Sant Pere

The church of Sant Pere is in the main square of Besalu, with its fortress like tower dominating the town.

Inaugurated by the Earl-Bishop of Girona, Miro Bonfill, it was built as the monastery church of the Benedictines, in 977.

I wanted to go inside to show the wonderful triple nave and the barrel roof of this Romanesque gem but unusually it was a locked up so I had to be content with showing the impressive window with its guardians of two lions with diabolic grinning faces. Like most medieval churches there is a profusion of devils, demons, warlocks and witches carved into the stone, reflecting the superstitions of the time.

Tuesday is market day so the square was filled with stalls, although customers seemed not much in evidence, the crisis is evidently biting even in this prosperous little town.