Surrounded by four rivers, the medieval city of Girona in the northern region of Catalonia has attracted settlers for thousands of years. The earliest Iberians, the Ausetani, established an ancient city here, and later the Romans built a citadel, of which sections of the fortress walls are still visible. The Visagoths controlled the city prior to the invasion of the Moors in 715 AD. During the ensuing centuries, Girona was sacked and invaded dozens of times, repeatedly changing hands between the Muslim Moors and the Christian kings. By the 11th century, Girona was declared a city by King Alfonso I of Aragon. During the 12th century, one of the most influential Jewish Quarters in Western Europe flourished in the city for more than two centuries until Judaism was outlawed by the Spanish monarchy in the 15th century. As part of our Heritage Tour we visited this fascinating historical city and saw some of its more important structures.