The historic Calvary of Valderrobres

The Calvary of Valderrobres is strategically situated next to the apse of the parish church and the adjoining square, separated by the historic Calle Codo. In ancient times, this street served as a patrol path at the foot of the walls, defending the town from the outside.

In the past, the whole of this square was used as a cemetery, a common practice that included burials even inside the church. Its origin is likely earlier than the Royal Decree of Carlos III of 1787, which ordered the relocation of cemeteries outside urban centres.

During the Revolutionary Sexennium (1868-1874), municipalities took on the task of building new cemeteries. The town hall of Valderrobres acquired land more than a kilometre from the town, inaugurating the new cemetery in 1887. With the old space no longer in use, it was decided to transform it into Stations of the Cross. The works were completed in four months, and it was inaugurated on 10 March 1895.

Despite its inauguration, in the nineteen-fifties the Calvary became a barren and enclosed place, abandoned and turned into pasture for livestock. In the early 20th century, it was common to keep sick or lame animals there, which would often recover thanks to the abundant grass.

This situation lasted until the early 1990s, when the space was rehabilitated once more as Stations of the Cross and a public park. The interior of the Calvary was transformed into a space divided into three levelled terraces with walls, paths at different levels and two paved small squares.

During these works, the complete stelae that had previously been set into the walls were used as ornamentation in one of the small squares, beside a fountain. The fragmented stelae have, in some cases, disappeared, while in others they have been reused as building material to raise the walls of the interior flowerbeds of this now recreational and contemplative space.