Visible long before entering Cardona, this fortress tops a hill that broods above the modern town. From this strategic position, centuries of noblemen have kept a watchful eye over Cardona's Muntanya de Sal (Salt Mountain), the 'white gold' that gave Cardona its wealth. The ramparts have panoramic views of the vast Lleida plain; the loftiest vantage point is the Torre de la Minyona . It's free to wander around the castle, but sights within the complex have separate admission charges.
A fortress has stood on this spot since the 3rd century BC, but the castle reached its zenith under the 11th-century lords of Cardona, who built the palace buildings and the elegant Romanesque Església de Sant Vicenç . Through 11 centuries of history, the Castell de Cardona was never conquered.
