Page 218 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

216  EASTERN SP AIN

The Catalan Language right down the beautiful
Cerdanya Valley, watered by
Catalan has now fully recovered from the the trout-filled Riu Segre.
ban it suffered under Franco’s dictator ship Puigcerdà, very close to the
and has supplanted Castilian (Spanish) French border, was founded in
as the language in every day use all 1177 by Alfonso II as the capital
over Catalonia. Spoken by more than of Cerdanya, which shares a past
9.5 million people, it is a Romance language and its culture with the French
akin to the Provençal of France. Previously it Cerdagne. The Spanish enclave
Catalonia’s was suppressed by Felipe V in 1717 and only of Llívia, an attractive little town
national emblem officially resurfaced in the 19th century, when with a medieval pharmacy, lies
the Jocs Florals (medieval poetry contests)
were revived during the rebirth of Catalan literature. A leading figure 6 km (4 miles) inside France.
of the movement was the poet Jacint Verdaguer (1845–1902). Cerdanya is the largest valley
in the Pyrenees. At its edge
is the nature reserve of
Cadí-Moixeró, which has a
6 Andorra 7 La Seu d’Urgell population of alpine choughs.
Principality of Andorra. * 78,000. Lleida. * 12,300. @ n Carrer
@ Andorra la Vella. n Plaça de la Major 8, 973 35 15 11. ( Tue & Sat.
Rotonda, Andorra la Vella, 376 _ Festa Major (Aug).
73 00 03. ∑ visitandorra.com
This ancient Pyrenean town was
Andorra occupies 464 sq km made a bishopric by the Visigoths
(179 sq miles) of the Pyrenees in the 6th century. Feuds
between France and Spain. between the bishops of Urgell
In 1993, it became fully and the Counts of Foix over land
independent and held its ownership led to the emergence
first ever democratic elections. of Andorra in the 13th century.
Since 1278, it had been an The 12th-century cathedral
autonomous feudal state under has a much-venerated Roman-
the jurisdiction of the Spanish esque statue of Santa Maria
bishop of La Seu d’Urgell and d’Urgell. The Museu Diocesà Portal of Monestir de Santa Maria, Ripoll
the French Count of Foix (a contains medieval works of art
title adopted by the President and manuscripts, including a 9 Ripoll
of France). These are still the 10th-century copy of St Beatus Girona. * 11,000. £ @ n Plaça
ceremonial joint heads of state. of Liébana’s Commentary on the Abat Oliba, 972 70 23 51. ( Sat.
Andorra’s official language is Apocalypse (see p114). _ Festa Major (11–12 May).
Catalan, though French and ∑ ripoll.cat/turisme
Castilian are also spoken. The E Museu Diocesà
currency changed from the Plaça del Deganat. Tel 973 35 32 42. Once a tiny mountain base from
peseta to the euro in 2002. Open daily. Closed public hols. & 7 which raids against the Moors
For many years Andorra has were made, Ripoll is now best
been a tax-free paradise for known for the Monestir de Santa
shoppers, reflected in the Maria, built in AD 888. The town
crowded shops of the capital, has been called “the cradle of
Andorra la Vella. Les Escaldes Catalonia”, as the monastery
(near the capital), as well as was both the power base and
Sant Julià de Lòria and El Pas cultural centre of Guifré el Pélos
de la Casa (near the Spanish (Wilfred the Hairy), foun der of
and French borders), have also Carving, La Seu d’Urgell cathedral the 500-year dynasty of the
become shopping centres. House of Barcelona. He is
Most visitors never see buried in the monastery.
Andorra’s rural charms, which 8 Puigcerdà In the later 12th century,
match those of other parts of Girona. * 9,000. £ @ n Plaça the huge west portal gained
the Pyrenees. The region is Santa Maria, 972 88 05 42. ( Sun. a series of intricate carvings,
excellent for walkers. One of the _ Festa de l’Estany (third Sun of which are perhaps the finest
main routes leads to the Cercle Aug). ∑ puigcerda.cat Romanesque carvings in Spain.
de Pessons, a bowl of lakes in They depict historical and
the east, and past Romanesque Puig is Catalan for “hill”. Al though biblical scenes. The two-storey
chapels such as Sant Martí at Puigcerdà sits on a relatively cloister is the only other part of
La Cortinada. In the north is the small hill compared with the the original monastery to have
picturesque Sorteny Valley, where encircling mountains, which survived wars and anti-clerical
traditional farmhouses have been rise to 2,900 m (9,500 ft), it purges. The rest is a 19th-
con verted into snug restaurants. nevertheless has a fine view century reconstruction.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp565–7 and pp588–90

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.1)
Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm