ANSERALL (725 m.alt) Village that belongs to Alt Urgell county, capital of the municipality of Les Valls de Valira. The town (96 inhab.) is located at the right bank of the river Valira, on the other side of the road that goes from La Seu d’Urgell to Andorra. At about 300 m north of the town is the neighbourhood called the Monestir, where you can find the Romanesque church placed at the moment over the remains of the formerly important Benedictine abbey of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles.
The former area is extended to both sides of the Valira valley with two ravines named Cortingles and Estelareny (or Anserall also). This is a mountainous area, unless the small space close to the river course. In the west, there are forest areas with high pines, oaks and holm trees. Near the rivers and villages there are meadows and pastures that favour the exploitation of cattle, which was the most important economic activity. There are irrigated lands, obtained with the help of several ditches, where potatoes, vegetables and fruit trees are harvested. You can also find irrigated lands with vineyards, potatoes and cereals. The ground work is well crafted and distributed by the owners; the forest is in great part, communal. A power plant is near Valira River.
Annual Party Festival is the first Sunday in September. A little festival called the Sant Serni pot is celebrated on Sant Sadurní day (November 29).

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LES VALLS DE LA VALIRA (The Pyrenees Heart) -  According to the census of 2003 (inhab. in parentheses), they are 15 villages who have economic and social activities,: Anserall (96), Arcavell (42), Arduix (9), Argolell (32 ), Ars (34), Asnurri (35), els Baixos de Calbinyà(93), Bescaran (88), Calbinyà (52), Civís (49), La Farga de Moles (18), Os de Civís (131), Sant Joan Fumat (43), and the neighbourhoods of Poble Sec and Sant Pere (43), and Sant Antoni improvement (38), these three last ones are placed close to La Seu d’Urgell and they belong, one side to La Seu and another side to the Valira valleys; they are integrated in the territory of the Baixos de Calbinyà above mentioned.
The villages of Llirt, Morters, Cortingles, Estelareny, Feners, Ministrells, Escàs bordes, and Farrera dels Llops remains at the moment uninhabited.

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Benedictine abbey situated on the outskirts of Anserall, capital of the municipality of Valls de Valira (Alt Urgell), about 300 m to the north of the village head, to the right of Valira River, three kilometers from La Seu d'Urgell, Andorra path. It was closed in 1592.
His origin was a Visigoth and episcopal (1) monastery. Its origins are not very clear since the monks falsified documents several times in order to obtain papal and royal benefits, including a false bull issued by Pope Leo III and Charlemagne provision. Historical data are becoming known in the late eighth century, from the adopcionist or feliciana heresy devised by his abbot Felix (or Feliu) and supported by Elipandus, primate of the Visigoth church. Felix, Abbot of Tavèrnoles (2) while also Bishop of Urgell was persecuted and deposed by Charlemagne.
At 815 they received several donations from the Counts of Urgell and Cerdanya. They founded the monastery of San Salvador de la Vedella (Berguedà) and Sant Pere de Casserres (Osona). The year 1019, passed under his tutelage the monastery of San Lorenzo de Morunys (Solsonès) with the appointment by the Bishop of Urgell Saint Ermengol, the same abbot for both monasteries. Their heyday was the eleventh century, when the possessions of the monastery extended from Berguedà to Andorra, passing through Pallars Jussà and Cerdanya. He also had possessions in Castile and Aragon.
A new church was consecrated on 17 January 1040 by bishops Eribau of Urgell and Arnulf of Ribagorza, in honor of the Virgin and the saints Michael and Sadurní. His time was William Abbot and the ceremony was attended by various personalities of the time like the counts of Urgell, the archbishops of Narbonne and Arles and the bishops of Elna, Béziers, Girona and Toulouse. In the consecration document also contained the possessions of the monastery and reference to the Benedictine order followed by the monks ago.
In 1099 Pope Urban II granted the monastery one Bula of immunity. The splendor of Sant Sadurní lasted until the thirteenth century. Its last abbot (commendatory) was Onofre Ferrer who died in 1584. Although the monastery followed assets without abbot, with a congregation of two monks, was finally secularized and closed by order of Pope Clement VIII in 1592. The income of the monastery ended up in the seminar Seu d’Urgell whereas in the monastery a perpetual vicar was installed.

