Terres del Ebre - Horta de San Juan and the history of Picasso's visits

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Medieval village of Horta de San Juan in the province of Tarragona

In a getaway through the regions of Terres del Ebre, in the province of Tarragona, you also have the opportunity to walk around medieval villages.

And in this respect you have several arguments for visit Horta de San Juan, town that you find inside, northwest of Ebro Delta and just 40 kilometers from Tortosa.

Horta de San Juan It is one of those small towns with a long history behind it.

Medieval village of Horta de San Juan in the province of Tarragona

Located on top of a hill, I anticipate that during your visit you will walk through narrow streets of medieval origin.

For get to Horta de San Juan you will pass very close to Els Ports natural park, which will offer you beautiful landscapes during your tour.

The current enclave of Horta was already occupied by the Iberians, who were succeeded by the Romans and then the Muslims.

A key milestone in its history was when, after being conquered by Christians, in the 13th century it was ceded to the Order of the Templars, but after the suppression of it, in 1317 it was transferred to the Hospitallers Order.

What to see in Horta de San Juan

From that era of Templar and the hospital it was the castle they built, but from it you will not find any rest.

Convent of San Salvador in Horta de San Juan in Tarragona

Of course, on your walk through the historic center of Horta de San Juan, in the upper part of the town, you will pass through a small square where the fortification was located.

At the foot of the nearby mountain of Saint Barbara is the old one Franciscan convent of San Salvador,

It began to be built in the 13th century, at the time of the Templar, but its atrium and choir are from the time of the hospital.

The rest of the convent was built by Franciscans, already in the 16th century, the same era of its Renaissance cloister.

But most prominent corner of your visit to Horta de San Juan you have it in the the church square, the geographical center of the historic center that extends over the hill.

It is a small but very pretty arcaded square Built in the 16th century, a reflection of the splendor that this town must have had in its time.

Church Square in Horta de San Juan in Tarragona

In the the church square highlights his town hall of style Renaissance, just like him Palace of the Comanda (House of Delme), also in the same style.

And of course, the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista, a Gothic building, also from the 16th century, with a very austere facade and a single nave inside.

On your visit you should get lost in the narrow streets surrounding the the church square, where you will pass several passages and find some beautiful corner.

Do not be surprised during this walk when you arrive at a building with a large banner on its facade with the name of Picasso.

There you have another very interesting argument to visit Horta de San Juan.

Horta de San Juan in Tarragona

Picasso Center

Indeed, it is the so-called Picasso Center, two-story building where you can learn, through information panels, old photos and reproductions of paintings, the history of visits that Pablo Picasso made to Horta de San Juan.

The first visit of Picasso It was in 1898, when he was barely 16 years old, and he went on vacation from Madrid to Horta de San Juan to his friend's house Manuel Pallarés.

Finally he stayed until the carnival of the following year.

Then Picasso He no longer returned to study in Madrid, but went to Paris.

Years later he returned to Horta de San Juan during another season, specifically, from May to October 1909.

Picasso Center in Horta de San Juan in Tarragona

During these visits he made numerous drawings and paintings, whose reproductions you can see in the aforementioned Picasso Center.

The works of the first visit do not show what was then his characteristic artistic style, but they do reflect his stay in Horta.

However, the paintings of the second era are already a good example of his Cubist era.

Moreover, it is said thatPicasso was inspired by the characteristic roques of the park of Els ports to "invent" this new artistic trend.

Here you can check the Hours of the Picasso Center of Horta de San Juan.

Pictures Horta de San Juan

Here are more photos of Horta de San Juan, in Terres del Ebre.




How to get to Horta de San Juan

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