The Blanes Castle of Sant Joan (cat. Castell de Sant Joan de Blanes) is a castle on the hill of Sant Joan in Blanes (La Selva comarca, Catalonia, Spain, Girona province).
From its height of 173 m, there is a magnificent view of Blanes, the sea and the vast territory around it, and even the silhouette of Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona.
This is the possession of the Viscounts of Cabrera.
The castle was first mentioned in 1002. The magnificent round main tower still stands today. This work has been declared a Cultural Property of Catalonia of National Interest.
At the highest point of the hill, the main tower stands on a cliff over 15 m high, 7.25 m in diameter and one m thick walls, with one door. Its outer cladding was arranged in rows of fairly regular, medium-sized hewn slabs. Its base was flattened and surrounded by a moat.
The tower is surrounded by a roughly rectangular walled railing that collapsed on the west side. Access to the interior of the castle was through a door leading to the south wall. As for the walled hull, the tower appears to be off-center to the west.
From the outer fence, walls have been preserved to the north, where there was a door, to the west, where there is a loophole, and to the south.
The construction of the walls is very uneven. The thickness is from 95 to 120 cm. From the entrance door, located at the southernmost point, only a few stones and lintels remain.
At the top of the hill is also the chapel of the castle, which has now been greatly transformed.
The castle can be found from Font d’en Roma to Sant Joan along the GR 92 road (red and white markings), which has 615 steps.
The castle of Sant Joan was built to control the sea raids of pirates, especially during the periods when the kingdom of Mallorca was under the rule of the Arabs.
This castle was a safe haven for the inhabitants of Blanes during the invasions. It can be assumed that in ancient times at the highest point of the hill there was some kind of fortification, the ancient origin of which cannot be determined.
During the 11th and 12th centuries, Blanes Castle appeared in various oaths of allegiance given to Ramon Berenguer I and Ramon Berenguer III by the Viscounts of Girona, who held the lordship and who, from the beginning of the 12th century, will be called the Viscounts of Cabrera.
GPS coordinates: 41 ° 40 ′ 44 ″ N, 2 ° 47 ′ 54 ″ E