Building: From his early days is only the great head of the church with the apse facing west. The transept that is topped by absidiolos is conserved. It is known that consisted of three ships although these have not been fully preserved. You can still be a round base and much of the original bell tower.
A basilica church facing west, with three naves, transept, three apses (one at the head and one in each arm of the transept), three apses in the central apse and three niches in the central apse of the apse. Note here the ideological approach of this structure where the number 3 appears repeatedly in a place where adopcionist ideology, which questioned the dogma of the Trinity emerged. Currently the foot of the church we find a group of houses, and the cloister, believed he was on the south side, it is missing. It was said twin Cathedral of Santa Maria de Urgell. Some authors believe that, in general, the building follows the lines of Lombard architecture but with a technological approach to the XI century, especially in the header.
Some capitals are in Barcelona, Sitges and the US since they were sold to a collector; the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya is preserved, among other pieces, capitals, a canopy and a front of the altar of XII century in which they appear represented nine bishops with aureoles and in the cathedral of the Seo d’Urgell several documents, including cartulary of the abbey.
In 1971 was a partial restoration. Many modifications were made: a door opened in the south transept apse resolved covers the apses with half-sphere dome and the nave with barrel vault; also partially it reformed circular eliminating an existing prismatic belfry bell then. The current gateway to the temple is not the original, because the wall which is separating the cruise and the apse of the rest of the ship.
In the years 2013-2014 was made prior to the repair of roofs and the arrangement of drainage archaeological survey.

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(1).- It is assumed episcopal foundation, although some historians disagree with this because there is no documentary evidence.
(2).- It also presupposed abbot given the virulence exerted by the delegates of Charlemagne in the reform of the monastery. 

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Before discussing about the past of the venerable ruins of the defunct Benedictine Abbey of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles and project our particular vision on what remains of the monastery, we must first talk about the pilgrimage route[i] passing through Anserall and that, somehow, he conditioned and regulated development of St. Saturnin as the center which was the birthplace of Pyrenean monasticism.
So, we say that the main focus of the pilgrimage route was the main trunk from Perpignan, for Puigcerdà and La Seu d'Urgell was the Segre down and before the Christian conquest of Balaguer, by Nargó reseguía to Bóixols to Isona, Tremp and Ager and places to go to find the road to Santiago coming from Huesca.[ii]
We can therefore speak of the pilgrimage route in the valley of the Valira, also called once and in the first part as Andorran road to Santiago. This is the old road that ran by the principality of Andorra and current coming from the city of Foix: FOIX → PAS DE LA CASA → ENCAMP → RANSOL (Canillo) → ESCALDES → ANDORRA LA VELLA → SAN JULIÀ DE LÒRIA → La borda de  Canturri → LA FARGA DE MOLES (Saint Michael of Ponts church) → RIGHT OF  VALIRA RIVER (Cabanelles → Route to Civís and Cortingles) → Sant Serni de Tavèrnoles → ANSERALL → Parrota path → SANT ESTEVE DEL PONT → SEU D’ URGELL and CASTELLCIUTAT  (more or less below the Solsona Tower) → and connection to the main trunk of the Camino de Santiago del Segre → followed by the Segre river ...We know that some sections have disappeared by landslides and also by different irrigation works. 
The origin of the monastery dedicated to San Sadurní of Tavèrnoles is of uncertain date. Some attribute it to Saint Eudald no evidence, however. Probably already it existed in the second half of the VIII century and was an Episcopal monastery that is, created by the diocesan ordinary where, often, the bishop occupied the abbacy.
We mentioned that the communities of the monasteries of Visigoth church governed by the pactum which was an agreement or arrangement between the monastic community and the new abbot elected and that this position was for life and therefore you could not modify the pactum or rules monastic established until the death of the abbot who signed it.

The origin of the name - we can say, however, that the current patronymic is derived from ancient words of Occitan origin asSerenin, Sernin, Cernin,Fermin and, according to legend, in the sixth century, the Duke Leunebald of Tolosa does build on his tomb a church dedicated to Saint-Sernin-du-Tour (Occitan word for bull, since he was martyred using this kind of animal). The legend also says that San Fermin, patron saint of Pamplona/Iruña, the capital of Navarre, was baptized by him in a site of this town still known as "the Pocico of San Cernin". This name responds to an old part of the city of Pamplona said the San Serenin Burgo or Burgo de San Cernin or where the church of San Saturnino in Pamplona, also known as San Cernin. We present equivalence Sant Serni[iii] =Sant Sadurní =St. Saturnin is therefore clear.
It is believed that the name derives from Tavèrnoles as Tabernulae Latin word or Tabernula (tent, awning or tent) for existence in this place more than a tavern; that is, a place where you could make some kind of accommodation, service posts to replace horses and other services to passersby. Also a hospital as it was then understood: a resting place for pilgrims, sick or not. It is, therefore, was located in a strategic place over royal road that connected the valleys of Andorra with the plain of Seu d'Urgell and from this place as a crossroads to Cerdagne and low Urgell. The existence of this site services, as currently define it, it was complemented by the existence of a Christian place of worship possibly located an ancient pagan place long ago converted to the Catholic faith. And, as already it mentioned, also as core hosting pilgrims coming and going by the Andorran road to Santiago de Compostela. Anyway, the word on Tavèrnoles, we must keep in mind that it is not verifiable hypotheses as the first occurrence documented this name (Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles) is continuously towards 1259, although the minutes of 1040 consecration already cited (Tavèrnoles) and also long before (June 6, 970).
We know from the early days of the monastery because of the complications of Feliciana heresy that the Bishop of Urgell and Tavèrnoles Abbot Felix (or Feliu) with Elipandus, presiding bishop of the Visigoth church, preaching. It was an old theological belief that adoptionism that is now almost extinct in part, where it is maintained that Jesus Christ was an adopted son of God, probably with the intention of reaching a kind of unification with Islam... Charlemagne disagreed and thus was a reason for its intervention; after two councils, the confrontation with Alcuin of York, Feliu is deposed and jailed 799.
A commission formed by the executors of Charlemagne –Leideradus from Lion, Nebridius from Narbonne, Benedict from Aniana-, takes care of the bishop, the bishopric and monastery. Shortly thereafter, he becomes Possedonius new bishop and abbot.

Sant Sadurní of Tavèrnoles and the new rule of St. Benedict: Although there is no documented certainty, there is reason to believe that a major reform tasks Benedict of Aniana promoted on their stay in the Urgell county was the main monastery the area adopted the Benedictine monastic rule; and that this change was applied considering the pactum which governed until then had expired at being deposed Feliu also as abbot of Tavèrnoles. Nor is there evidence base to tell us how the action took place while one of the usual ways of acting was "repopulate" the monastery with Benedictine monks francs newcomers and the subsequent absorption and conversion of the previous Visigoth monks who they accept with the subsequent election of abbot naturally frank origin.
At 815 they received several donations from the Counts of Urgell and Cerdanya. They founded the monastery of Sant Pere de Casserres (Osona) and San Salvador de la Vedella (in Berguedà). We know from the incorporation of St. Saturnin to the rule of St. Benedict the imperial precept issued by Louis the Pious in 835 in favor of the second of these two just cited and which clearly states that it was founded by the Benedictine abbot Calort monasteries. In the year 1019, passed under his tutelage the monastery of San Lorenzo de Morunys with the appointment by the Bishop of Urgell San Ermengol, the same abbot for both monasteries. In its heyday in the eleventh century, the possessions of the monastery extended from Berguedà to Andorra, passing through Pallars Jussà and Cerdanya. He also had possessions in Castile and Aragon.
A new church was consecrated on 17 January 1040 by Eriball bishop of Urgell and Arnulf of Ribagorza. It was consecrated in honor of the Virgin and the saints Michael and Saturnin. His time was abbot Guillermo and the consecration ceremony was attended by various personalities of the time like the counts of Urgell, the archbishops of Narbonne and Arles, the bishops of Elna, Béziers, Girona and Toulouse. In the consecration document also contained the possessions of the monastery and reference to the Benedictine order followed by the monks ago.
In 1099 Pope Urban II granted the monastery one Bula of immunity. The splendor of Sant Sadurní lasted until the thirteenth century.

Brief recap of the territorial expansion of SST: 
1. Erection of new priories and recovery of old cells into disuse since the time Possedonius.
2. (21 March 914): Union of monasteries and churches of Satn Vicent d’Isona, Sant Martí d’Albet, Sant Martí de Bescaran, Sant Esteve d’Umfret, Sant Sadurní Aganense, St. Jaume d’Engordany and St. Andreu de Castellbò (or Tresponts) in the past instituted under the Benedictine rule and now in ruins; with their freeholds, tithes and first fruits, parishes and underlying villas, made by the bishops of Urgell and Nantigís and Adolf and Seniofred Count of Urgell the monastery and its abbot Baldric of Tavèrnoles.
3. Extends the Cerdanya (St. Pere de Ger) and Berguedà; to Andorra[iv] and Tresponts to Nargó and via Bòixols to Llordà, Isona and Tremp basin before the conquest of Balaguer, protecting and covering the Jacobean way mentioned at the beginning.
The great strength of the abbey demonstrates to build the second church of the monastery and the many personalities that were his consecration on 17/01/1040 already cited.
It was a great religious center of economic development with great consistency. Considered sufficient resources instead of Latin jurisprudence and drafting legal documents too. Among other actions, also he participated in the financing--through conquest of Balaguer, in the late eleventh century. In return, he received possession of dependent mosques of Avimoni to build a new church dedicated to San Sadurní[v].
The evangelizing action and repopulation of the monks of SST and its influence in the territories that were the Urgell County is evident by the frequent pattern names that have many churches. We quote some, following the pilgrimage route linking and inter-county Nargó and Tremp with Isona: GAVARRA (Alt Urgell, road Bóixols) and exceeded Isona, CONQUES (the castle church almost disappeared and the same completely), Suterranya (parish) SANT SERNI (the town itself and its parish).
As we said before, it was submitted only a monastery in Rome; i.e. without depending on the ordinary territorial. Years later, by an agreement in the time of Bishop Abril, the monastery accepts that ordinary name to the rectors of the parishes and churches owned by SST.

