The Basilica of Santa Maria dominates Castello d'Empuries with a scale that feels almost improbable in such a small town. Its Gothic nave, heavy west front and tall bell tower announce the power the counts of Empuries once held here.
Inside, the mood is cool and austere, with high vaulting and a handsome alabaster altarpiece. It is worth taking your time rather than treating it as a quick church stop: the building is the clearest surviving sign that Castello was once a regional capital, not just a pretty village near the coast.