6. Porqueres
Porqueres is the mainly rural borough across the lake from Banyoles, where the lake is at its deepest (63m). Here the exceptionally elegant 1182 Romanesque church of Santa Maria has a barrel-vaulted interior, and unusual capitals depicting plant and animal life. The frieze around the façade has various curious symbols inside circles. At the end of the apse is a triumphal arch with ornamented capitals: God, angels, a scene reproducing original sin, Christ, the apostles, the Virgin, etc. Shame about the piped-in music you get with the 1€ illumination fee. A nearby riding club, Club Hípic Comarca Pla de l’Estany, offers a choice of historic routes through villages on horseback. Further southwest, Pujarnol mountain commands a good panorama, and has the remains of an old castle, a fine dolmen, and the nearby hermitage of Sant Nicolau, with its ancient oak tree, recently named a natural monument by local authorities.
This article was written by Francis Barrett. See also Francis' excellent guide to Ireland irelandbyways.com
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