Les Valls de Valira

Template: Infobox church in Spain / Maintenance / no local key

Template: Infobox church in Spain / Maintenance / Province

Les Valls de Valira is a comune ( Municipi ) with 879 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) in the province of Lleida, in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. The municipality consists of the 15 villages Anserall, Arcabell, Arduix, Argolell, Ars, Asnurri, Baixos de Calbinyà, Bescaran, Calbinyà, Civis, Farga de Moles, Os de Civís, Sant Antoni, Sant Joan and Sant Pere Fumat.

Location

The framed by the mountains of the southern Pyrenees valley is situated at an average altitude of about 740 meters above sea level. inst in the northwest of Catalonia near the border with Andorra.

Demographics

Still in the middle of the 19th century, the formerly independent villages had aggregated around 2,000 inhabitants. The mechanization of agriculture and the consequent loss of jobs since then led to a constant decline in population.

Economy

The former inhabitants lived primarily as subsistence farmers from the dairy and cheese production. Meanwhile, many vacant houses have been converted into apartments.

History

In the Middle Ages included large parts of today's municipal area to the basic rule of the Counts of Urgell. The municipality was created in 1970 through the merger of initially only five villages ( Anserall, Arcabell, Ars, Bescaran and Civis ). Over time, the other villages were added.

Attractions

On the territory of the municipality there are several listed buildings ( Ben Culturals d' interests Nacional or ... Local ):

From built of rubble Mosteiro de Sant Serni Tavèrnoles only the eastern parts of the Church ( apses and transept ) are obtained; from the single-aisled nave only are remains of walls. Since the two transept arms terminating in apses, maybe there is a connection to the group of Trikonchos churches ( cf. Sant Pere de Montgrony ).

The single-nave parish church of Santa Eugenia is a building from the 11th century with a wooden roof and a rectangular apse. The frescoes were taken at the beginning of the 20th century and are located in located in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya ( MNAC ) in Barcelona.

The only about 30 inhabitants village of Ars impressed by its location and the round tower of the church of Sant Martí from the 12th century.

The church of Santa Eulalia is a brick rubble stone building with a tower on the south side.

The is uplifting on a square plan freestanding bell tower ( campanar ) of the now-defunct church of Sant Martí impressed by its height and its more up and more opening windows or sound holes.

The church of Sant Romà is also a Romanesque building of the 12th century.