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Gala Dalí Castle in Púbol

At the Gala Dalí Castle in Púbol, open to the public since 1996, visitors can discover the medieval building in which Gala infuses Salvador Dalí's creativity right down to the finest details, and which goal was to provide Gala with a quiet and secluded place. It was the time passing that determined the transformation of this castle that became, between 1982 and 1984, Salvador Dalí's last studio and finally the mausoleum of his muse.


 The basic structure of this building - that already existed in the 11th century- consists of three storey's arranged around a high and  narrow courtyard. The castle dates back to the  period of splendor of the barony of Púbol in the second half of the 14th century and  the beginning of the 15th century.

When Dalí bought the castle in 1969, it was in a very poor state, with collapsed ceilings, substantial cracks and a much neglected yard. However, it gave   the house a very romantic atmosphere that the Dalí couple appreciated and tried to retain during the restoration work they undertook. Therefore the outside structure was consolidated but  the marks of time were left in order to preserve the old appearance of the house. Salvador Dalí used the walls and semi-collapsed ceilings in a very intelligent way, creating unsuspected spaces of very different sizes. The interior decoration was made of  pictorial representations on the walls, false arquitectures, baroque textiles, antiques, romantic symbols, etc. The result is a closed, mysterious, private, austere and sober place, with spaces of great beauty, such as the former kitchen converted into a bathroom or the Piano Room.

Dalí refers to the Castle in his written work: it is interesting to note how in Confessions inconfessables (1973) he presents it as a continuation of Portlligat - precisely through the Round or Oval Room (Gala's place), understood as a space dedicated to his wife and to the ideal of love. This association is  clear in the following paragraph:

"Everything celebrates the cult of Gala, even the round room, with its perfect echo that crowns the building as a whole and which is like a dome of this Galactic cathedral. When I walk around this house I look at myself and I see my concentricity. I like its moorish rigour. I needed to offer Gala a case more solemnly worthy of our love. That is why I gave her a mansion built on the remains of a 12th century castle: the old castle of Púbol in La Bisbal, where she would reign like an absolute sovereign, right up to the point that I could visit her only by hand-written invitation from her. I limited myself to the pleasure of decorating her ceilings so that when she raised her eyes, she would always find me in her sky".

Púbol Castle is thus a highly significant place in the Dalinian creation: it is a continuation of Portlligat with a personality of its own. It is Dalí's gift to his wife Gala, to whom he took an oath of allegiance  and where  he could not gain access without written permission from her. Along with that line we should highlight  a handwritten note by Dalí, "Le château de Gala, la Gala du château" (sic), in the book by Jean-Charles Pichon, L'homme et les dieux.

Similarly, in a signed article he refers to Gala and to the Castle:

"I give you a Gothic castle as a gift, Gala.

I accept, with one condition, which is that:

You only come to visit me at the Castle on

invitation. I accept, since I accept

everything in principle, on condition that there are conditions.

It is the same condition as courtly love".


ACCESSIBILITY

The rooms of the Gala Dalí Castle are accessible for people with reduced mobility, except Gala's bathroom, the exhibition "Les Gales de Gala" and the crypt.

People in wheelchair can access the museum through the gateway in the street behind the church (Fora Muralla Street, unnumbered). The door is equipped with a buzzer to inform the museum staff.


HOW TO REACH

Airports

Girona, Barcelona, Perpignan
Road

Barcelona: Take the AP7 motorway (Barcelona-la Jonquera), Girona North exit, towards Palamós. A few meters after the village of Bordils and the crossroad to Flaçà, take the road to La Pera and then to Púbol.

Nacional II Road: Barcelona-France, towards Palamós. If you drive from Figueres, take the road to La Bisbal d'Empordà until the crossroad to Parlavà, then turn right and drive until you reach C-66 road. Then turn right towards Girona and after driving 2 km., turn left to follow the road to La Pera and then Púbol.

Perpignan: take the A9 motorway (Perpignan-La Jonquera), and Nacional II Road until Figueres or the AP7 motorway (La Jonquera-Figueres) IV-6234, GI-633 and C-66 up to GIV-6426 in Púbol.
Train

Line Barcelona - Portbou (RENFE)

Line Perpignan - Barcelona (SNCF)

Line Cerbère - Barcelona (SNCF)

Stop in Flaçà station. From Flaçà is 4km away from Púbol. If you don't want to walk to Púbol, you may take a taxi at the train station.

Line Paris - Figueres-Vilafant (AVE)

Line Barcelona - Figueres-Vilafant (AVE)
Bus

Line Girona-Palamós (SARFA) Stations in Flaçà (to take a taxi) or La Pera (you will need to walk 2 km distance to get to Púbol).

Line Perpignan - Figueres (EUROLINES)
Taxis

In front of the train station
Car Park

Free car park: in the entrance of Púbol village


ADMISSION

Please check the web for further information



FOR GROUP RESERVATION: pubol@fundaciodali.org


VISITOR INFO

ADDRESS:
Gala Dali, s/n
17120 La Pera (Girona)
Catalonia
Spain

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