Besalu – Spain

We arrived in Besalu in the early morning when the air was crisp and the ancient village bathed in autumn sunshine. Merchants began to open their stores, and the aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries wafted into the tiny lanes.

Below the village, loons glided along the river, barely leaving a ripple in their wake. Their emerald-green feathers and golden beaks shone like neon lights.

One can either enter Besalu from the main street that runs above the village or via the ancient Romanesque bridge that straddles the Fluvià River. Documents from the early 11th century mention that the bridge’s structure was designed to protect the village from enemy attacks and floods.

After crossing the bridge, one reaches the Jewish Quarter, which overlooks the river. From the 9th to the 15th century, Jewish culture thrived in Besalu. In the 13th century, King James I gave the Jewish community permission to build a synagogue, which became the center of Jewish life in Besalu.
Outside the synagogue was a square used for gatherings, celebrations, and the discussion of community issues. On one end of the square was a school where Hebrew and Jewish history were taught, and on the opposite side was the Mikvah, a purification bath for Jewish women. The Mikvah dates back to the 12th century and is said to be the oldest Mikvah discovered by archaeologists in Spain.
The Jewish community brought culture and prosperity to Besalu. However, in 1415, the authorities began to close the Jewish Quarter. After twenty years of persecution, no Jews remained in the village. Today, the remnants of the Quarter are a popular tourist attraction.

The area where the Synagogue and Mikvah stood.

Besalu’s squares are lined with restaurants that snuggle under old stone archways and are a popular meeting place for tourists and locals alike.
We wandered the tiny cobbled streets in search of a bakery and café, where we sat in the sunshine, soaking up the ambiance while enjoying a breakfast of freshly baked crisp croissants and crunchy rolls topped with smoked salami.

A walk through the maze of ancient streets towards the river leads to a plateau where a unique work of art/sculpture, “The Chair For Peace,” captures one’s curiosity. While it appears to be a sliver of a chair, it’s an optical illusion. The sculpture was created by Duvan Lopez, a resident of Besalú, who wished to convey that “peace has to be constructed, and all of us must be part of it.”

The ancient cobbled lanes of Besalu.

We continued our walk down to the river’s edge, where stunning views of the bridge and the village above us were reflected in the still waters of the River Fluvià. The synergy of early morning sunshine and tranquility merged to enhance the unforgettable beauty of the scene.

When exploring Besalu’s cobbled lanes, keep your eyes open and search for more “chairs.” You’ll come across a tall one on spindly legs balancing on the edge of a step and another two clinging to an ancient stone wall way above your head. “These chairs symbolize the difficulty that humanity has in accomplishing its aims and resolving the problems it has to confront.”

Besalu is considered one of the best-preserved Medieval towns in Catalonia, Spain.