Caixas: Chapels, Churches and Dolmens

Caixas is suited to travellers interested in architectural forms, religious art and archaeological traces. The evidence ranges from early written references to building alterations in the 14th and 15th centuries and furnishings from later centuries. Steep paths, visible dolmens and rock engravings are also among the things you can take into account when planning your trip. If you are looking for a hotel in Caixas, this mix offers a practical starting point: consider whether churches and chapels, archaeological remains or local products are the main focus of your trip.

Chapels and churches: architectural history and furnishings

The Chapelle Saint-Marc is a Romanesque chapel with a rectangular apse and is classified as a historic monument. Its single-nave hall has a barrel vault; a stone on the triumphal arch bears an engraved Alpha and Omega. The chapel dates from before the year 1000. These features give you several specific points to consider when looking at its architectural form and interior details. The steep path leads from the road to the chapel, which is situated on the wooded heights of Caixas. As the condition of the path may change, check it before your visit.

The Church of Saint-Jacques is the parish church of Caixas. It was fortified in the 14th and 15th centuries. Its furnishings include an altarpiece from the 18th century, restored in 1878. An altarpiece is a structure behind an altar; here, you can distinguish the artwork's date of creation from its later restoration. The church also houses a 17th-century Christ figure and a reliquary bust containing relics from the 17th and 18th centuries. The different dates make the building's history and furnishings distinct topics.

The Chapel of Saint-Pons in the hamlet of Candell dates from the 13th century and is first mentioned in texts in 1268. Its surviving structural features include a nave with a timber structure, a broad apse added later, a round-arched stone portal and a bell gable. The Church of Fontcouverte is Romanesque, dedicated to Notre-Dame, and mentioned as early as 942. It houses a 17th-century statue of the Virgin Mary. Two medieval texts from 942 and 1025 also mention the place name “Petra Scripta” in Fontcouverte.

The Church of Sainte-Colombe de Las Illas also shows how its architectural form changed: in the 14th or 15th century, a second nave was added and the choir was rebuilt at the same time. The date leaves either century possible. Together with the Romanesque buildings, these details offer different ways to explore historic churches without attributing all the changes to the same period.

Dolmens, rock engravings and a ruin

Four dolmens are still visible in Caixas: Serrat d'en Jac, Col de la Llauze, Serrat de Cami Réal and La Ramera. As their visibility and condition may change, it is advisable to check both before visiting. Rock engravings can be found on numerous rocks and on slate; they are dated to approximately 2,000 years ago. Dolmens and engravings thus offer a different perspective on the history of the area from its churches and their furnishings.

The Chapel of Saint-Julien-du-Vilar is a severely deteriorated, roofless pre-Romanesque ruin. Its semicircular apse faces east; remains of wall paintings have also survived. The style seems to point to an 11th-century origin, so this dating remains an interpretation. The semicircular apse makes a striking contrast with the rectangular apse of the Chapelle Saint-Marc.

Local products

The organic Fromagerie de Caixas sells small-farm goat's-milk cheeses. These include Cabécou des Aspres, both plain and seasoned, Caixas, Cayroux, yoghurt and Tommes. If you plan to visit the Fromagerie, check the arrangements directly with the business in advance.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Nazaire, Vingrau, Espira-De-L'agly, Le Perthus, Mosset, Nahuja, Palau-de-Cerdagne, Matemale.

For the wider travel overview: Pyrénées-Orientales.