Montgrí, Mountain summit in Costa Brava, Spain.
Montgrí is a 303-metre mountain in the Montgrí Massif, in the municipality of Torroella de Montgrí, Baix Empordà. Its summit, also called Muntanya de Santa Caterina, carries the never-finished Castell de Montgrí, of which only the walls and towers remain. The castle was begun by the inhabitants of Torroella to defend against attacks from Belcaire d'Empordà in their dispute over the Ter, and the towers give a wide view of the region.
King James II of Aragon ordered the construction of the fortress between 1294 and 1301. The building works were interrupted and never completed, leaving the castle in an incomplete state today.
The castle on the summit was built by the people of Torroella de Montgrí to defend against attacks from Bellcaire d'Empordà; the two villages disputed the river Ter, and the people of Bellcaire gave up the fight when they saw the castle. Since then the Ter has flowed through Torroella.
The mountain is accessible via several marked trails offering different difficulty levels for hikers. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be prepared for exposure at elevation, as weather conditions can change quickly.
Mediterranean fan palms grow naturally on the slopes, representing one of the northernmost wild populations of these plants in Europe. These palms are adapted to the salty climate and give the hillside a subtropical appearance.
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