THE legends They are a crucial part of the essence of a region or city. People in many regions were born and raised listening to stories which, on many occasions, were the link to weave a unique character. Furthermore, over the centuries, these myths have ended up becoming protagonists of local culture and folklore. Catalonia has many examples of this.
And whether they are simply imaginary or whether they have reliable evidence, in the four Catalan provinces There are many popular legends. The best known is surely Sant Jordi, which is the protagonist of what is the most beautiful day of the year in the entire region. The ‘tio’, ‘l’home dels Nassos’ or the ‘vella Quaresma’ are just other examples.
There are many other myths and one of the most surprising is surely the one surrounding Banyoles. The city of Girona stands out for its lake, surrounded by beauty but also by many enigmas. And it has a pond which is the largest in the entire autonomous community and which, according to legend, is ruled by a dragon. It’s your story.
Great ecological and geological value
The pond is the great sign of identity of Banyoles. It is over 2,150 meters long and between 775 and 235 meters between its widest and narrowest areas. Its surface area is equivalent to approximately 118 hectares and it has an average depth of approximately 15 meters which can reach up to 46.4 meters in its deepest parts. East possible to swim therein its marked areas, and hosts several tests per year.
This small natural lake, named after the town, is in fact very important nationally, because with its basin it is considered the most extensive karst complex in the entire Iberian Peninsula. Level geologist, ecologist and landscaper It has a lot of value, that is why it is protected by several plans and its unique flora and fauna also deserve all the attention.
This pond is said to have formed in the Quaternary period, 250,000 years ago, and one of the things that attracts the most attention is the legend of its monster. Similar to Loch Ness, a monster is said to be hidden in its depths, which they call “”Drac‘ (dragon) because it has its appearance. The story also tells of their refuge, a cave by the lake, in a place known as “La Draga”.
The myth of “Drac” continues to be heard today. It is particularly surprising that this beast spit flames from its eyes and that its breath was capable of drying out plants or contaminating fields. It is also said that he was behind the nocturnal disappearances of residents of Banyoles and that all this led to the Charlemagne sent soldiers there, which also did not have the expected result.
The legend goes further and it is said that the one who was the king of the Franks went to the lake to face the dragon: from this moment there are several theories (from the fact that the emperor defeated, without killing, the monster but also that he killed while begging for mercy and that is why he survived). Regardless, the truth is that neighbors and livestock continued to disappear and end the problem they resorted to. a monk from Narbonne, Holy Sea.
This ended up transforming “Drac” into a harmless being, who continues to live at the bottom of the lake, where he is believed to have appeared at a specific time in history and where many believe he rules the lake either way. Some believe the monster is linked to the tragic shipwrecks which occurred in the lake: the last in 1998, when 20 French retirees died. Although the accident was blamed on excessive passenger numbers, many still remember “Drac.”
