The Castell de Peralada and its casino

The Castle of Peralada, originally called Castell de Peralada, is a massive original structure from around the ninth century. It was first mentioned in the archives under the name of Tolo and was the centre of the county of Peralada. Today the castle belongs to the municipality of the same name in the Catalan province of Girona. It is a cultural heritage site of national importance. It is meant for Catalonia.

Main characteristics

The structure occupies the eastern part of the town of Peralada, but outside the wall that divides the new town and the old town. The structure is rectangular in shape but the courtyard is squared off. The castle has many rooms – halls and living quarters. The original structure is given by the gable roofs and the openness of the inner yard.

The castle has 2 floors. There is also an attic. The east wing has two round towers. Interestingly enough, they are quite prominent as they do not coincide with the corners of the castle itself. The mounds are used as their lower reinforcements. The tops of the towers are decorated with crowns. They are created by means of brick battlements and shaped machicolations.

Facades and towers

The building also has unique facade openings in the form of low arches resembling rectangles framed in stone. The space between the towers is a band of brick, also rectangular in shape. There are loopholes in the wall itself, similar to those on the tower merlons.

The façade from the main part is characteristic of the Renaissance style. It is directed to the West. It was made by means of huge stones which were carefully processed beforehand. There are 2 horizontally oriented stucco elements used as floor separators.

Access to the territory of the castle is through the entrance door which has a shape of an arch in a semi-circle. There are also 2 columns with Corinthian capitals on each side. The upper part of the doorway is decorated with the Rocaberti coat of arms in alabaster and surrounded by volutes. Its condition leaves much to be desired.

The south side of the façade is different. It has rectangular openings and is framed with stone blocks. The entrance door is represented as a low arch. The ground floor is decorated with 4 “French” windows and the first floor has 5 balconies with stucco canopies supported by consoles.

Organisations in the chateau

Today the structure belongs to the Mateu family. The castle is home to the International Music Festival, which attracts many visitors from abroad. It is not possible to see all the premises of the castle. However, during the festive period everyone who takes part in the event can enjoy the gardens.

A part of the building is reserved for the casino. It is considered one of the best in the area. The casino offers a basic range of gambling, including poker tables, roulette and various slots, all housed in an exquisite interior.