Església de Sant Genís, Gothic church in Torroella de Montgrí, Spain
Església de Sant Genís is a Gothic church featuring a single nave divided into five sections, where pointed arches support intricate vault reliefs that run throughout the interior. The space shows a deliberate geometric order created by repeated Gothic elements and decorative carving on every vault section.
Construction began in 1306 on the remains of a Romanesque building destroyed by fire in 1285, reflecting a decision to rebuild in the new Gothic style. The work took over 300 years, with final consecration occurring in 1609.
The church hosts the Festival de Torroella de Montgrí, where classical music concerts take place in its carefully proportioned interior space. The Gothic vault structure creates natural acoustics that make performances feel immediate and resonant.
Two entrances provide access: the main portal on the western side and a southern entrance where a lateral chapel once stood. The interior lighting is typical of medieval churches, so visiting during daylight hours allows better views of the vault details.
The building includes two distinctly different bell towers: a square-based tower topped with a hexagonal section and an incomplete octagonal tower on the northern side. This unusual arrangement emerged from the extended building campaign and offers a visible record of how construction evolved across centuries.
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