Holiday cottages La Granja d'Escarp

The archaeological sites found in the municipality reveal the occupation of the territory since prehistoric times and, also, remains of an Ilergeta village have been found there.

The origin of the town comes from the times of the Saracens, where there was an old Islamic fortress (castle d'Escarp), on top of the hill that dominates the town. The castle was ceded to Ramon Berenguer III , in 1120, by the Almoravid alcaid Avifelel. The land became part of the Monastery of Escarp , where the monks used it as a farm, a fact that most likely gave the name "La Granja" to the future town.

Around the 18th century, La Granja d'Escarp grew in population due to the exploitation of coal mines , which remained active until 1960.

The current Church dates from the 18th century and is of neoclassical style, dedicated to Sant Jaume . This church was built in the same place where the old church had been, which was destroyed during the War of Succession.

You can also visit the remains of the Monastery of Escarp , although they currently belong to the district of Massalcoreig. The Escarp Monastery was built by the Cistercian Order during the 13th century. This emblematic building has gone through several stages of construction and reconstruction and proof of this is the looting and fire during the War of the Reapers. During the French War, it served as a hospital for the French side.

To the south of the town, there is the Vall de Sant Jaume , where there is a hermitage of the same name, and where, very close, you will also find cave paintings .

In the shelter of the ravine of Sant Jaume , near the hermitage, there are cave paintings that represent eight individualized figures with simple, red strokes.

These rock art sites from the end of prehistory, in the Mediterranean arc of the Iberian Peninsula , constitute a set of an exceptional category that describes the way of life, in a critical phase of human development, vividly and graphics, in unique paintings for their style and subject matter. The group of late prehistoric rock paintings, located in the Mediterranean arc of the eastern peninsula, is the largest group of rock art sites to be found in all of Europe. The 16 Lleida archaeological sites have been recognized by UNESCO, a group to which La Granja d'Escarp belongs.

From La Granja d'Escarp you can enjoy the oasis that represents the Segre-Cinca Reservoir Natural Area , through the 700-meter wooden walkway that has been built for this purpose and that goes into a riparian forest. the walkway has a couple of viewpoints for bird watching and is adapted for the blind and people in wheelchairs.

The Municipality lends itself to excursions on foot and by mountain bike . One of the most interesting routes is the one that goes from the town to Montmaneu , in the municipality of Seròs. It is the highest peak of Segrià, with a height of 495 meters, and through its ascent you can discover important vestiges of the Civil War .