Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí facts for kids

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Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location	Vall de Boí, Alta Ribagorça, Province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Includes	Església de Sant Feliu Església de Sant Joan de Boí Església de Santa Maria (Taüll) Església de Sant Climent Església de Santa Maria de l'Assumpció Església de Santa Maria (Cardet) Església de la Nativitat Ermitage de Sant Quirc Església de Santa Eulàlia
Criteria	Cultural: (ii), (iv)
Inscription	2000 (24th Session)
Area	7.98 ha (19.7 acres)
Buffer zone	3,562 ha (8,800 acres)

The Churches of the Vall de Boí are a group of nine old churches. They are found in the Vall de Boí area of Catalonia, Spain. These churches are famous for their Romanesque art style. UNESCO has named them a World Heritage Site. This means they are very important places for everyone to protect.

These churches are special because they show a unique type of early Romanesque architecture. This style came from Lombardy, a region in Italy. It was popular in the 11th and 12th centuries. The churches are known for their tall bell towers and beautiful wall paintings.

What is a World Heritage Site?
The History of the Frescoes
Sant Climent, Taüll
Santa Maria, Taüll
Sant Joan de Boí
Santa Eulàlia d'Erill la Vall
Sant Feliu, Barruera
La Nativitat, Durro
Sant Quirc, Durro
Santa Maria, Cardet
Santa Maria, Cóll
Gallery
See also

What is a World Heritage Site?

UNESCO is an organization that helps protect important places around the world. In the year 2000, UNESCO chose nine churches in the Vall de Boí to be a World Heritage Site. This honor helps make sure these special buildings are kept safe for future generations.

Here are the nine churches that are part of this World Heritage Site:

Code	Name	Place	Coordinates
988-001	Sant Feliu de Barruera	Barruera	42°30′17.2″N 0°48′13.1″E / 42.504778°N 0.803639°E / 42.504778; 0.803639
988-002	Sant Joan de Boí	Boí	42°31′41.7″N 0°50′01.0″E / 42.528250°N 0.833611°E / 42.528250; 0.833611
988-003	Santa Maria de Taüll	Taüll	42°31′01.4″N 0°51′03.4″E / 42.517056°N 0.850944°E / 42.517056; 0.850944
988-004	Sant Climent de Taüll	Taüll	42°30′59.6″N 0°50′59.4″E / 42.516556°N 0.849833°E / 42.516556; 0.849833
988-005	Santa Maria de Cóll	Cóll	42°26′35.3″N 0°44′43.9″E / 42.443139°N 0.745528°E / 42.443139; 0.745528
988-006	Santa Maria de Cardet	Cardet	42°29′03.8″N 0°46′36.3″E / 42.484389°N 0.776750°E / 42.484389; 0.776750
988-007	La Nativitat de Durro	Durro	42°30′09.9″N 0°49′19.1″E / 42.502750°N 0.821972°E / 42.502750; 0.821972
988-008	Sant Quirc de Durro	Durro	42°30′08.6″N 0°49′25.3″E / 42.502389°N 0.823694°E / 42.502389; 0.823694
988-009	Santa Eulàlia d'Erill la Vall	Erill la Vall	42°31′49.6″N 0°49′55.8″E / 42.530444°N 0.832167°E / 42.530444; 0.832167

The History of the Frescoes

Fresco of Christ Pantocrator from Sant Climent de Taüll, a famous Romanesque artwork.

In the early 1900s, people became very interested in the old wall paintings, called frescoes, inside these churches. Scholars wanted to study them. Some art dealers also saw a chance to make money.

In 1904 and 1906, a group called the Hiking Club of Catalonia visited the Vall de Boí. They made maps, took photos, and wrote notes about the art. Later, in 1907, the Institute for Catalan Studies also explored the area. They documented important buildings and artworks.

Because of this interest, museums and private collectors wanted to buy these frescoes. By 1919, many artworks were being sold. Some were even moved to museums in the United States. In one case, a collector paid people to carefully remove frescoes from a church.

