Sant Sebastià watchtower
The 15th-century watchtower is considered a National Cultural Asset
Sant Sebastià watchtower
The Sant Sebastià de la Guarda Monument Park bears witness to the occupation of a privileged space for at least the last 2600 years. You can visit the well-marked Iberian settlements (6th to 1st century BC), a 15th-century watchtower (National Cultural Asset), an 18th-century hermitage and inn, and a 19th century lighthouse. All of these sites are on a mountaintop with a cliff rising above the sea, which offers one of the best panoramic views of the Costa Brava.
By passing in front of the Hermitage or below the hotel’s terrace, you will reach the magnificent Watchtower (15th century) which rises forcefully above the cliff. Its function was to watch over the coast to protect it against possible privateer and pirate attacks, which were very frequent during the 15th and 16th centuries. That’s why it was built on a strategic place where it was possible to get a better vantage point over a larger part of the sea.
When pirate ships were spotted, the guards rang the tower balls and this warned the town that privateers were coming. This way, the townsfolk would have time to go inland and hide. Their town would be sacked but there would be no victims. The bells continued ringing from one tower to another and that way everyone could be saved.
Over more than 550 years of the building’s history, the tower has undergone various reforms. In 1441, its use was authorised as a hermitage, and this religious function is surely the reason for its irregular floor plan. The openings have also been modified and the accesses between the floors and the walkways have been renovated, thus perfectly conserving the original atmosphere.
MORE ABOUT SANT SEBASTIÀ DE LA GUARDA MONUMENT PARK