Castell dels Garidells

Located in the municipality of Els Garidells in Spain, the Castell dels Garidells was built during the medieval period by members of the Claramunt family. The origins of the castle date back to the years before 1174, when Arnau and Berenguer Claramunt, brothers of Guillem de Claramunt, received land from him. This land donation formalized through a founding document known as a “carta de poblament” confirms that the castle had already been constructed by that time. Alongside establishing the fortress, the Claramunt brothers granted privileges to local settlers, encouraging population growth and settlement in the area.

In 1229, the rights originally retained by Guillem de Claramunt were transferred by his will to the monastery of Santes Creus. Despite this, the Claramunt family later adopted the surname Montoliu, creating a link between the two families that influenced subsequent ownership. By the early 14th century, the castle came under the ownership of Saurina de Castellet in 1309 and was soon acquired by Galceran de Montoliu. In 1315, Galceran designated his son Bernat as heir to both the Castell dels Garidells and the nearby settlement of Pobla de Mafumet, indicating the continued importance of the site within noble holdings.

During the mid-14th century, Berenguer de Montoliu, lord of the Garidells, played a military role by providing troops for King Pere III during the War of the Two Peters—a conflict between the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. Later, in 1391, King Joan I attempted to exchange royal rights connected to the Garidells but ultimately sold these rights to the Archbishop of Tarragona, Ènnec de Vallterra, for a substantial sum of gold florins, reflecting the site’s value within regional power structures.

In the late 16th century, Jaume de Rossell, then lord of the castle, transferred jurisdiction and territory over the Garidells to the monastery of Santes Creus. The monastery maintained control over the estate until the abolition of feudal lordships in the 19th century. Following the Spanish Civil War, ownership changed hands when the castle was sold to the Tamarit family. Rather than preserving it, they used the structure as a quarry for materials to repair other buildings nearby.

Today, the Castell dels Garidells is recognized as a cultural heritage monument of national interest, preserving a chapter of medieval noble and monastic presence in the region.