Other stories and legends
The Lladre Cave and the Bandit Joan Serra
Near the spring of la Pasquala, in a wooded area, lies the well-known Lladre Cave, a place linked to the legendary bandit from Valls Joan Serra, nicknamed la Pera. It is said that the bandit hid there for a long time, taking advantage of the cave’s structure, which includes several chambers and hidden exits.
When the sometent (a corps of armed men from the 16th to 18th centuries) discovered his hideout and tried to capture him, la Pera managed to deceive them thanks to his knowledge of the terrain. According to legend, not many years ago, two hidden pistols were found there, which reinforces the connection to this historic figure of Catalan banditry.
The Sant Crist de la Sang and Divine Punishment
In the church-hospital of Sant Marçal de Montblanc, the Cofraria de la Puríssima Sang kept a highly venerated crucified Christ. On July 19, 1936, at the start of the Civil War, the Sant Crist de la Sang was destroyed. It is said that two armed men broke it before throwing it into the fire.
Another version says they mocked it by placing it in front of the image of the Virgin dels Dolors, pretending they were dancing, and then broke its legs with rifle butts to make the figures match. Afterwards, they loaded all the images into a truck and either burned them or threw them into the river.
According to legend, both men died tragically shortly afterwards: one during the war, with his legs shattered, and the other from an accidental gunshot while hunting. These deaths have been interpreted as divine punishment for desecrating the religious images.
The Mutilated Towers of Montblanc
Another legend explains why some towers of the Montblanc town walls appear mutilated. According to tradition, this was a punishment imposed by the Poblet Monastery after a serious conflict with the town’s inhabitants.
The people of Montblanc had gained the right to collect firewood in the forests of Poblet, but the monks often prevented them. The situation worsened when, beyond denying access, several residents were assaulted and two were killed by the monastery guards.
The people’s response was forceful: they attacked the monastery, burned a chapel, raided farms, and took away livestock and crops. As a reprisal, the king, under pressure from Poblet, ordered the towers of Montblanc to be mutilated and imposed a heavy fine on the town. This conflict is part of a long history of tensions between Poblet and the neighbouring villages.
Source: Llegendes de la Conca de Barberà, by Rosa M. Canela