 THE DECLINE: The process of economic and monastic decadence of the monastery begins during the course of the fourteenth century and is due to different factors: the transfer of the capital of the county of Urgell to Balaguer based; the loss of its main benefactors with the extinction of the counts of Urgell frontline to die Ermengol VIII in 1208 as the Cabrera, his successors ignore monastery who do not do any donation; the Counts of Foix, Viscount of Castellbò, either make new contributions him despite maintaining a monastery with more than right relationships often subject to their particular interests and personal ambitions, perhaps induced by the quarrels related to the Cathar question.
Other structural causes reflect the fact the geographical location of the monastery; its isolation in the past, had benefited him now backfires.
Moreover, epidemics, civil wars and banditry also helped increase its decline. You remember that the Black Death bubonic plague, also said in late 1347 began with devastating effects.
Towards the end of the fourteenth century, a major earthquake shook the valleys and possibly do damage to the round tower of the monastery, according to some authors, was the model for the construction of Santa Coloma of Andorra.
Mention one of the last abbots chosen by the chapter: Antonio (1388-1391) native of Besalú - (according appointments pseudo cardinal Berenguer d’Anglesola, bishop of Girona.) He and the lawyer Pere de Rovira took the spoils of St. Saturnin St. Vincent Martyr Church to Besalú.
The monastery also accentuated decline due to other factors:
+ The fragmentation of the abbey rents according to the different sectors or guardian: sexton, beggar, waiter, etc. Thus the unit control box and broke.
+ The creation of the charge: system whereby key positions, such as Abbot, were given to people outside the monastery and the acquired in exchange for a contribution. Actually they bought the monastery future income in exchange for care of the livelihood of the monks and the functioning of the monastery by an administrator on behalf of the commendatory abbot.[vi] In the case of SST, none of the commendatory abbots were secular and few acted goodly and most did not bother the monastic rule.
+ The wars and banditry: (04/03/1476) The visitors of the Benedictine province of Tarragona and Zaragoza waive personally visit the monasteries of Sant Pere de la Portella, Sant Llorenç near Bagà and Sant Sadurní due to Tavèrnoles war and poverty, and delegate, to carry it out, the monk Jaume Albert from Ripoll monastery. This makes the visitor a letter apologizing Nicholas de Llor of failing to fulfill the order received on behalf visiting the monastery of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles, because of the war (15.04.1476).
The minutes of the visitation for the year 1479 the inspector Luis de Claramunt, abbot of St. Mary of Serrateix says there is only a bell and danger of collapse.
Juan de Chiverri, abbot or SST administrator, along with Fray Bartolome de San Roman, sacristan, and Fray Juan Bizar, monks of the monastery, being in the house where they live Seo de Urgel, assigned by the bishop (since the monastery was occupied by bandits and bad people = Huguenots), and be difficult for them to access the monastery, celebrated chapter ... (22.02.1518).
The last commendatory was Onofre Ferrer, Ripoll monk from 1569-1584.
Already in the last visitation of 1584 he explained that the bandits since last September here, came twenty bandits when found neglected and were masters of the monastery, but soon after, the tocsin of Seu d’Urgell got up and fled. .. Local authorities also believe that the inhabitants of the monastery act properly and risk their lives.
He was with the vacancy SST Abbey between 1584 and 1592 year in which the bull of Clement VIII declared dated 13/08/1592 the final closure of the monastery.
Everything is finished. From now on, what was the Benedictine monastery of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles, there will be only, like an old housing, the monastic buildings, silent witnesses of a glory forever extinguished. And not only he was stripped of everything that was proper on earth, but also everything that was precious kept; tally was like a wind dispersion took everything in its path.

