history

The southern slope of Albera has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as indicated by the numerous megalithic remains. This settlement was continued, as evidenced by the necropolis of La Verna, from the Bronze Age. There are no Roman remains, although legend has it that the Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the Pyrenees via Espolla. More recent are the remains of a Visigothic castrum at the top of Castellar Gran.

The name of Espolla seems to derive from a Latin anthroponym: Podolia (hill, hill), together with the article of parlar salat es.

In 882, Spedolia was owned by the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes. The church of Sancti Jacobi de Spodilia appears in the document of Charles the Bald (844) in which the possession of most of the temples in this vicinity by the monastery of Sant Quirze de Colera is confirmed.

Places of historical and cultural interest

• Parish Church of Sant Jaume.18th century
• Castle of Espolla.XIII century-XIV
• Cal Marquès, fortified house of medieval origin.
• The Fraternal Society. Early 20th century building with modernist elements.
• Celler Cooperative of Espolla. Building from the 1920s with modernist elements.
• Information center ofLa Albera Natural Site of National Interest

In the municipal term we can find:

• Hermitage ofSaint Martin of Baussitges, pre-Romanesque, 9th or 10th century.
• Hermitage ofSant Miquel de Freixe, from the XI century.
• Hermitage ofSant Genís de Esprac, 12th century
• Pre-Romanesque chapel ofSant Pere dels Vilars, 9th or 10th centuries.
• necropolishallstatic
• ofThe Villages
• .Dolmen of Cabana Arqueta
• Dolmen de la Gutina/Puig del Pal
• Font del Roure dolmen
• Dolmen of the Cantons
• Dolmen of Arreganyats
• Dolmen de les Morelles
• Dolmen del Barranc
• Dolmen of Puig Balaguer
• Dolmen of Mas Girarols I
• Dolmen of Mas Giraroles II
• Menhir del Castellà