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History Festivities Places Bibliography

History

The town's history has always been united to the existence of mines in the area. These mines are located halfway between the village and the Siurana River and it is thought that they were already worked in the Roman period. It is even possible that the seams at ground level had been used by the Iberian settlers.

Bellmunt was one of the last villages of the region to be annexed to the Carthusian monastery of Escaladei. In 1218, Archbishop Aspàrec de la Barca ceded the Carthusians all his rights over the place. In 1553,Bellmunt was aggregated to Falset and maintaine dthis relationship until the 19th century.

Towards the middle of the 18th century the mines that had always belonged to the Archbishop of Tarragona were declared public property and were worked by the State until the war of El Francès. After the war, there were made many investments to start the mines again.

During the Carline wars Bellmunt supported the Liberals and were attacked by the Carlines troops, who occupied the village and got lead from the mines to make ammunition and after that they burnt down all the installations.

In the middle of the 18th century, the State leased the mines again, which helped the town recover from the philloxera plague that had been so devastating for all the villages in El Priorat.

In the 20th century, the lead mines reached its highest point. Even in the 70's, a period of economical decadence, the mines provided work for 200 people. Unfortunately, in the last years and due to the economical recession, the mines were shut close.

 

Amunt

Local Festivities

Bellmunt celebrates its Town Festivals on Santa Llúcia's Day (December 13) and on the Sants Innocents Day (December 28). On December 30 there is a popular lunch with a traditional menu: bean casserole and fried cod. This traditional lunch is known as the 'badejada' (cod's festival).

 

Amunt

Remarkable places




The Neoclassical parish church dates from the 18th century and worships Santa Llúcia, our town's Patron Saint.
La Casa Gran (the big house) lodged the Carthusians and dates from the 18th century.
El Casal is an interesting Modernista building.

 

Amunt

Bibliography

- Anguera, Pere/M. Aragonés i Virgili.- El Priorat de la Cartoixa d'Escaladei.- Santes Creus: Fundació Roger de Belfort, 1985.

- Asens, Joan.- Guia del Priorat.- Tarragona: Edicions de la Llibreria La Rambla, 1981.

 

Amunt

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