FUTURE PROJECTS: What do we want and we can do? Many things. Basically, we want SST again be a dynamic and revitalizing core assets of the local culture, and do not stop there: they cover and regain its former zone of Pyrenean performance; including particularly the monumental heritage of the peoples that make up the Valls de Valira, without forgetting the wide Pyrenean area. So, too, we thought it might be a good Romanesque Interpretation Center Pyrenean especially if the time came when our neighbors Andorran incorporated into the project actively.
Besides being a place of worship, we want to recover everything that has been lost due to the persistent looting; even for playback or copy. For now, despite the financial difficulties in finding sponsorship or patronage, our Centre of Studies performed the following actions:
1. In preparation, catalane edition of the book entitled Els benedictins a Tavèrnoles- Anserall.
2. Processing the file for playback Canopy and front of the bishops. We have oral and written authorization from the bishopric of MNAC; also the professional team that would take him to fruition. It only remains to obtain permission from the authorities of Culture (and funding).
3. It would be necessary for the rehabilitate access (the stretch to Civís road) passing through the rear of the monastery and that goes to the main street of Anserall order to be able to perform archaeological surveys and modify recovery site. We should also make a brief restoration expansion in the 1970s.
And finally, to say that all need the support of both the Catalan administrations and as the Andorran; we would also enjoy the complicity and support of the bishop and the help of collective defined as civil society and the enthusiasm and support all who, like you, want to stay true to our roots.
Thank you very much for your attention and remain at your disposal for any matter iver SSdT.

[i] We appreciate the initial data for this research received from history professor Mr.Manuel Gabriel i Forn current president of the Associació d’Amics de Sant Pere de Ponts (Friends Association of Sant Pere de Ponts), Ponts (La Noguera County).

[ii] We also appreciate the assistance of Mr. Francesc Alcázar i Domingo, president of the Association of Friends of Cami de Sant Jaume del Segre, Ponts, provided by the bibliography.

[iii] The normalization of Catalan writing sets Serni with the S word, but there is a current Andorran people considered right to do with the letter C.

[iv] Sant Andreu de Tolse (St.Julià de Lòria), Sant Vicenç d’Enclar (Sta.Coloma) and Sant Jaume d’Engordany.

[v] That exists in Balaguer the church dedicated to San Salvador.

[vi] Pope Julius II was also a commendatory abbot of Montserrat monastery

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Translation from the catalan text of the speech presented by Josep-Maria Nogués i Torre to the VII Pyrenean Cultural Meetings"The Pyrenees 1,000 years: visions of the future" held in Seu d'Urgell the 23.10.2010.

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This is the path that comes in Catalonia by the right of the Valira and, without changing position, connected to the main trunk road by Segre Castellciutat.
It is said that this is the old Roman road that ran through this valley; and as there was life before the Romans, we must believe that the age of the plot is much higher.
Later, probably, it was also the road that followed the pilgrims to Compostela. Thus, we will name asthe pilgrimage route in the valley of Valira.
We highlight follows the alternative route that ran through the courrent principality of Andorra and coming from the city of Foix FOIX→PAS DE LA CASA→ ENCAMP→ RANSOL (Canillo)→ ESCALDES→ ANDORRA LA VELLA→ SANT JULIÀ DE LÒRIA→La borda d’En Canturri (=Cal Sabater)→partida dita El Vinyer→LA FARGA DE MOLES. We stop to make comparisons with what has come to us orally and the current situation where the construction of the esplanade of the customs building has removed the signs of the past.
It seems that, in past times, there were a group of facilities below the Runer river, as was  hobnails own forge horseshoes and footwear and also industry cut the slab made the traditional way. Above the tower of the Bastida of Ponts, which was destroyed by the French in the War of the Reapers she was. In this area there was a lever for safe passage of animals and people, not far from the actual passage of said bridge castle of Ponts Bastida suitable for people and carriages and the toll that the people are paying the Borda del Cavaller, which included the mill of Can Clotet who were millers, slaters and farriers.
→ Continue along the river right VALIRA; Cabanelles below, we will go down the road of Santa Lucia and to our right, we will find three old pretty well camouflaged nests of machine guns; leave a bit far, to our left, the said Poblador and Patau huts and Saint Lucia electric power plant. Let's stop the N-145.

The first rectification of this road N-145 damaged the path. Anyway, you can see stretches of road made with dry stone remaining in part, except one of about 250 meters that has disappeared and it is feasible to rebuild; as the mayor says, the Ministry of Development plans to fix it after completion of the current work on the N-145. We will have to rely on than another broken promise ... Continue along the curved bridge, where the road goes to the left side of the Valira- and enters the path of Civís to Cortingles→ Saint Serni de Tavèrnoles → ANSERALL → PARROTA PATH→ SANT ESTEVE DEL PONT → CASTELLCIUTAT→ and connection to the main trunk of St. James Segre Road → SEGRE onwards...

Now, it is up to other description in sections:
Catalan Section: La Farga de Moles, Anserall and La Seu d’Urgell /Castellciutat. 02:50 h 12,300 Km. 
To study it better, we have to split into different sections the Catalan section which passes through the municipalities of Valls de Valira and La Seu d’Urgell.
Section A: From the Farga de Moles to the first cut caused by the ongoing reform of the N-145 (already explained).
Section B: The cut in the first modification of the course of the N-145 part (already explained).
Section C: From Section B to the Anserall old bridge. It is part of the old way to Civís and passing under the metal bridge on Cortingles comes to the new cemetery of Anserall, at the bottom of St. Saturnin de Tavèrnoles along some orchards for floodplain of the Valira and reaches the bridge over the Anserall (or Estelareny) ravine and proceed through the lower part of town to the old bridge.

