Olives can best be explored through its church history and the historical evidence found in the village. The Church of Santa Maria de les Olives belonged to a medieval collegiate community; the priory was later rebuilt in the Baroque style. Works of art, the former uses of buildings and the hermitage Ermita de Sant Mer complete this picture. If you are planning a stay focused on cultural history, these varied traces provide a concrete point of reference when making your choice.
Church history in two building phases
Santa Maria de les Olives belonged to an Augustinian canonry community founded in 1197 with the consent of Gausfred de MedinyĂ , Bishop of Girona. The Priory of Santa Maria de les Olives was rebuilt much later, in the Baroque style, between 1726 and 1732. The dates therefore refer to different chapters: 1197 marks the founding of the community, and 1726 to 1732 the rebuilding of the priory. This makes it possible to distinguish the medieval institutional history from the later Baroque building phase.
The rectory is attached to the church’s western wall. It was formerly the house of the canons who served the church. The building’s former function is therefore also part of the history of the church community. It adds a detail to the building’s history, indicating how the canons associated with the church were housed.
Works of art and mementos
The church contains a polychrome alabaster statue of Our Lady of Olives dating from the first half of the 14th century. Another object is the limestone holy-water stoup. It has been proposed that it is a pre-Romanesque piece; this dating should therefore be understood as a proposal, not a confirmed attribution.
A funerary urn bears an inscription for P. R., the bailiff of Vilademuls, who died in 1297. A later work of art is also associated with Santa Maria d’Olives: the church preserves the central panel of an altarpiece of Saint Ursula dating from between 1520 and 1525. It depicts Saint Ursula. The altarpiece was destroyed in 1936; the surviving central panel preserves part of it. The objects represent different forms of remembrance: a religious figure, a liturgical architectural feature, a funerary inscription and a surviving altarpiece.
Ermita de Sant Mer and its tradition
The present-day hermitage Ermita de Sant Mer was built in the 17th century. The year 1633 is engraved at a side entrance. The construction period and the specific date at the entrance provide two distinct chronological clues that you can keep separate when interpreting the building.
Every year, on the Sunday after 27 January, the hermitage holds a gathering in honour of Sant Mer. The date therefore follows a recurring rule rather than falling on the same calendar date each year. At the feet of the statue of Sant Mer is a small dragon figure, which, according to tradition, is connected with the dragon of Banyoles. This legendary connection adds a storytelling tradition to the building’s history.
Further historical evidence in Olives
Other evidence includes Olives’ fortified complex: its remains date from the 15th to the 16th century and are classified as BCIN (Béns Culturals d’Interès Nacional). Can Lleal offers a different perspective. It preserves parchments from the 11th and 12th centuries. Parts of an olive press, associated with the house’s former olive oil production, are displayed in the garden.
The former uses of the lower rooms of Can Lleal are also documented: they served as stables, for olive oil production and as cellars. Taken together, these details offer a different picture from the church’s architecture and works of art: they concern documents, olive oil production and the use of rooms. The ruined chapel of Santa Cà ndia in Olives dates from the 16th to the 18th century, adding a sacred building in a ruined state to the historical architectural evidence.
This makes it easy to define the focus when making your choice: Santa Maria de les Olives combines the history of a canonry with sacred art, while Sant Mer also offers an annual recurring tradition. The remains of fortifications, parchments and evidence of the house’s former uses broaden the perspective to include other periods and topics. This can help you decide whether the village’s cultural and historical highlights suit your interests.
Discover more destinations: Vilafreser, Orfes, Els Galliners.
Return to the main travel overview: Vilademuls.
