The Castle of Montsonís is the summer residence of the Barons of Albí. If we look at the tribute tower, there is a flag, which means that it is an inhabited castle.
The fortress was part of a walled enclosure that stretched across the hill where the village is now located, according to historians, it was a single, two-storey circular tower, the first consisting of stable and upstairs, the housing was configured.
Count Ermengol II, colloquially called "the Pilgrim," built this fortress to protect, monitor, and repopulate the land after being recaptured by the Saracens. As a curiosity: this castle defended the border between Old and New Catalonia for 125 years until the conquest of Lleida in 1149.
In the fourteenth century due to the wars against Castile, the Castle of Montsonís had to be rebuilt. In fact, the stones are an indicator of time, as you can see the difference between the first and those that were put after its demolition during the War of the Remences (x. XV).
Throughout the 16th century, the extension and remodeling process began with the tower of the old wall. In the second half of the 17th century, during the Reapers' War, the fortress was again damaged, but was rebuilt years later.
Its church began to be built in the late 17th century, but its work had to be stopped until the current lords of Montsonís and the Barons of Albí gave the complex its current appearance.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) a secret passageway was discovered that communicated the castle's cellar with the monastery of Salgar, located about three km, possibly built to escape or introduce food during siege periods.
If you want to know more about the Castle of Montsonís, do not hesitate to visit the guided tour where we will tell you more curiosities about its history. In this link you will find information on opening hours and how to get there.
