The Church of Sant Jaume (Saint James) of Puigpalter is a remarkable example of rural Romanesque architecture in the Pla de l’Estany region, with construction elements from this period particularly visible in its side walls.

The place of Puigpalter has been documented since 1086, and the church served for centuries as the religious centre of this historic hamlet located to the east of Banyoles.

The church consists of a single nave and preserves much of its medieval structure, built with travertine ashlar stone. Its most distinctive feature is the two-opening bell gable crowning the main façade. Despite alterations carried out over the centuries, particularly in the apse area, the building retains the simplicity and austerity characteristic of Romanesque architecture.

Situated on elevated ground, the church overlooks the Banyoles plain and the surroundings of the lake. Around it developed a settlement of scattered farmhouses linked to agricultural activity, of which the church remains the main historical landmark.

Today, the church forms part of Banyoles’ cultural heritage and stands as a valuable testimony to the region’s religious history and the organisation of rural settlement in the county.

fotografia: Josep Maria Viñolas Esteva