The Legend of Siurana

Marc RL · · 2 min read

High on a dramatic cliff in the Priorat region sits Siurana, a small village that, beyond its natural beauty, keeps one of the most haunting legends in Catalonia: the story of the Reina Mora, the Moorish Queen.

The last Muslim stronghold in Catalonia

During the Middle Ages, Siurana was the last Muslim stronghold in Catalonia. Its strategic position and difficult access made it an almost impregnable bastion. In 1153, however, Christian troops led by Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, managed to conquer it, putting an end to Saracen rule in the region.

The legend of the Reina Mora

According to popular tradition, during the Christian siege the daughter of the wali of Siurana, named Abdelazia, was in the castle holding a banquet with other nobles. The Christians are said to have used the distraction to slip into the town, helped by a Jewish man who opened the gates for them. Suddenly, in the middle of the banquet, an arrow flew in through the window and stuck in the table. Panic-stricken, the queen mounted her white horse to flee, an impossible escape given that the castle stands on a rocky outcrop. Meanwhile, the Christian troops had entered the town and slaughtered its people. Abdelazia then chose to end her life by riding over the edge of the precipice.

Today the spot is known as the Salt de la Reina Mora, the Moorish Queen’s Leap, and it is said that the rock still bears the mark of a horseshoe, left by the horse as it tried in vain to stop before plunging into the void.

A village of legend

Beyond the story of Abdelazia, Siurana is a place steeped in legend and mystery. Its narrow cobbled streets, the castle ruins and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria carry visitors back in time, letting them relive the stories that have shaped this remarkable spot.

To visit Siurana is to step into a past full of adventure, tragedy and myth that lives on in Catalonia’s collective memory.

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Legends Villages