Bolvir

Bolvir is a small village in the Catalan Pyrenees, nestled in a privileged landscape of the Ceretana Valley. A place steeped in history and cultural richness, with perfectly preserved monuments brimming with beauty.

The territory is divided into two zones clearly differentiated by their orography: the southern plain, with Talltorta and the core of Bolvir, and the northern part, which is steeper and more rugged.

From the Church of Santa Cecilia, which allows you to delve into the Romanesque in all its essence, with the magnificent 15th-century Gothic altarpiece, to the discreet Chapel of the Virgin of Hope, a space of Christian contemplation that transmits peace and serenity.

The simple jewel of Sant Climent de Talltorta, a church decorated with 18th-century murals that completely cover the temple and transport us back to the era of rural Baroque. A unique example of the most intense period experienced by these Ceretan lands, and now recognized as a Cultural Asset of National Interest.

El Castellot, the birthplace of Bolvir, represents the origins of Cerdanya and the history of Catalonia. An archaeological site of an ancient settlement that demonstrates the ancient importance of this place, inhabited and admired throughout the centuries . The Iberians, the Romans, and medieval societies lived within its walls, beside the bonfires and embers of their homes. Hannibal, the great Carthaginian strategist who swore eternal enmity to the Romans, crossed these cold lands with his army of elephants, accompanied by other figures from distant lands, transforming this inhospitable place into a prestigious enclave and a legacy for the people of Bolvir and their visitors.

All these soulful monuments, surrounded by green fields and an intense sky, are protected by natural spaces such as the Camino del Agua and the Valle de la Font, where you can enjoy incomparable Pyrenean beauty with family and friends.

Enjoying Bolvir in any season means enjoying nature, well-being, tranquility, and local celebrations and festivals. Each contributes to strengthening the sense of community and caring for its people, both local and foreign.

Every year, Bolvir welcomes visitors from all over the world, bringing great added value to the town, filling its streets with cultural diversity and turning this place into a space of small corners where people can enjoy great experiences.

Places of interest

Ceretania Space with the archaeological site "El Castellot"

The Espai Ceretània is the center for disseminating the archaeological heritage of Castellot de Bolvir, the largest known Iberian settlement of the Ceretans in the Pyrenees. Located in the highest part of the Corona, in the municipality of Bolvir, the site has only been partially excavated (20-30%) and is still under study.

The Castellot presents three major phases of occupation: an initial Iberian Ceretan period, followed by a Roman phase, and, after a period of abandonment, it was repopulated in the medieval period (10th-12th centuries), before being finally abandoned.

Saint Cecilia of Bolívar

A 12th-century Romanesque church, probably built on an earlier 10th-century one. It has a single nave with a semicircular apse and a pointed vault. The apse features a frieze of gear teeth with corbels sculpted with birds and human heads. The 14th-century bell tower is a three-story tower with a pyramidal roof.

The entrance door was moved to the bell tower in 1886 and returned to its original location in the 1920s, with the addition of a massive sawtooth frieze. The altar had a Romanesque front of polychrome wood and stucco, dedicated to Saint Cecilia and Saint Valerian, dating from the 13th century, now in the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

Saint Clement of Talltorta

The 17th-century parish church of Talltorta has a rectangular floor plan with a single nave and three side chapels. Archaeological work has identified an earlier phase with a semicircular apse, possibly from the old Romanesque church of Santa Fe de Talltorta.

The current building was constructed in 1667. Its artistic jewel is the 18th-century mural paintings of Sant Climent de Talltorta, declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest. By unknown artist, they are painted in tempera and cover the entire interior with floral and architectural motifs and biblical scenes, in a handcrafted style and with a clear doctrinal message of salvation.

You'll also find the Ceretana Sistine Chapel almost entirely preserves its original Baroque mural paintings from 1718. Documented since 1667, excavations and restorations have uncovered an ancient Romanesque temple beneath the current church. Historians suggest it could correspond to the now-lost Santa Fe de Talltorta or San Clemente del Soler. In the Rectory, an immersive experience allows you to discover the paintings through the story of the priest who commissioned them, delving deeper into the art and history of the building.

Chapel of Hope of Bolívar

A single-nave chapel with a barrel vault and a bell tower, built in 1347 by order of Guillem Pere, priest of Meranges, who wanted to be buried, although he never was. In the 1930s, the windows were renovated, changing from rectangular to semicircular voussoirs, like the door.

Formerly, it had attached the old cemetery, moved in 2016. The 15th-century Gothic altarpiece, currently in the church of Santa Cecília, comes from this chapel.

Our Lady of Remedy

A chapel built at the end of the 20th century by the Manaut family, next to its castle tower. Located on a promontory with privileged views over Cerdanya, it is a place of Marian devotion and a place where the feast of Saint John is celebrated on June 24th.

The building, made of plastered stone and covered with slate, stands out for its dome with a polygonal and pyramidal top, also covered with slate.

If you'd like to learn more about Bolvir, don't hesitate to come visit us... We'll be waiting for you!