Castellet castle, the headquarters of the abertis foundation, is hosting a selection of pieces from the Episcopal Museum of Vic (MEV). This museum boasts a varied and exceptional collection. As of last Thursday, 7 February, visitors have been able to enjoy a selection of pieces that highlight two important aspects of life inside a Catalan castle, such as Castellet castle.

The castle chapel

A small collection of pieces from the MEV allows us to imagine what might have been inside the small chapel of a castle the size of Castellet castle between the 11th and 16th centuries. The lipsanotheca is a box that contains the relics of saints and which was inserted into the altar during the consecration, making this item highly sacred. This specific piece is a rare 12th-century example made of stone. It was compulsory to have a crucifix over the altar to evoke the sacrifice of the Mass. The crucifix may have been finished in expensive materials such as gold, and from the 13th to 14th centuries they were often trefoil in shape, as is the case of this piece. To honour the crucifix as well as to provide light for the Mass, candlesticks were placed at either side. Although they maintained the same purpose, they evolved over time into a simpler shape (in the 13th century) and then into a more sturdy, lathe-carved design (16th century). During the Mass, the altar, crucifix and offerings were also honoured with the fragrance of the censer, which in this case is a beautiful 12th-century example with a spherical shape and artistic floral fretwork. The worshippers left their offerings on a salver; from the 16th century many of these pieces were made of brass and produced in Northern Germany, and these impressive pieces were often decorated with religious or devout motifs such as this Agnus Dei.

The armoury of Castellet castle in 1615

A castle’s purpose was to control the road and the surrounding region, and arms therefore played an essential role. Arms were probably present on this site since its Iberian beginnings, and certainly from when it was documented as an actual castle in the 10th century until at least around the beginning of the 17th century, when its military role began to wane. A selection of objects from this later period allows us to gain insight into the contents of the armoury as described in a 1615 inventory of Castellet castle. The pike or lance is a spear-like weapon, as were the halberds which were kept here, and the wrought-iron plastron allows us to imagine what the breastplate listed in the inventory must have looked like. Mention is made of a shotgun, which was certainly a firearm similar to the petronel or pistol, although shorter and with a slightly more modern firing mechanism, but representative of the prestigious production of Ripoll in the early modern period, found throughout Catalonia and beyond. Finally, the inventory includes four crossbows, which would have looked very similar to the 16th century crossbow from the MEV, showing how these dated but very effective weapons could coexist alongside the widespread use of firearms.