Section D: This is the old road Parrota. It ranges from the old bridge down below Anserall to St. Esteve del Pont; as part of the path has been modified by new roads one of which complete the path to the connection to the central trunk of the St. James Segre Road in Castellciutat, and in order to make identification easy way for those who want to continue launching it from all Castellciutat, we specify the reverse route to the route made so far. So, put back in the Hotel El Castillo and taking our road left indicator that says "Castellciutat" observed a rural road fork: leave the right that climbs to some homes near the Solsona tower and we for the other. A few meters to our right we saw a fork that we will not and it is the way to Can Sellarés which then becomes the way of the monks who come to the south side of St. Esteve del Pont. We will continue, then, without turning and, a little later, we reach a crossroads in the place that people in the country says els pilars. We take the trail on the right and go carefully to find in the same hand at the beginning or end current (as our direction) Parrota old way. We find a signal that seems brought from elsewhere and tied to a tree; ← Rec Variant says Castle 10 m (minutes). Later we found another indicator that tells St. Esteve del Pont → Passeig d’Anserall 45 m (minutes). On the right side it makes a drop corresponding to the access to the ruins of the church and has been engulfed by the owner of the intermediate meadow. If we will go through the panel "Romanesque Road" which explains some characteristics; on the right side we will see the beginning or end of the road of the aforementioned monks.
We made our way and arrived at the old Borda de St. Esteve (now the headquarters of a company dedicated to horse riding). We will find another sign that says Borda de Sant Esteve - Walk Anserall.
From this point go straight on and ignore the fork on the left that can be found about 100 meters to the new Anserall bridge, cross it and go down next to the building of Cebrià (or Bordoll) that crosses the divide existing between the street and the mayor Settler Parrota own way up to the old bridge where it connects with Section C.

[We must thank the in situ guide made by Mr. Josep-Miquel Vila i Bastida and (†) Mr. Joan-Marc Ribó i Montané. Without them there would not have been easy to do this report.]

Toponymy of the pilgrims: 
In conclusion, we note the different titles to St. James (=Jaume) that, perhaps, should have some bearing on the way the pilgrims to Compostela. Thus, in this section, we find, for example, the church of St. Jaume dels Cortals, Encamp; St. Jaume d’Engordany, Escaldes; St. Jaume de Ransol, Canillo. Valira down, we should mention that of St. Jaume de Llirt, (former annex Calbinyà 'Across the river) and St.Jaume and St.Miquel home and trowel in Ministrells (former annex of Ars), populations that Urgellet currently belongs to the municipality of Les Valls de Valira. Near La Seu d’Urgell, the St. Jaume Tower and two side valleys of Segre down there to make mention of the church of St. Jaume La Vansa (about Montargull) and St. Jaume de Les Masias  de Nargó, it also known as St. Jaume de Remolins.

