The architecture of Tortosa already gives us many clues to the variety of civilisations that have coincided in the city, since the capital of the Baix Ebre has two thousand years of history that can be glimpsed at every corner.
A good first example is the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Tortosa, one of the city’s most outstanding works of architecture representing the Catalan Gothic style. Overlooking the Ebro, the building stands on the same site where the Roman forum, a Visigoth church and a mosque once stood. Just a five-minute walk away, you’ll find the Royal Colleges. Considered one of the most representative Renaissance sites in all of Catalonia, it’s made up of three buildings that were formerly a Dominican friars convent.
When you visit Tortosa, the La Suda or Sant Joan Castle is also an absolute must. Built in the 10TH century and of Arab origin, it was constructed on a Roman acropolis and has been a Parador hotel since 1972. Even if you don’t stay the night, you can stroll through a large part of the fortress, which is an outstanding viewpoint.
If you have time, we also recommend visiting the Gothic-style Monastery of Santa Clara. And if you feel like walking, just fifteen minutes away you’ll find the Jewish quarter, a section of the city where the Hebrews lived separated from the Christian centre, and which has retained the layout of the old streets.
You can also enjoy the town’s more recent history, especially if you visit the system of excavated galleries that make up Air Raid Shelter number 4, which is located on Calle Ernest Hemingway and, during the Civil War, had a capacity for four hundred people. Tortosa was heavily bombed by fascist troops and the chronicles written by the young Hemingway are a good testimony of these events.
If you still want to know more, just two streets away from the Jewish quarter you’ll find the Tortosa Museum. Located in the old slaughterhouse, it’s considered the most significant modernist building in the city. You can also visit Tortosa Cota 0, a museum space where you’ll travel back 1500 years in the city’s history and find out about its human evolution.
Finally, you can board Lo Sirgador and take part in this river activity to learn about the role of the river in the evolution of the city, because Tortosa simply can’t be understood without the Ebro.
