Things to do

The historic centre of Cardona has been Cultural Heritage of National Interest, with historic site status, since 1992. Its origins date from around the first half of the eleventh century, when a small burgh or extramural town developed around the market that was held at the foot of the mountain, presided by the castle.

In the town charter, issued in 986 by Count Borrell II of Barcelona, the inhabitants of the castle and municipal area were granted “always clean business, legal trade and a pure single currency”. Cardona and its castle at that time were at a strategic point on the frontier with Al-Andalus, and positioned at a crossroads that enjoyed exceptional freedoms as a centre for mining and trading salt in a western Europe that was expanding economically. The combination of these factors explain the development of this commercial burgh, which became the centre for a major market and meeting point for travellers (merchants, pilgrims, etc.) who came from the Pyrenees and from southern France.

THE CARDONA MEDIEVAL CENTRE AND GUIDED TOUR

The Cardona Medieval Centre was created in 2005 as an interpretive resource for explaining the birth and growth of the town of Cardona, following council policy on protection and promotion of the old town centre.