les Planes de Besora
Navès (Solsonès)
|
A refuge for the farmhouses and land
El Solsonès is deep rooted in Central. It has good communications with el Bages and with la Segarra, but above all it maintains many strong affinities with el Berguedà, again la Segarra, la Noguera and l'Alt Urgell.
The region we see today has around 11.000 inhabitants in a land, which spans some one thousand square kilometres. It has been moulded over the years, under the influence of the monastery of Solsona that, became, capital of the diocese in 1593. The earldom of Cardona became duchy in the year 1491, due to the coming together of several different areas which were initially quite independent such as the la Vall de Lord Sobirana and la Jussana, the plain of Solsona, la Ribera Salada, la Serra de Pinós, Peracamps, Biosca...
We could possibly reveal a first outline of this district, according to Antoni Bach, in the Marca de Solsona , as defined by the Assembly of la Seu d'Urgell during the liberal period in establishing the amount that the villages had to pay for the maintenance of the soldiers; the territory of el Solsonès encompassed; Joval, Clarà, Llobera, Timoneda, Lladurs, Quadra d'Isanta, Odèn, la Llena, Canalda, Peracamps, Torredenegó, Besora, Olius, Terrassola, Ceuró, Pinell, Castellvell, Quadra de Brics, Castellar [de la Ribera] and Solsona. This is evidenced in the municipal records of Solsona on 6 August 1822.
The current configuration dates back to 1936, however government decisions, taken for different reasons, have given rise to some anomalies. The borough of Llanera, included in that of Torà or the town of Ogern which is included in the borough of Bassella, when they are really more similar geographically to the region of el Solsonès. Lloberola and Biosca were assigned to the region of la Segarra when they were clearly linked since medieval times to Solsona, in the year 1990 of la Molsosa was added to el Solsonès, when traditionally it had always looked more towards the region of Calaf.
The city of Solsona (7.000 inhabitants) has become the undisputed capital of the region of el Solsonès due to its market, the diocese, and strong economic growth over the past years. Sant Llorenç de Morunys (900 inhabitants) is the town which has attracted people from la Vall de Lord. Sant Climenç, Vallmanya, Freixinet, Su, Pinós, Llinars de Cambrils i Ogern are small nucleus of houses grouped tightly together and several more houses spread around them; but the rest of the boroughs, with their corresponding villages or parishes, are made up of houses that are widely spread out amongst themselves: Navès, Olius, Torredenegó, Lladurs and Llobera are good examples.
The fluvial currents contribute in defining the singular physiognomy of the land. The Cardener river, to the east, collects water from Port del Comte and from Prat Naviral (in la Serra Del Verd) flanked by l'Aigua d'Ora which finishes in el Berguedà. To the west the Ribera Salada river, where in olden days you could find “les dones de fum i aigua” , makes up a small geographical heaven until it empties its waters in to the reservoir at Rialb. In the centre of the region crossing the plains of (el Vine and les Parties) the Riu Negre flows modestly which could have given name to the village of Ringer and which meets its end as it flows into to the left of the river Cardener.
The countryside is extremely varied and of special beauty. In the heights of the mountainous region such as Port del Comte, we can admire peaks, ravines, and crags with singular shapes. These hide slopes, valleys, and varied unusual farmhouses such as les Esplugues de Cambrils, el Soler or el Call d'Odèn, Cavallera, and Encies de Canalda. The abrupt, rocky peak at Sòbol is home to a ruined farmhouse and also les Cases de Posada, l'Hostal Del Vent and la Celada dels Torrents. Towards the east, below the Serra Del Verd mountain range you will find Prat Naviral and Cap Del Gall i Lordet. Try to wander slowly amongst the leafy trees and stop with nostalgic respect before houses such as el Pujol and l'Argelaguer de la Pedra, Cubillers de vora Pratformiu, Can Blanc de Vilacireres, el santuari de Puiaguilar, Santmartí, la Torre de Vilapatzí and Vilalta de la Corriu, Capvilaró, Badia and Can Cots de Valls, el Vancell de Sisquer and el Collell de Montcalb. Although they are more hidden, do not forget el Rial and Casavila de Busa.
