La Jonquera

La Jonquera is a municipality in the comarca of l'Alt Empordà, in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated next to the border with France, opposite the municipality of Le Perthus.HistoryThe area has always been an important pass through the Pyrenees. A contemporary motorway runs not far from the ancient Roman road, the Via Augusta. Not far from there is an altar erected by Pompey at the Coll de Panissars.La Jonquera was the site of a conflict involving the retreating French crusaders in 1285 that ended in their defeat.GeographyCivil parishesLa Jonquera has got 4 civil parishes . The village of Els Límits is situated on the French-Spanish border, contiguous to its French twin town, Le Perthus.Interesting places Church of Santa Maria. Ruins of Santa Maria de Panissars (mediaeval Benedictine monastery), in the coll de Panissars. Ruins of the castell de Rocabertí. Castell de Canadal, with the church of Santa Cristina or Sant Jaume de Canadal (c. IX). Romanesque churches (Sant Pere del Pla de l'Arca and Sant Martí del Forn del Vidre (10th century), and Santa Llúcia, Sant Miquel de Solans and Sant Julià dels Torts (12th century). Porta Catalana (work of Josep Lluís Sert), in the border. Several megalithic monuments (dolmens and menhirs)(1989)(Spanish)(Catalan