El Vilosell

Municipality in Les Garrigues (Catalonia), bordering with La Conca de Barberà, uneven by the northern slopes of the Llena mountain range (1023 m alt) and drained by the head of the Set river, that starts in the above range and forms the western limit of the area. An important part of the territory is covered with pine woods and abundant vegetation. Agriculture, on dry ground, is concentrated on the flatter area: wheat (174 ha), barley (227 ha), almond trees (64 ha), vineyards (225 ha) and olive trees (301 ha). About 900 ha are farmed by the owners, 190 by tenants and 239 by tenant farmers. Livestock scarcely exists.

The village (225 inh [1981]; 665 m alt) is hilly around the scarce remains of the castle of Vilosell, already reported in 1067 in the Muslim ruler of Siurana. The Christian repopulation took place under Alfons I, who in 1178 enfieffed it to Pere de Besora, who granted the charter of population in 1184. The monastery of Poblet purchased the place to Pere de Sassala in 1217. The parish church (St Mary) has a Baroque front. The sanctuaries of Sant Miquel de la Tosca and Crucifici are inside the municipal area.