Church of Santa Maria

RELIGIOUS ROUTE

The viscountcy of Cabrera was a territory which, in the religious sphere, comprised various parishes with their churches and hermitages offering religious services for society. Likewise, many different monasteries of various religious orders were founded.

The church of Santa Maria in Sils is mentioned in 1185, in a bull by Pope Lucius III, included in the possessions of the Benedictine monastery of Sant Salvador de Breda. Initially, it was a temple, possibly of Romanesque origen, situated in the centre of a grouping of houses near the lake. In the document “Constitucions dels castells” (Constitutions of Castles) of 1358, the parish of Sils is noted as an integral part of the viscountcy of Cabrera. The building was heavily renovated in the 18th century with a baroque-neoclassical architectural style, but retains a gothic side-chapel and an 14th century tombstone beside the door. The bell tower was remodelled in 1907 by Girona architect Rafael Masó.