The Castle of Peralta (cat. El Castell de Peralta) is a castle in the town of Santa Susanna de Peralta, in the municipality of Forallac (Baix Empordà), Girona province, Catalonia, Spain, declared a cultural asset of national interest.
The castle rose on a rocky hill with little elevation. The most visible part is still the rectangular tribute tower, but it is in a very bad state. It only preserves one of the barrel vaults, the inferior one, of the two that it had. On the western wall, there is a door with voussoir at the level of the second floor. The south wall has been demolished and the tower is cracked and in danger of total collapse. The construction is of mortar-bound ashlars.
The castle must have had a simple plan. Of the walled enclosure that surrounded the tower, the most evident testimonies are in the west where the remaining walls have a height of two meters and still have embrasures. There are two farms built later adjoined, and in the central part, there is a portal, also newer but probably replacement of the entrance to the fortress, with a segmental arch. Other very damaged remains of the wall are visible in the southern and northern sectors.
History
The fortress is documented in 1395.
The place of Peralta is mentioned in a document of year 844 but referring to the old cell of Sant Climent de Peralta that was some kilometres to the south of the castle. It is said that in 1017 the monastery of Sant Esteve de Banyoles had possessions in Peralta. The inventory that listed the goods of the house of Cruïlles-Peratallada in 1395, by Mrs Elvira de Puigpardines, widow of Gilabert de Cruïlles, began with the enumeration of the jurisdictions. The “Castrum de Peralta cum suo honore” appears there, and, in another place, the “Castrum sive locum de Peralta”.
Coordinates: 41° 57′ 00″ N, 3° 05′ 24″ E
