MAUREILLAS LAS ILLAS

The historical treasures of Maureillas Las Illas

Chapelle Saint Martin de Fenollar

The Chapel of Saint Martin de Fenollar close to the old Via Domitia Roman road, is a small Pre-Romanesque church which is first mentioned as a possession of the Abbey of Arles in a text dating from 844.

It has the most important decorative painting in Roussillon and has been listed as a historical monument since1 August 1967. The limited palette and powerful expression make it a striking work which has had a strong impression on artists, in particular Picasso and Braque when they visited in 1910.

Although small, the Chapel of Saint-Martin-de-Fenollar houses the most important collection of wall paintings conserved in situ in North Catalonia. The exact dating of this former dependency of the Benedictine abbey of Sainte-Marie of Arles-sur-Tech is uncertain.

St Stephen’s Church (Eglise St Etienne)

A church dedicated to St. Stephen is first mentioned in 1147. The present building dates from the 17th century. It is a single nave construction with three bays and a structure supported by diaphragm arches and round arches. The interior paintings are recent, and the choir has been recently restored.
The church has altarpieces of Christ, Saint Francis, the Trinity, a pulpit, a dresser, a cadireta, a Virgin, numerous statues, and a painting of Saint Michael.

The Siureda Dolmen (Dolmen, de la Siureda)

This dolmen, with a square chamber, surrounded by a tumulus, dates from the Bronze Age. The men who built it chose a particularly sunny site with a very beautiful view over the plain of Roussillon. It bears witness to a strong human presence during the Chalcolithic period. The archaeologist and prehistorian Françoise Claustre has contributed to understanding megalithic architecture, notably through studying the Siureda Dolmen.

Cork Museum (Le musée du Liège)

This museum was founded by the former cork makers and inhabitants of Maureillas. It introduces the visitor to the life of the Cork oak, its ecology, how the cork is harvested, and transformed for the numerous uses it is used for. The museum displays the tools and explains the methods used to manufacture wine corks as well as its many other, often unknown uses. The world’s largest cork is also on display!