The quintessentially Pyrenean village of Pardines lies in the heart of Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser Natural Park. Under the shade of one the most emblematic mountains in El Ripollès, mount Taga, it is the gateway to endless activities! The village’s Romanesque atmosphere and cobbled streets are living testimony to its storied past. Pardines offers an environment overflowing with possibilities in the middle of the Vall de Ribes. We invite you to discover them.
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Origins
The origins of the name of Pardines are in the word parietinas, which means “ruins of a building”. Another version is that it evolved from the Latin word pratum, “meadow, grassland, place where grass grows”. Its singular form, pardina, with the derivative pardinella, means “grazing land”. Pardines was mentioned as far back as the 10th century, specifically in the will of a nun from Sant Joan de les Abadesses dated 18 April 938.
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Did you know that…?
Pardines was a walled town and the remains of some of its portals are still visible. Parts of the old wall with its embrasures can be found in Plaça del Pedró and on Carrer Major.
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Sant Esteve
This Romanesque church was renovated in the 18th century. Uncommonly, its orientation is north-south rather than east-west. It also features an unusual semi-circular tower.
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Santa Magdalena
This 12th-century church is located in the neighbourhood of Puigsac. It was consecrated by popular request to provide people from isolated farms with a place of worship. Its western facade was added in the 18th century.
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El Roser chapel
The Vall de Ribes is full of inexplicable legends and phenomena. A prime example is this chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. It was restored by disciples of Mauner in 2008. The whole story is explained on a panel in the chapel!
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Font de Cal Ferrer
The most emblematic spring in Pardines is located under the house that lends it its name, Cal Ferrer, and was built in 1851. It has a large drinking trough and rough stone arches.
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Whater tank
In the early 20th century, public water tanks like this allowed people to wash their clothes in a “tame stream” rather than have to contend with an often turbulent river.
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Font d'alt
This “high” spring is found, naturally enough, at the highest point in the village, at the junction of Carrer de Dalt and Carrer de la Font. It is a common stop-off along the way for anyone heading up to the Tos or Puig Cerverís mountains.
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The ice well
This ice well was used from the 16th century to the 18th century to freeze and preserve food, taking advantage of the area’s natural incline and thermal inertia. It has a circular plan with a cylindrical structure.
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Can Roca lake
This pond is a crucial breeding ground for mountain amphibians and a welcome waterhole for local wildlife.
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El Tarter lake
The broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans) and the vagrant darter (Sympetrum vulgatum), a species of dragonfly, are recovering their numbers in this lake. It is an area of great environmental interest that we should all look after!
More information
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Pardines Town Hall
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