What To See And Do In Figueres, The City Of Dalí
Figueres, the birthplace of the genius Salvador Dalí, is one of the most interesting towns in Girona. It houses many attractions such as the Dalinian itinerary and its extraordinary fortress. This city with strong Catalan roots completes its cultural offer with several important museums in the midst of modernist buildings. Today we escape to Figueres . Can you come with us?
Figueres, birthplace of Salvador Dalí
Figueres is a city in the province of Girona, located between the eastern end of the Pyrenees and the Costa Brava . A privileged location that offers a large number of attractions and makes it one of the most famous and busiest tourist destinations in Catalonia.
The fact of being the hometown of Salvador Dalí has marked part of his great personality. This historical landmark has left, to the delight of all, the theater-museum that bears his name and that is dedicated to the artist’s work. Let’s see in detail, what are the places and activities of interest in this wonderful city.
What to see and do in Figueres
1. The Dalí Theater-Museum
As we anticipated, the Dalí Theater-Museum is one of the main cultural attractions of the city. It is located in the old Municipal Theater of Figueres, dating from the 19th century. This old building was destroyed during the Civil War and its restoration was used to give it a completely different use. The artist worked on it for years, leaving a mark of his particular personality.
The museum is an art lover’s paradise as it exhibits the largest collection of works by the surrealist artist. They can be found from huge to small paintings, jewels and sculptures. His grave is here too.
2. Castle of Sant Ferrán
This fortress overlooks the city from a hill on the outskirts, at the end of the Rise of the Castle. This military fortress was built in the 18th century with colossal dimensions and more than three kilometers in perimeter.
Its great parade ground and its numerous bastions gave it a capacity to house up to six thousand soldiers. This first-rate construction is the largest monument in Catalonia. It is also one of the largest fortresses with bastions in Europe.
3. Old town
The historic center of Figueres still preserves vestiges of its old defensive wall, dating from the Middle Ages. It is also interesting to admire the Town Hall Square, from medieval times, although it was remodeled in a neoclassical style.
The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings. The consistorial building or Carrer Magre stand out, where the old Jewish quarter was located.
4. La Rambla
It is the main axis of Figueres. It is a fairly lively and busy road that brings together great architectural constructions from the 19th and 20th centuries, most of them built by the local bourgeoisie of the time.
You can admire a large number of modernist style buildings. Among them, the Casa Puig-Soler, the Casa Cusí or the Casa Salleras stand out. Others of neoclassical style that also stand out are the Casa Polideseia, the Casa Bonaterra and the Casa del Cafè Progrés.
5. The Church of Sant Pere
The Church of Sant Pere is a construction originally in the Romanesque style that was rebuilt in the 14th century in the Gothic style. Later elements such as the transept and the apse, both from the 18th century, were added. This beautiful church was the scene of King Felipe V’s wedding to Maria Luisa of Savoy in 1701.
Also of interest is the Chapel of Sant Sebastià, of medieval origin and remodeled at the beginning of the 17th century, or the Caputxins convent, dating from the 18th century.
6. The Toy Museum
The Toy Museum was opened in 1982 with a large collection spanning several decades and showing the evolution of toys. In it you can find toys from different countries, some very old and others that are a kind of alternative versions of the traditional ones.
It is worth a visit to the doll room, where you can see a doll that belonged to Salvador Dalí.
7. Museum of Empordá
As Figueres is the largest city in the Empordá, it has a museum that houses all kinds of archaeological remains, such as vessels, ceramics, funeral homes and stone plates. It also displays various sculptures and paintings ranging from the 14th to the 20th century.
