Church of Santa Coloma and Casa de la Vall
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The little medieval churches of Andorra were centres of spiritual and community life for the peoples of the valleys. The bell towers, porches and churchyards - those protected areas around the churches - played an important part in the ceremonies and acts that brought the people of the parishes together. The bell towers could serve as watchtowers, to warn of danger or disaster. The porches and churchyards - which were holy, devotional areas - were where the first forms of political organisation in Andorra took shape.
Andorran Romanesque churches come in all sizes, but they always have a nave, very often with a semi-circular apse, built with the materials available locally, granite, schist, tufa, and slate, and designed to meet the needs of worship and the liturgy. But the builders of the churches did not abandon aesthetics; they wanted to achieve significance and durability. The Lombardy style wall decorations and the wall paintings show the concern of the Andorrans of the past to give their most emblematic buildings a solid artistic dimension.
The Romanesque churches of Andorra are outstandingly well-preserved, and form a unique whole. Built near the old roads, high watchtowers looking down over the valleys, their stones tell us the story of the past.
A free service has been organised by the Museums and Monuments Department with cultural guides providing access to the most important monuments. This service is provided in July and August.
Routes :
Andorra's architectural heritage consists of other works among which the following stand out: