Rupit

The origin of the town is found in the castle which was built around the year 1000 replacing the original Fàbregues one. The settlers built their houses in the surrounding area.

In the 14th century, the population suffered a dramatic decline, but it recovered. During the 17th and 18th centuries it achieved the greatest splendour that the town can remember.

In the historic centre of Rupit there are old stone houses from the 16th and 18th century, many of which still feature the date and names of their founders. They have beautiful porches and entrances, worked windows, wooden balconies and crests.

The streets of Fossar and Església are worth a special mention, as well as the Plaça Major and Plaça Cavallers. At number 12 on Carrer del Palau is the Notaria Soler, a notarial mansion which dates from the 14th century. The main door is voussoired with the Soler family crest. Ca l'Apotecari (now Cal Mestre), la Ferreria (Herrería) and Can Sallent are other remarkable buildings. Details from these last two were used for the reproduction of a Rupit house which is on show in the Pueblo Español in Barcelona.

The church of Sant Miquel Arcángel (17th century) can also be found in the same area. It is Baroque in style, with Neoclassical elements, crowned with a semicircular arch, made of stone, with five small conical columns. The altarpiece is of special interest, acquired in Olot in 1878, and the stone bell tower, built between 1786 and 1869.

The old parish church, located on the path from Rupit to Mas del Pendís, was that of Sant Joan de Fàbregues. Originating from the 11th century, it’s a Romanesque building with one single nave and three apses arranged in a trefoil shape and the octagonal dome which is crowned with a skylight. It was restored in 1976.

Upon a rocky summit, on a bend in the river of Rupit, is the Church of Santa Magdalena (18th century), featuring a door with a lintel and a nave with a barrel vault.

As well as the historic centre and the churches, other important architectural elements are the bridges such as that of Can Badaire, located over the river of Rupit, which was used to cross from Rupit to Susqueda and was reconstructed in 1983. The Hanging Bridge is also a must-see, built in 1945 and renovated in 1994, over the Rupit river.

In Rupit, in spring and in summer, guided tours are organised in order to get to know the municipality, such as the one which runs through the woodlands, during which you can see conifers in the Corriol area, beech groves in the Soler area and the Bac hillock, and oaks in Rupit.

Another unmissable route is the one that leads to the Sallent waterfall through scenery where old abandoned mills (such as that of Patrones or Tornall) mix with ponds, waterfalls and fountains. Some examples of these are the Pedretes cave, under the town of Rupit itself; the Molí Rodó waterfall, with a drop of 25 metres, and finally the Sallent waterfall, where the river of Rupit falls into the void, down a drop of 100 metres.

The natural environment is also ideal for mountain biking. In fact, the MTB Centre of Vall de Sau - Collsacabra proposes several routes in the surroundings of Rupit.

In the Llims cave, underneath the Rupit hanging bridge and along the Sant Joan de Fàbregues way, there are bonfires, tables and stone benches.

There are two notable viewpoints: the one in Rupit itself, in the Mas del Soler passage, which offers views over the town, over the hamlets nestled in the surroundings and L'Agullola (an enormous rock which broke away from the cliff and which some have named, due to its shape, the nipple of Catalonia), and the vantage point located on the road that runs from Pruit to Falgars, which boasts views of the Pyrenees and of the summits of Aiats.

As for gastronomy, in Rupit you can eat typical dishes from Osona, such as broad beans, escudelles or the stews made with game meat.

Within the municipality of Rupit i Pruit itself, there are several points of interest, both architectural and natural. The heritage in the surroundings includes the old Romanesque church of Sant Andreu in Pruit, its core dating from the 12th century and the Renaissance belfry from the 18th century, and the Romanesque church of Sant Llorenç Dosmunts (12th century). As for the hamlets, the Bac de Collsacabra stands out, already mentioned in the 13th century, with an oratory dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.

Beyond the municipal boundary, it’s worth visiting Sant Hilari Sacalm to discover its springs, enjoy the panoramic view of the Sau reservoir or stroll through the historic centre of Tavertet.