Logbook · 4 places

What to see and do in Vilanova d'Escornalbou

What to see and do in Vilanova d'Escornalbou (Baix Camp, Tarragona): 4 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 2 Monuments · 1 Historical milestones

How far each place is from the centre of Vilanova d'Escornalbou

Tower of el Gravat 2 km

Towns near Vilanova d'Escornalbou

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What to see in Duesaigües 3.6 km · 2 places
What to see in Colldejou 4.4 km · 2 places
What to see in Botarell 5 km · 2 places
What to see in Montbrió del Camp 5.7 km · 3 places
What to see in la Torre de Fontaubella 6.2 km · 3 places

Spain › Catalonia › Tarragona › Baix Camp › Vilanova d'Escornalbou

What to see and do in Vilanova d'Escornalbou

Vilanova d'Escornalbou
Village
Vilanova d'Escornalbou is a municipality of 614 inhabitants in Baix Camp, Tarragona, made up of the eponymous town and the settlement of l'Arbocet. It belonged from its founding to the barony of Escornalbou and took part in the Comuna del Camp from 1339; it was sacked during the War of the Reapers, from which it did not recover until the 18th century, and later suffered the locust plagues of 1687 and phylloxera in the 19th century. Its old quarter preserves the medieval layout, with houses built of voussoirs, and Cal Peirí stands out, from the 17th century, with a defence tower and a voussoired door bearing the family coat of arms. The diplomat Eduard Toda, from Reus, bought the ruins of the castle-monastery of Escornalbou around 1910 and carried out its reconstruction, until 1924, saving it from disappearing.
Tower of Cal Peyrí
Monument
Square-plan tower, of masonry with ashlars at the corners and a machicolation over the façade, attached to the house of the Peirí family, wool-carders and merchants who grew wealthy after the Guerra dels Segadors and rose to honored citizens of Barcelona. The keystone of the door bears the date 1699.
Tower of el Gravat
Monument
16th-century tower in the village of l'Arbocet, at the southern end of Carrer de Baix, set apart from the houses, which protected the road into the settlement; square in plan and about thirteen metres high, built of masonry with red sandstone ashlars at the corners and openings. It retains remains of machicolations and segmental-arched windows. It was formerly called Torre del Madico and, together with the round tower of Cal Torratxar, formed part of the walled enclosure -with a dozen houses, pens and a bread oven, entered through two gateways- that survived until the early 18th century. Popular tradition has it that Christians lodged in the round tower and Moors in this square one; the old town hall was also housed there.
Eduard Toda and the restoration of Escornalbou
Historical milestone
The diplomat and scholar from Reus bought in 1910 the ruins of the castle-monastery and rehabilitated them as a residence, saving the complex from disappearance. Earlier he had excavated in Egypt and afterwards he directed the restoration of Poblet.