Currently:
Landslides, the first rectification of a section of the N-145 who moved to the right side of the Valira, the improvement of existing roads, irrigation renewals (Bellestar and 4 Pobles) etc, makes the recovery of this old road of pilgrims and ancient Roman road is not easy.
Anyway, we started from our Centre d’Estudis contacts to whet the old layout dimensions. Some stretches are integers: the stretch of road known as St. Lucia; Cortingles previous area, along the old path of Civís, by the municipal cemetery and the bottom of St. Saturnin de Tavèrnoles to Anserall ravine and bottom of the main street of the village; walk up to the old bridge and down to Anserall discontinued work on the new bridge. From this point you should make a connection with cut just sections of the old road Parrota and to connect with the route leading to the Borda de St. Esteve and St.Eseteve del Pont and purpose of the journey to the N-260 to terminate the connection (in the area of the Hotel El Castillo) with the main trunk of the Camino del Segre in Castellciutat old term.
We have informed all the respective administrations (City Council, County Council) and also in Andorra with a view to a public project recovery, preservation or maintenance of this road, which is classified as a greenway and alternatively walk starts the N-145 road with the aim of promoting knowledge of this area and, at the same time, can serve to revitalize the culture and economy of the territory.
Our partnership makes fieldwork data search and support of civil society of the environment with the intention of receiving public and private sponsorship to adequately develop this project. For this, we express no doubt are receptive to anything you want to give us your feedback on these tasks and contribute data to be asked.
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The image of the Virgin of Covet presides over an old rural parish that had only eight permanent inhabitants in 1990. The church is one of the capitals of the Pallars Jussà and a unique sculptural ensemble throughout the Catalan country. Covet belongs to the municipality of Isona and Conca Dellà, 136'27 km² formed by Benavent de la Conca, Biscarri, Conques, Covet, Gramenet, Isona, Llordà, Figuerola de Orcau, Orcau, Masos de Sant Martí, Montadó, Sant Romà d'Abella, and Siall.
You can access Covet by a 2.5 km road branch, from CC-1412b, Benavent-Biscarri section that leads to the houses that form its nucleus and continues towards Isona (7'2 kms) where it dies.
Covet has always had different levels of population, according to one era or another. Formerly, half an hour short at noon of the town, it passed the royal road of Tremp in Cervera, in the place where the old hostel de las Moreras was, until recently (1999) in ruins and in disuse and, nowadays, totally demolished.
When the counts of Urgell sell the castle of Llordà to Viscount Arnau Mir de Tost and his wife Arsenda, Covet is mentioned in its boundaries (in 1032). It is the first time that Covet's site is cited. From this church comes the famous Santo Cristo de Conques, gothic carving burned in the 1936 riots and very venerated in the church of San Miguel de Conques where there is now a reproduced image, very different from the original one.
The church of Covet is a twelfth century building, Romanesque, with a Latin cross plan - a nave with a transept - and three apses facing east. The three are decorated inside and the largest is also on the outside. (The church was part of the Priory of Covet, a canonical Augustinian dependent of Àger). The nave of the church is covered by a pointed barrel vault, divided into three sections by two toral arches that rest on attached columns with sculpted capitals. In the interior wall of the north wall there are two small doors that give access to the bell tower and the other to the exterior. In the wall on the other side there is a back-to-back column that would correspond to a new toral arch but that dies at the level of the imposts.
The interior gallery is quite original. Partially open in the thickness of the west wall, above the entrance, it is formed by four arches of half a point on columns that support five capitals worthy of admiration for their volume and voluptuousness. You can access this rosette gallery by the two spiral staircases built on the flanks that protrude from the facade. The large rosette on the facade opens with arches and radial columns and the stained glass windows are after 1939.
The main facade of the west wall is the most visible, impressive and remarkable part of the church of Covet, which forms an advanced body, crowned by a flat cornice on corbels.
The door is formed by archivolts in degradation, which rest on columns on both sides and which are sculpted with figures of angels, monsters and acrobats. In the central voussoir, the Original Sin or the representation of the Tree of Life is contemplated. The Tetramorph and God inside a mandorla surrounded by a seraph and a cherub are in the eardrum.
The artists who sculpted Covet had influences from the Toulouse school, among others. We can see represented a whole iconographic and theological program of the different beliefs of the time, some of them not very within the Catholic orthodoxy. We observe the repeated representation of the dualistic principle (Gemini) together with figures of Samson, Noah, Daniel, etc. All this set, which has been dated between 1150 and 1160, is unparalleled in Catalonia and only resembles that of the church of Artaiz, in Navarra -the third quarter of the twelfth century- and other churches in Galicia and Coimbra. We think that the letter of endowment and consecration of this church has not been found and that it is believed that it was built on top of other earlier Visigothic buildings and enlarged a small rural church (the southern apse area) and that the bell tower was an ancient construction of lookout, possibly late Roman, although scholars are divided in their opinions.
The original Romanesque carving of the Virgin is in the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, Palau Nacional, Montjuïc, Barcelona. It is a polychrome carving with back partially emptied. According to the MNAC-4395 file of the Museum, this image dates from the XII-XIII centuries and the wood is poplar: "Virgin with Child, the Virgin is sitting on the throne decorated with geometric drawings on a blue background. In his right hand and with the left he supports the Child on his left knee, he wears a tunic and mantle with a white veil adorned with parallel lines, white leaves and a crown, and rests his feet on a double plinth. , bless with the right hand and carry a book on the left a (80x32 cm). Plandiura Collection 18^th october 1932. The gold of the crowns was renovated modernly. The lower part of the sides of the throne is missing. This image was part of a group of sculptures that, perhaps, came out together from the same workshop and that -of a more rustic appearance- are conserved in the Diocesan Museum of Lleida ".

The doors of the church are the original, as is the wrought. The Episcopal Museum of Vic keeps, with the number 4418 of its inventory, a censer from the Covet priory made in cast bronze, which makes 16 cm. of height and that is conserved in quite good condition. Liturgical object built between the XII-XIII centuries. It was acquired in 1923 by Mosén Gudiol for the exact price of (35?) Thirty-five pesetas of that time, about 90 € now. All the elements of this censer have been conserved: bowl, lid and chains and, in addition, in perfect state of operation.

