El Pont de Suert

The Pont de Suert borders to the north with the Boí Valley, a benchmark of Romanesque art in Catalonia, declared a World Heritage Site in 2000.

As a curiosity, it is worth mentioning that its inhabitants are called pontarrins.

The Pont de Suert is the capital of the Alta Ribagorza region, and is located at 841 meters above sea level, in the Noguera Ribagorzana valley. Its municipal area has almost 150 km ² and has 24 aggregates, all of them with very few inhabitants: Abella d'Adons, Erillcastell, Adons, Casòs, Castilló de Tor, Corroncui, Iran, Erta, Esperan, Gironella, Gotarta, Igüerri, Castellars, Irgo, Massivert, Peranera, Perves, Pinyana, Raons, Sarroqueta, Ventolà and Vivet, Llesp, Malpàs, and Viu de Llevata.

Its origin dates back to 1016, and it had great importance throughout history due to its location at a crossroads, which gave it the function of a market. Today, commerce and tourism have benefited in the same way from the new roads that have been built.

In the old town of El Pont de Suert we find examples of this history, such as the Plaza Mayor, the Plaza del Mercadal, the Old Church (of Romanesque origin and modified in the 18th century) or the Abacial Palace (of civil Gothic style rehabilitated to end of the 20th century). On the outskirts of the town, in the direction of La Pobla and after passing the tunnel, on the right we find the Escaldes reservoir, where we can see the remains of the Lavaix monastery, of uncertain origin, but of great importance.

The Romanesque style of the area is also represented in the churches that we can find scattered in some of its additions:

Are waiting

Elevated 1,400 meters from the valley, we find Esperan, today unpopulated, and where the church of San Sadurní d'Esperan is located, in Romanesque style with a single nave with a semicircular apse and a pointed vault.

Cases

In Casòs, located at 1,200 meters, we can visit the church of San Romà de Casòs, Romanesque style and with a single nave. Very close we find the small Sanctuary of San Salvador

Iran

In the small town of Iran, at 1,288 meters above sea level, there is a small church with a single nave with a double triumphal arch apse dedicated to Saint Clement. It is worth highlighting its belfry with two eyes.

Corroncui

In Corroncui we find the church of Santa María de Corroncui, which was rebuilt from an old, very deteriorated Romanesque church, and in which samples of the vaults and capitals remain.

Castle of Tor

The small town of Castilló de Tor, located at 954 meters above sea level, is the entrance to the Boí Valley. Here we find the church of San Esteban de Castilló de Tor, from the 12th century and in Romanesque style, today very deteriorated. On the other side of the river, crossing the medieval bridge we find the sanctuary of Remedio, of modern construction, which replaces the old church.

Irgo

On the outskirts of the small town of Irgo, at 1,380 meters above sea level, we can visit the church of the Madre de Dios de las Nieves, with a rectangular plan and a single nave. Following the road towards Igüerri we find the hermitage of San Salvador de Irgo, also with a single nave, with a belfry bell tower and covered with stone slabs and Arab tiles.

Castellars

Castellars, practically uninhabited, is located at 1,237 meters above sea level and is made up of stone houses and large farmhouses, some of which date back to the 9th century. There we find the church of San Martín de Castellars, Romanesque style, with a very elaborate baptismal font.