Holiday cottages Vilanova de la Barca

The town has its origins in a new town between two towns already existing before 1149 and conquered by Count Ermengol VI d'Urgell on behalf of Ramon Berenguer IV. The towns were Castellpagès ( Castrum Pagum ) and Aguilar ( Termini antiqui ). Castellpagès had been a fortified castle from the III-IV centuries, for the defense of Roman Lleida against invaders. Aguilar, probably also of Roman origin, was from the Templars of Gardeny. In 1212, the Templar preceptor of Gardeny and Corbins granted franchises to the residents of Castrum Pagum , exempting them from feudal benefits, and granting the two towns the charter of settlement called Vilanova . In addition, they were granted free passage across the Segre with the boat installed by the donors . Since then, the town has been insistently Vilanova de Castellpagès or Vilanova de la Barca.

There is practically nothing left of the old town, since two thirds of the town were destroyed during the Civil War. The original town was a closed village that consisted of three access portals, three main streets and the church square. Of 186 houses it contained, only 20 survived.

Vilanova de la barca has two churches : the old one dedicated to Santa Maria, from the 13th century) and the new one, in baroque style, dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption .

The bridge that crosses the Segre River was built by political prisoners and another historical element is the Soviet T-26 tank recovered from the bottom of the Segre River and which today is on display in Plaça de la Pau.

Also, at the start of the Caves there is a necropolis from the Middle Ages, where the tomb that stands out the most is 50cm wide and has rounded edges.

On the outskirts of the town, you can visit the Tossal Roig and Les Coves trenches .

Without a doubt, you must visit the Sot del Fuster, a natural site on the banks of the Segre River. It is a fluvial space, of 16.12 Ha, consisting basically of a flood plain located on the left bank of the river, in the municipal terms of Vilanova de la Barca (most of it), Menàrguens and Torrelameu. The dominant species are the white willow, the poplars and the poplars, but there are also alders, elms, etc. They also occupy large areas of reeds and bogs and become an ideal environment for observing migratory birds.

In this locality, lovers of mountain biking enjoy a stage of the Transcatalunya long-distance route . This route is 36 km long and connects Vilanova de la Barca with the Monastery of Santa Maria de Bellpuig de les Avellanes.