Sant Martí d’Empúries Verified listing

The hill (initially an islet) where this village stands is the place where the Phocaeans from Marseilles established the first Greek factory, in around 600 BC. In the 6th century it became the episcopal see and at the beginning of the 9th century it was the capital of the County of Empúries, with Ermenguer being its first Count. Between the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th, the county’s capital moved to Castelló, probably due to the insecurity faced by Sant Martí. In 1154 Sant Martí d’Empúries was categorised as a city for the last time. From the 15th century onwards, the town of L’Escala was formed, and, thanks to its more favourable conditions as a port town, it replaced Sant Martí as head of the municipality in the 18th century. The population dwindled and many houses were demolished. From 1950 onwards, lots of the houses were restored as summer residences.