However, the people in the Taüll region did not want their frescoes to leave their churches. They fought to keep the art in their community. This led to an agreement. The frescoes would be moved to the National Museum of Catalan Art (MNAC) in Barcelona. This way, they would be safe from theft or damage.

A team of Italian experts carefully removed the paintings from the walls. In some churches, copies of the frescoes were put back in their place. The original Taüll Romanesque paintings at MNAC are now world-famous. Many other Romanesque murals from the Vall de Boí are also kept safe at MNAC and at the Museum of Vic.

Sant Climent, Taüll

Sant Climent, Taüll.

The church of Sant Climent de Taüll was officially opened on December 10, 1123. It has three main sections, called naves. These are separated by round columns. At the end of the church are three rounded parts, called apses. The roof is made of wood.

Next to the church is a tall, six-story bell tower. It stands close to the church but is a separate structure. The main entrance is on the south side and has a curved arch. Inside, there were many frescoes painted by an artist known as the Master of Taüll. The most famous painting, the Pantocrator (a depiction of Christ), is now at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC). It is considered one of the best examples of Romanesque art in Catalonia.

Santa Maria, Taüll

This church was also opened in 1123. For a long time, it served as the main church for the town of Taüll. Its design is very similar to Sant Climent. It has a main floor with three naves and three apse sections. The bell tower is located in the middle of the church.

Many frescoes were found inside this church too. They were studied in 1907. A famous fresco showing Saint Mary with the child is now displayed at the MNAC.

Sant Joan de Boí

Bell tower of Sant Joan de Boí.

Sant Joan de Boí also has three naves. Its original roof was made of wood, but it was later changed to stone. The bell tower, which has a clear Lombard style, is attached to the south side of the church. Only two of its original levels remain. The top part of the bell tower was added later.

Only the apse of this church is still in its original form. It also has a special collection of 12th-century paintings. Some of these show mythical animals. The original paintings, known as the Paintings from Sant Joan in Boí, are at the MNAC. You can see copies of them inside the church.

Santa Eulàlia d'Erill la Vall

This church was named a "historic-artistic monument" in 1962. It has one main nave and a rounded apse. On the outside, there is a covered walkway with round columns. The bell tower is a great example of Lombard architecture from the Vall de Boí. It has six stories and is 23 meters (about 75 feet) tall. It is decorated with double windows.

Inside the church's sacristy (a room for church items), a 12th-century sculpture group was found. It is called El Davallament. This sculpture is now split into two parts. One part is at the MNAC, and the other is in the Episcopal Museum of Vic.

Sant Feliu, Barruera

This church was first mentioned in records in the late 1200s. Not much is known about its early history. It is located in the town of Barruera. The building has one main nave with a rounded, tunnel-like ceiling called a barrel vault. The nave ends in a semicircular apse.

La Nativitat, Durro

This church is located high up, at 1,386 meters (about 4,547 feet) above sea level, in the small town of Durro. It was first mentioned in the 11th century. Its style is similar to the other churches in the area. It has one nave and one apse. Its five-story bell tower has only a few small openings.

Sant Quirc, Durro

Sant Quirc de Durro.

This is a small, simple chapel, also known as a hermitage. The nave has a barrel vault ceiling. It ends in a presbytery, which is a slightly raised area near the altar. The entrance door has a curved arch made of wedge-shaped stones called voussoirs. The chapel does not have much light. It only has a small round window at the front and tiny openings on the west side.

Santa Maria, Cardet

This is a small church with one nave. Its ceiling is covered with four sections of a grain vault, which is a type of curved ceiling. Because it is built on a slope, the apse, which has two floors, is higher than the main nave. There is a crypt (an underground room) in the basement of the apse.

Santa Maria, Cóll

This church is also known as the Church of the Assumption. It has one nave with a barrel vault ceiling. The bell tower is square and has two floors. The first floor has pointed windows. The second floor holds the bells. Experts believe this church was built in the mid-1200s.