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Miravet castle

An austere and imposing castle on a superb site overlooking the river Ebre. The fortress consists of a series of buildings and walled areas, notable amongst which are the inner bailey and the Romanesque chapel. Built by the Moors in the 11th century, it was one of the last redoubts of Islam in Catalonia. Count Ramon Berenguer IV donated it to the Order of the Temple, who modified and extended it during the course of the 12th and 13th centuries, giving it, in large measure, the appearance it retains to this day. Such was its importance that it was the seat of the Provincial Master of the order, the superior for all the territories of the Catalano-Aragonese federation.

At the start of the 14th century, when the order of the Knights Templar was dissolved, and after a long siege by the king's troops, it passed into the hands of the Knights Hospitaler. Its strategic situation meant that it was still to play an important role in the Reapers' War (1640), the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1715) and the Carlist wars of the 19th century.

From the upper parts of the castle there are magnificent views over the river Ebre and the surrounding countryside