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A circular cycling route starting in Santa Margarida i Els Monjos. It begins at the Els Monjos train station and continues through the municipality, passing industrial areas and vineyards. Entering the Foix Natural Park, the route leads to Penyafort Castle, one of the most emblematic heritage sites in the Alt Penedès region.
It begins at the Els Monjos train station and continues through the municipality, passing industrial areas and vineyards. Entering the Foix Natural Park, the route leads to Penyafort Castle, one of the most emblematic heritage sites in the Alt Penedès region. Following the path into the park, you’ll pass several farmhouses, including Cal Magí, Cal Prunera, and Les Mases, before reaching Les Masuques (Castellet i La Gornal). Once in the new municipality, the route continues along the road through a wine-growing landscape to Castellet, a town surrounded by the Foix Natural Park, where the majestic medieval castle and the Foix Reservoir are particularly noteworthy. Crossing the municipality, you’ll pass by Molí Vell, the L’Arboç water treatment plant, the Moliner path, and Cal Teclo, before arriving in the town of L’Arboç. The route takes you through its historic centre and ends at the Giralda. From the Giralda, you leave the town via the Bajada de Bonsoms, and amidst vineyards, you’ll cross the Pantano path, El Masanet, the Camino del Alba, and the Llacuneta, reaching the Països Catalans Avenue and entering La Ràpita (Santa Margarida i Els Monjos). Crossing the town along the bike path, the route concludes back at the Els Monjos train station.
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The oldest part of this architectonic complex is the circular tower, which probably dates from the 12th century, which corresponds to the remains of the birthplace of Raymond of Penyafort (1185-1275). In addition to this medieval tower, the complex includes various buildings erected as of the 17th century, which were a Dominican convent up until the confiscations of Mendizábal in 1836. Afterwards, the building passed into the hands of the bourgeois Puig i Llagostera family, who made it their summer residence. This building has had several owners over the decades, who have implemented various improvements and projects, until in 2001 it became the property of the municipality.
The Centre for Interpretation of Republican Aviation and Air Warfare is a museum related to aviation and the civil war that is located beside masia del Serral which had housed the republican airfield of els Monjos that was part of the Vesper de la Gloriosa (Hive of the Glorious).
Next to the centre there is the old air raid shelter, whose two entrances and three ventilation chimneys can be seen. The presence of this shelter is related to the existence of the airfield. It is about 10 m deep and has a capacity for about 120 peoples.
The construction known as Foix Mill (formerly Macià mill) is what remains of the old medieval flour mill, which took advantage of the water carried by the Foix river to mill grain. The entire exterior structure of the mill is preserved, as is part of the pool where the water accumulated.
The building, owned by the municipality, is the headquarters of the Foix Mill Historical and Natural Interpretation Centre, Nature Classroom and Botanical Garden, with native species, where educational activities are carried out for school children and the general public on environmental and natural issues.