Overview:

The Church of Sant Cerni de Nagol, Sant Julià de Lòria In Andorra is a Romanesque style parish church located in the heart of the small town of Sant Julià de Lòria in the Pyrenees Mountains of Andorra. It is a national monument and is believed to date back to the 12th century, having been originally named after a local hermit, Saint Cerni. It is a powerful and imposing building, constructed in local stone and with a baroque façade and two towers. Inside, the church is decorated in the typical white-washed style of many of the ancient churches in the area and there are fourteenth-century paintings in the center aisle. The most important treasure inside the church is a polychrome Gothic altarpiece dedicated to the Virgin Mary, believed to date back to the fifteenth century. There are also several interesting tombs and monuments within the church, including a tombstone from the fifteenth century. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Andorra
Prominent Features:

The Church of Sant Cerni de Nagol in Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra is one of the oldest and most important churches in the principality. It was built in Romanesque style, dating back to the 11th century AD. The church features a single nave and is covered with Romanesque paintings, dating back to different periods. The most prominent feature of the church is the remarkable capitals of the lower part of the nave that feature decorations of plants, a dove, and a figure from the Bible. Other features of the church include a magnificent altar piece by Jaume Morera, a bell tower, an organ, and a choir. The church is open to the public daily, as it also serves as a museum, where visitors can view its works of art and artifacts. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Andorra.

History:

The Church of Sant Cerni de Nagol stands on the site of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Mercury. The temple was located on a hill that dominates the valley of Sant Julià de Lòria, a parish in the Principality of Andorra. During the 11th century, when Christianization began in this area, the temple was converted into a Christian church. This church was first mentioned in 1112, during a dispute between the jurisdiction of Andorra La Vella and Sant Julià de Lòria. Another document from 1128 records the possession of the Church by the Count of Roussillon. Between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the church was completely rebuilt, although the original Roman temple remnants still remained firmly embedded in the foundation. This rebuilding included the construction of a remarkable neo-Gothic bell tower dating back to this period. Throughout the 15th century, the church was one of the centres of activity in southern Andorra, and a number of documents from around this time attest to this importance. In 1444, it was recorded that a wall was built around the cemetery, and in 1494, the portal to the north façade was altered. At the end of the 16th century, the church was rededicated to Sant Cerni, the patron saint of the valley, and it was also at this time that the shrine of the Virgin was transferred to the interior. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the structure of the church was renovated and improved. It was in 1741 that a new chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony was added. In 1772, the windows were modified and a nave was added to the building. Another chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Road was built at this time. The current façades were completed in the 19th century and the baroque-style retables were added to the altars during this period. In 1909, the church was damaged by a powerful storm and the bell tower was in a state of disrepair. During the following years, it was restored to its original condition and finally, in 1929, the bell tower was rebuilt in its current form. The Church of Sant Cerni de Nagol is a fascinating testament to the history and culture of Andorra, and it remains one of the most important and revered monuments in the country. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Sant_Cerni_de_Nagol https://visitandorra.travel/en/discover-andorra/santa-cerni-nagol-church Visit one of the famous monuments of Andorra with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. The Church of Sant Cerni de Nagol is located in the Valira of iron Valley of Sant Julià de Lòria, in the Pyrenees mountains of Andorra. 2. The church was constructed in 1141 as a defensive bastion for the small villages of Andorra. 3. The church was built in a Romanesque Revival style, with walls reinforced with stone buttresses still visible today. 4. The ceilings of the church are seemingly barrel-vaulted, while the plan of the building is a Latin cross and the front façade is made of granite. 5. The church not only serves as a place of worship, but also as a cultural center and hosts local events like rallies and festive celebrations. 6. The church is of great importance to the locals of Andorra, being the oldest church in the region. 7. Around the church is the Nameless Cross of the Iron Valley, erected in the 18th century and considered the symbol of the town. 8. The church has a vast collection of antiques, including a celebrated painting of the crucifixion, attributed to Carlo Dolci, from the 17th century. One of the historical monuments of Andorra, it tells the story of a bygone era