Calvari

The Calvari in Tortosa is a religious space situated in the Santa Clara quarter, separated from the Pujada de Sant Francesc by a wire fence. The Calvari or Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) winds upwards and its stations, sheltering beneath cypress trees, are square structures set on dimension stones. Their walls have exposed tiles and they have flat entablatures, a pediment and a roof. At the upper end of the path appears a Neoclassical structure built in 1829. With a stone façade, an arch, Doric columns and a curved pediment, inside is a chapel with a semi-dome vault.

During Franco’s regime, in the north part of the Calvari and coinciding with the end of the Via Crucis, the Creu dels Caiguts (Cross of the Fallen) was erected. This 3-metre-tall iron cross was erected on a sort of altar at the top of a stepped pedestal. Behind this was the stone wall we can still see today; before its removal in 2022, there used to be a relief inscription to honour the dead on this wall. Other elements were removed many years ago, including the yoke and arrows, the Cross of Burgundy and the shield of the dictatorship.

The Parish of Sant Blai is now in charge of the celebratory events that take place on the Calvari during Easter Week while the local Santa Clara neighbours’ association maintains the space to keep it in good condition. Even though it lies in the city’s historic centre, it is a place that many people have never visited.