Castellfollit de la Roca, in Catalonia, is famous for its striking linear layout: the old village is effectively built along a single main street, Carrer Major, perched on a narrow basalt cliff that drops steeply to the rivers below.
Location and layout
Castellfollit de la Roca sits in the Garrotxa volcanic zone of northern Catalonia between the Fluvià and Toronell rivers, and the medieval town’s compact plan results in a narrow, elongated settlement where Carrer Major functions as the principal thoroughfare and social spine of the village.
Geology and the basalt cliff
The town occupies a high basalt cliff formed by successive lava flows that cooled into columnar basalt; the volcanic rock creates a dramatic, nearly vertical face about fifty metres high and gives the village its distinctive perched appearance and defensive advantage in medieval times.
Architecture and atmosphere
Row houses of volcanic stone line the edge of the cliff and in places the settlement is only a few houses wide, producing intimate streetscapes, narrow passages and viewpoints that frame sweeping vistas of the surrounding volcanic landscape and river valleys.
Visiting and significance
Today Castellfollit de la Roca is valued for its photogenic medieval character, pedestrian Carrer Major, viewpoints such as the Mirador and the experience of walking a village that feels built along a single street while overlooking dramatic basalt escarpments, making it a popular short excursion from Girona and Barcelona.