Bellver de Cerdanya

The parish church of Bellver is first mentioned in records from 1271, when Galceran IV de Pinós temporarily sold to P. de Riba of Puigcerdà his rights and revenues from the castles of Bellver and Prats, except for the tithes belonging to the church and the Bellver bailiwick. The town had been founded in 1225 by Nunó Sanç, lord of Roussillon and Cerdanya. Initially, the Bellver church was subordinate to the nearby church of Santa Maria de Talló, which held significant administrative authority in the region, as noted in the dedication act of Santa Maria de la Seu. By the sixteenth century, Bellver’s parish had gained superiority over that of Talló, leading the canons of Talló to relocate to Bellver. Today, it serves as the head parish of the archpriesthood of Batllia and Baridà in the diocese of Urgell. The present Gothic-style building, likely the same one referenced in 1271, lost its original wooden roof to a fire in 1897, but it has since been faithfully restored.

is a botanical garden specializing in medicinal plants with a rich collection of local and traditional herbal species. Located near the village church, the garden features a diverse array of plants such as white hawthorn, wormwood, lavender, peppermint, sage, yarrow, St. John's wort, and more, all known for their historical and medicinal uses. It serves an educational purpose, offering guided tours that introduce visitors to the properties and applications of these herbs in natural healing and traditional medicine. The garden highlights the cultural heritage of herbal remedies practiced in the region, and it promotes awareness of the benefits of medicinal plants. By combining botany, history, and local tradition, the garden provides a tranquil space for learning and connecting with nature in the Pyrenees. It is a valued cultural asset in Bellver, preserving knowledge about native medicinal flora.

The castle was built on the highest point of the rocky, limestone cliff where the town is located, to the left of the Segre River. It was part of a line of fortifications and watchtowers that defended and controlled the Camí Ral that, crossing the medieval county of Cerdanya, also linked the county of Conflent with that of Urgell. Of the castle, only the remains of what was probably the cistern remain and, of the wall that defended the town, parts of the river side have been preserved, with wall locks and square and round towers, following the street called de la Muralla.