Castell del Far

Castell del Far is situated within the municipality of Llinars del Vallès in Spain and was originally established by the Iberian civilization. Its history reveals a long period of occupation and transformation, beginning in the early medieval era and continuing through the late Middle Ages.

The earliest traces of human activity at the site date back to the 6th century, when features such as a rock-cut moat and storage silos were created near the nearby Iberian settlement known as El Far. The castle itself is first recorded in 982 under the name Munt Fariq, during the military campaign led by the Andalusian general Almanzor, who conquered the fortress as part of his incursions into Catalonia.

By 990, the castle was under the lordship of Gombau de Besora. In the 12th century, ownership shifted to the Desfar family, with documents identifying Pere de Far in 1135 and Bernat de Far in 1178 as key figures linked to the site. This century also saw architectural development, including the construction of a tower on the northeast side and an enlargement of the chapel incorporating a rounded apse, which reflected the Romanesque style of the period.

Around the turn of the 13th century, the castle may have been inhabited by members of the Cathar religious movement. Evidence for this includes the replacement of the chapel with an open-air structure suited to their rituals and the presence of a Toulouse cross painted on one of the walls, a symbol associated with Cathar beliefs. Later that century, the castle became a fief held by Ramon de Cabrera. In 1285, King Pere el Gran entrusted him with the defense of northern Barcelona against potential French attacks, indicating the site’s strategic importance.

Early in the 13th century, the Corbera family took control of Castell del Far. Sibila, widow of Ramon de Corbera, ordered the construction of a new chapel, which their son Riambau I de Corbera donated to the bishop of Barcelona in 1336. During this period, the castle underwent significant expansion, including the addition of a new tower to the north and residential quarters featuring Gothic windows and stone supports called corbels. The 14th century was marked by tensions between the castle’s lords and King Pere el Cerimoniós, reflecting the broader political unrest of the era.

The castle’s active use came to a sudden end on May 24, 1448, when a devastating earthquake caused its collapse. Approximately one hundred years later, the family of Riambau de Santcliment constructed a new fortress named Castellnou de Llinars within the town settled below, marking a shift in the local center of power.