Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Next door to the cathedral, in the 12th-to-16th-century Palau Episcopal, the art museum col-
lection consists of around 8500 pieces of art from the Girona region, ranging from
Romanesque woodcarvings and stained-glass tables to Modernist sculptures by Olot-born
Miquel Blay and early-20th-century paintings by Francesc Vayreda.
BATHHOUSE
BANYS ÀRABS
10am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun Apr-Sep, 10am-2pm daily Oct-Mar)
Although modelled on earlier Muslim and Roman bathhouses, the Banys Àrabs are a finely
preserved, 12th-century Christian affair in Romanesque style. This is the only public bath-
house discovered from medieval Christian Spain, where, in reaction to the Muslim obses-
sion with water and cleanliness, washing almost came to be regarded as ungodly. The baths
contain an
apodyterium
(changing room), followed by a
frigidarium
and
tepidarium
(with
respectively cold and warm water) and a
caldarium
(a kind of sauna) heated by an under-
floor furnace.
CHURCH
BASÍLICA DE SANT FELIU
10am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 1-5.30pm Sun)
Girona's second great church, with its landmark truncated bell tower, is downhill from the
cathedral and entered on a combined ticket. The nave is majestic with Gothic ribbed vault-
ing, while St Narcissus, the patron of the city, is venerated in an enormous marble-and-
jasper, late-baroque side chapel. His remains were formerly held in a glorious 14th-century
sepulchre displayed alongside. A decent audioguide tour is included with admission.
MONASTERY, MUSEUM
MONESTIR DE SANT PERE DE GALLIGANTS
10.30am-1.30pm & 4-7pm Tue-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun)
This beautiful 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque Benedectine monastery has a sublime
bell tower and a lovely cloister, featuring otherworldly animals and mythical creatures on
the capitals of its double columns - there are some great ones in the church too. It's also
home to the
Museu Arqueològic
, with old-school exhibits that range from prehistoric to
Roman times. Opening hours vary.
MUSEUM
MUSEU DEL CINEMA
