Of
note are the Nostra Senyora de l’Escala altarpiece
(15th century) and the Arqueta de Sant Martirià
(Chest of Saint Martirià) (15th century), the city’s
patron saint.
The first floor of the cloister currently houses the
Arxiu Comarcal (Regional Archive) of Pla de l’Estany.
Opening hours: only open when mass is being
said (Saturdays at 18:00 and Sundays and holidays at
09:00).
7. Church of Santa Maria dels Turers (0 h 45 min)
This is a gothic church with a basilica layout. Made up
of the original centre aisle, eleven metres Wide, and
topped off by a heptagonal apse resting on large
buttresses. This part is one of the first examples of
Catalonian gothic architecture in the area. At a later
date, between the 17th and 19th centuries, the two
side aisles were added. The stained glass windows are
more recent, dating back to the mid-20th century.
Opening hours: From Monday to Sunday, from 09:00
to 20:30. Free entry.
8. Museu Darder - Espai d’Interpretació de
l’Estany (0 h 55 min)
This new facility was designed to interpret, explain
and provide information on the various characteristics
of the lakeside area of Banyoles. The museum’s
various rooms explain hydro-geology, regional flora
and fauna, and the impact of human life on these
areas. Also on show is the Darder Collection, which
displays various natural species and allows the visitor
to see and understand the role placed by natural
history museums from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Opening hours. From 1 September until 30 June:
Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:30 to 13:30, and from
16:00 to 18:30 . Sunday: from 10:30 to 14:00. Closed on
Mondays (except holidays).
Opening hours.From 1 July until 31 August:
Tuesday to Saturday: from 10:30 to 13:30, and from
16:00 to 1p:30. Sunday: from 10:30 to 14:00. Closed on
Mondays (except holidays)
Entry: €3/person (joint entry for both museums).