THE SANT SEBASTIÀ MONUMENTAL COMPLEX

 

The Sant Sebastià de la Guarda mountain is somewhere that has been continuously occupied since ancient times, its privileged location making it the perfect place from which to control the territory and the sea. The first vestiges can be linked to the dolmen of Can Mina dels Torrents, a Neolithic passage tomb, built with granite slabs and dated between 3400 and 3000 BC.

 

The summit of the mountain was occupied between the 6th and 1st centuries BC by an Iberian village, the excavations of which have uncovered homes, silos and ovens.

 

The insecurity of the coastal area was the reason why, during the 15th century, a single watchtower was built. The most important in the municipality, communication from here to the interior of the region was carried out by means of bell ringing or smoke signals. It was also used as a place of worship. The large influx of pilgrims meant that it was soon too small for the amount of people coming there and so, at the beginning of the 18th century, a new chapel was built that also had a community recreation space and an inn.

 

The lighthouse, opened in 1857, was the last of the buildings to be constructed. It is the most important lighthouse in Catalonia and the one with the greatest light projection in the entire Spanish State.

 

From the Visitor Centre, it is possible to take the Lookout Points Route, which starts with an exhibit explaining the long relationship between the people of Palafrugell and the mountain.