Santa Maria dels Arcs sanctuary

Santa Maria dels Arcs church was built between 866 and 877 by the monks from Sant Julià del Mont. It was Santa Pau's parish from 1118 until 1427, when, due to the earthquakes, the temple collapsed. The bishop of Girona decided to move the parish to the village, since the church is quite far from it. Between the 17th and 18th centuries an inn attached to the church, turning the old parish into an important Virgin's sanctuary, where pilgrims from different places went. During the Civil War the building was burned down. As a result, some elements of incalculable equity value, such as the altarpiece, were lost. Years later, the church was restored and the inn was turned into an activity centre for schools. The temple, originally Romanesque style, still has some features belonging to the 11th century Romanesque style period. A single nave covered with barrel vault with three transverse arches. The wall, in the east, has a semicircular apse. The original imposing entrance was substituted for the current one, Baroque style. At the top there is the bell tower, very characteristic of the Romanesque style as well.