The village of La Selva de Mar, like all those close to the coast, suffered the danger of piracy for many centuries. As early as 1397, the residents asked the Lord of the village, the Abbot of Sant Pere de Rodes, for permission to build the fortress that is still preserved at the top of the old Sant Esteve Church, today known as Sant Sebastià Church, since “in times past” they stated that they had been “stolen, destroyed and damaged by Saracens, enemies of the cross...” In the second half of the 16th century, the four towers (as well as traces of another one) that are currently preserved within the town centre were built.
Picture from the end of the 19th century in which part of the stream that crosses the village of Selva de Mar can be seen. The bridge is to be highlighted with someone leaning on the railing and particularly noteworthy are the women washing clothes in the river. On the left-hand side the remains of a turret-shaped fortification can be seen. The village still maintains some of its defensive elements and the river and the houses around also formed a perimeter barrier at that time. It is an interesting photograph by Josep Maria Cañellas, as it also shows us a part of what the walls could have been like, on the right side of the picture. It forms part of the Rubaudonadeu Collection preserved in the Fages de Climent Library in Figueres.
Location
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Plaça Constitució 7, 17489 La Selva de Mar, Provincia de Gerona, España
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