Dragon Boat Festival Getaway~ A Historical Witness in Girona, Spain's Mediterranean Coast

For the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, of course, it's time to travel abroad! This 12th-century Romanesque monument is the sole surviving testament to the ancient Augustinian monastery built in the latter half of the 11th century. The original community was destroyed, and in 1578, it was acquired by the Knights of Saint Domènec, from which it got its name. The capitals and columns belong to the cloister of the original Romanesque monastery, but the building's history dates back to the 16th century. In 1835, after being confiscated, it was handed over to the city council. Since then, it has served various purposes: a hospital, a courthouse, a barracks, and even a cinema. The buildings surrounding the cloister were part of a large fortress rebuilt in the 18th century, which was demolished in the 1960s. It remains one of the most significant public architectural elements in Peralada that visitors can explore today.