The woodlands, pastures, and arable lands that are woven around a series of farmhouses that reflect the ancient roots and the difficulties overcome in our lands are the great attraction of the central and even the southern part of this region. Even though el Vinyet with its four large areas: Sant Honorat, Santa Llúcia, Sant Bernat i Sant Pere Màrtir continues to struggle erratically and unsuccessfully in encouraging the industry that it so needs, whereas on the other hand other areas such as, Pinell, Riner o Pinós still manage cleverly to combine the land and the vegetation. Navès is the largest borough even larger than Lladurs (spelt ‘ladurs' to its inhabitants), and maybe to paraphrase Antoni Pladevall “where farmhouses and religious buildings are more plentiful”. Here is a random sample of some of the farmhouses, amongst all of those worthy of note, for architectural, political, economic or historical reasons. Bajona de Joval, Golferics de Sant Just, Anglerill de Clariana, la Sala de Linya, Muntanyà de Besora, Xixons de Santa Susanna, Miralles, Santdiumenge de Su, la Torregassa de Castellvell, la Codina de Madrona and Tristany d'Ardèvol.
Finally, we must mention, la Serra de Pinós, at la Molsosa, el Miracle and Peracamps with its arched reinforced walls. In these neighbouring lands we can admire many fine examples; Bonsfills and el Prat de Vallmanya, the legendary houses,—Cases de Matamargó, Vila-seca de la Molsosa, Gangolells de vora, el Miracle, Alteracs de la Serra de Sant Jaume and la casa del Boix with its magnificent hostel which is so silent and beautiful.
Even though earlier information can be obtained (Carlomagno), Antoni Pladevall details the year 850 as a significant date because an organized population is to be found in the northern part of the territory. Pere Balanyà sets the wounding of Guifré el Pilós in the surroundings of Sant Lleïr de la Valldora. It therefore seems that, in the alter part of the tenth century, there is a consolidated population after the military campaigns carried out by the sons of Guifré: Sunifred d'Urgell i Sunyer.
The population is shaped above all by the monasteries (Santa Maria de Solsona, Sant Llorenç de Morunys and Sant Pere de Grau d'Escales, which is the only one which does give rise to populated centre in its whereabouts), by the parishes, by the castles (Joval, Castellvell, Lladurs, Besora, Navès, Castellar), by the farmhouses, caves and some tiny villages.
During the thirteenth century, la viscount family of Cardona continued to spread the feudal system a good part of the different landowners in the area. The other important ancestral influence of the times was the Augustinian monastery of Solsona, which had an even greater influence once transformed to the cathedral of the diocese, in the year 1593. In the meantime, the Cardona family had already joined with Castilian noble dynasties and had their interests in other parts.
It is possible that since then the aristocracy fell in to decadence. However since misuse was suppressed and help came in the form of immigration from the west the right conditions were given for prosperity. Therefore, the lands and farms of this region are prosperous up until the eighteenth century, even surviving the political problems of these years (bandits, and the wars of succession and secession).
The nineteenth century was an extremely critical time due to the different civil wars, known also as the Carlinist wars, which brought demolition and disappearance. One of the consequences of the initial loyalty to the Carlinist factions was the abolition of the diocese agreed to by Spain and the Vatican in 1951; however, the steadfast character of the people of el Solsonès region eventually achieved its recovery.
In the twentieth century, Solsona managed slowly to join the industrialised world absorbing a great many of the traditional farmhouse inhabitants that have gradually been abandoned or used for alternative economic activity. This has meant that many have been re-valued and, on the other hand has signified the recovery on a national level of our lands. The fires, which occurred in 1998, were an enormous blow to a good part of the western territory: la Molsosa, Pinós, Riner, which, as usual, has gradually overcome the adversity.
Joan Tuneu i Torres |
