# Montblanc

Montblanc is in Tarragona (province). The old town was declared a Monumental and Artistic Site in 1947. In 1998 the cave paintings of the town were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as a site of cave art of the Mediterranean arc of the Iberian Peninsula.

## Understand

It has had the title of Ducal Town since 1387., is a historic medieval town known for its well-preserved walls, Gothic and Romanesque architecture, and cultural heritage. Founded in the 12th century, it played a significant role in Catalan history and is associated with the legend of Saint George (Sant Jordi). The town features landmarks such as the Church of Santa Maria, the Royal Palace, and its impressive defensive walls. Montblanc is also a gateway to the Cistercian Route and the scenic Prades Mountains. It hosts the annual Medieval Week in April, celebrating its rich past with reenactments and festivities.

### Tourist office

* 41.3787541.1633361 Tourist office, 56 Muralla de Santa Tecla Street, ☏ +34 977 86 17 33, turisme@montblanc.cat. M-F 09:00-15:00, Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-18:00, Su 10:00-14:00. (updated Feb 2025)

## Get in
### By plane

Nearest airpot is Reus REU near Tarragona. Montblanc is 32km away following C-14 and N-240
Barcelona El Prat Airport BCN is 109 km by C-32 and AP-2

### By train

High speed train station Camp de Tarraona is 33 km away by N-240 .
* 41.3766691.1656611 Montblanc station (Estació de Montblanc). R13  R14 (updated Feb 2025)

### By bus

* Autocars plana, ☏ +34 977 21 10 30. (updated Feb 2025)
* Autocars Vigo Barcelona SA Vibasa, ☏ +34 902 10 13 63. (updated Feb 2025)
* La Hispano Igualadina, ☏ +34 902 29 29 00. Routes: Montblanc-Reus, Sta.Coloma de Queralt-Montblanc. (updated Feb 2025)

### By car

Montblanc is an important road junction. The AP-2 motorway (Zaragoza-Barcelona) and the N-240 (Tarragona-Bilbao) and C-14 (Salou-Andorra) roads converge here.
The A-27 motorway will connect the town with the city of Tarragona when the last section between the Coll de Lilla tunnel and the AP-2 is completed (as of March 2025).

## Get around
### Parking

* 41.3791.1613192 Parking Baluard de Santa Anna, Carrer del Baluard de Santa Anna. free. (updated Feb 2025)
* 41.3770821.1586773 Parking Muralla de Sant Jordi, Carrer de la Muralla de Sant Jordi. free. (updated Feb 2025)
* 41.3755161.1665364 Zona blanca. Estació, Avinguda de Jaume Llencha. free. (updated Feb 2025)

## See
### Religious architecture

* The church of Santa Maria la Major, known as the Cathedral of the Mountain and which remained unfinished due to the Black Death epidemic, is the most representative building in the town. It is in ogival Gothic style with an interior of a single nave with side chapels and a ribbed vault. The portal, with Renaissance proportions and Baroque ornamentation, replaced the primitive Gothic one that was destroyed in 1651.
* The convent of Sant Francesc de Montblanc was one of the oldest in Catalonia and Saint Francis of Assisi spent the night there. The convent church is a building of the primitive Catalan Gothic style, with a polychrome wooden roof, side chapels and an apse with a groin vault. In 1414 the Catalan Courts met. The convent was destroyed in the 19th century. In a Baroque chapel to the side of the church is the town's tourist office.
* The church of Sant Miquel, where the Catalan Courts were held. The 14th-century polychrome coffering is of great artistic value.
* The 14th-century Sant Marçal church-hospital stands out for its wooden roof on diaphragmatic arches.
* The old Hospital of Santa Magdalena, outside the walls, is a building where the models of the latest Gothic architecture coexist with the Renaissance ones.
* The convent and sanctuary of the Serra, closely linked to the devotion and pilgrimage of the Montblanquins, since it houses the image of the patron saint of the town, of great artistic value.
* The sanctuary of the Mare de Déu dels Prats, popularly known as the hermitage of dels Prats, in the district of La Guàrdia dels Prats.
* The convent of La Mercè.
* The hermitages of Sant Joan, Sant Josep and Santa Anna, the latter *in the district of Prenafeta)
* The font de la ceba.

### Civil architecture and public works

* The walled enclosure was built in the time of King Peter the Ceremonious, starting in 1366. It has a perimeter of 1,500 m with the portals of St. Francesc -demolished-, Sant Jordi, Sant Antoni -rebuilt-, Bové and Castlà; the portals of St. Marçal and Foradot; and 28 towers.
* In the historic center, several mansions or buildings stand out. The most representative are the stately home of the Palau Reial (occasional residence of the kings of the Crown of Aragon); the Palau dels Josa, dels Castellví, dels Alenyà and del Castlà; the Casal dels Desclergue and the Casa de la Vila.
* The Jewish Quarter of Montblanc had a cemetery and synagogue, but today only remains of the urban fabric remain.
* The main square, with the Font major (monumental construction from 1804) and the Porxos de cal Malet where the old stone quarters for measuring grain have been located. The covered Torrent del Riuot passes under the square.
* The old Romanesque bridge (12th century) maintains its Romanesque structure of pillars-buttresses, central body and arches.
* The Celler Cooperatiu, a modernist work by Cèsar Martinell, considered one of the cathedrals of wine in Catalonia.

### Museums

* Conca de Barberà Regional Museum: Architectural complex formed by two flour mills from the medieval period. Hydraulic operation of the mills with demonstrations of grinding methods; types of materials and equipment: wheels, mechanisms, etc. typical of traditional Catalan mills and in particular of the Conca de Barberà.
* Museu del Pessebre de Catalunya
* Old Hospital of Santa Magdalena (14th-16th century). The hospital has two floors with a beautiful central cloister, composed of fine arches of the so-called prismatic Gothic.
* Frederic Marés Art Museum
* Palau Ferré Art Museum
* Molins de la Vila Museum
* Natural History Museum
* Prades Mountains Rock Art Interpretation Center
* Conca de Barberà Regional Historical Archive

## Eat

* Calçotada is a full meal, available from Christmas until mid-April, based on the calçot, a kind of young onion grilled and eaten with a sauce. Usually the dish comprises assorted grilled meats, and some dessert after that. This is usually a group meal, but is also available for couples or families.

## Go next

Poblet Natural Park