Castell de Verdera, Medieval castle in El Port de la Selva, Spain.

Castell de Verdera, also called Sant Salvador, is a ruined medieval fortress on the 670 m summit of Sant Salvador Saverdera, the highest peak of the Rodes range above El Port de la Selva. Its surviving walls and the homage tower stand beside the 11th-century church of Sant Salvador, built within the enclosure.

The fortress was founded in the early 10th century and played an important role in controlling the coastline. Over time it became linked with a nearby monastery, which changed how it was run and what it meant to the region.

The small church inside shows how faith and defense were deeply connected in medieval times. People used this place both for protection and for worship, which you can still sense walking through its spaces.

Access is on foot only. The easiest route starts at the Sant Pere de Rodes monastery to the north and follows a mountain path up to the summit at 670 m. The approach from the southwest, from the Sant Onofre hermitage in Palau-saverdera, is much steeper and rougher.

The ruins of the castle now mark the boundary between the municipalities of El Port de la Selva, Palau-saverdera and La Selva de Mar. The name Verdera comes from the mountain ridge where the fortress stands, and the castle was first recorded in 904 as "castrum quod dicunt Verdaria".