On July 13, 1986, the ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF COVET (*) is constituted with the intention of recovering, maintaining and to enhance the cultural heritage of the place.

On August 26, 1989, the reproduced image of the Mother and Child, property of the Association, was delivered to the parish of Covet, for later deposit in the church. It is a copy of the original that remains inside the Museum.

In 1993 the catalan book by Josep-Maria Nogués Torre was published entitled "APPROACH TO THE HISTORY OF COVET AND ITS ENVIRONMENT". We concluded this review by saying that the building of the church of Santa María de Covet was declared a National Monument by Royal Order of the eleventh of January 1921 and it is one of the only two that the whole region has under Pallars ................ .................................................. .................................................. ................................

 Article published in the inter-regional journal "LO RAIER", by Tremp (PJ), in his number 187; pgs.18 / 19 April / May-1998.

(*) Society inactive as of the end of August 2003

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Consequence of my works on the history of the Priory of Covet (PJ) and the monastery of St. Sadurní de Tavèrnoles (AU), asking me to make an approach to the possible links between high monastery of Urgell mentioned and the monastic community of Sant Sadurní de Castell-Llordà. (=Saint Saturnine of Llordà Castle).

One of the difficulties one can encounter when wanting to know the facts in some way meets the great documentary dispersion and lack of many of the original. The other challenge is to find out whether the copy that has survived the lost original document which was made after the facts times cited documentary is a real or apparent falsehood. We think that some documents (original copies) in different time reference in calligraphy can make us doubt the document. Other times, writing can be fully false; but explains a fact and, therefore, is drawn; and also it collects and serves as a base in subsequent documents.
Next, we must refer to the monastic community Llordà Castle and its interaction with Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles and later with Sant Pere d’Àger (=St. Peter from Ager). Usable data collection is quite extensive; It affects some places as Isona , Llordà, Abella de la Conca and its castle, Conques, Benavent, Toló Castle and Covet. For obvious reasons of space, we will just Llordà and, exceptionally, in Isona and elsewhere. Those wanting more information can be found extending to the literature cited in the foot and localizable in Isona and elsewhere.
In fact, the events listed below, could prove the dependence of the monastic Llordà community from Tavèrnoles or Ager as the successive epochs.

Tavèrnoles receives between 912 and 914 of the count Seniofred and the bishop Nantigis, several churches and monasteries: these are the monasteries of St. Vicent d’Isona, St. Martí d’Albet, Sant Martí de Bescaran, Sant Esteve d’Umfret, Sant Sadurní Aganense, Sant Jaume d’Engordany and Sant Andreu de Castellbò (or Tresponts before named also Sant Iscle de Sentelles), in the past instituted under the Benedictine rule and now demolished and abandoned, to restore monastic life, redo buildings and beware of their heritage. The bishops Nantigis d’Urgell and Adolf de Ribagorça and the Count Seniofred along with many nobles, clergy and religious County Urgell give their freeholds, tithes and first fruits, parishes and underlying villas in the monastery of Sant Sadurní and it was Baldric abbot.
This territorial reform in favor of Sant Sadurní could be related to the consolidation of branch pilgrimage, from Foix, passed through Tavèrnoles and Anserall and Sant Esteve del Pont splicing the main trunk of the Saint James path of Segre. The same happens in some of the subsequent donations received by the monastery and covering the route of the Andorran road to Santiago de Compostela.
Recall that this Jacobean branch of Segre, before the Christian conquest of Balaguer, reaching to Nargó, Bòixols, Isona, Conques, etc., to Ager and Huesca connected by land with the stretch coming from France and went to Compostela. Remember also that this was an area facing the Andalusian Brand occupants.

Let's also say that for the first time the term of Covet (= Covecetus) cited on 22 June 949 with Isona, Llordà and elsewhere in the consecration of the church of Saint Cristobal from Salinoves (Barony of Rialb - La Noguera) and mention of the various boundaries.
Thus we find the existence in those ancient times of places that were already active and probably to their former places of Christian worship, despite the Saracen raids; Arnau Mir also spoke to his resurgence and resettlement.
Private donations also continue and we can see that the area of influence of the monastery spans Castellciutat and, by way of Taravall, to Llordà and Isona, since Borrell I of Barcelona and II of Urgell expanded in an area It should have been established by the county of Pallars. From the port of Bóixols throughout the Conca Dellà, a frontier zone was established between the two counties was in the mountains of Carreu and Noguera Pallaresa while to the south, the area of influence in the current Pallars came up in the Montsec.
On 12 July 973, Borrell, Count and Marquis, and Wilfred, blood relative of his, given to the monastery of Sant Sadurní and the abbot Ameli (962-973) the church of Sant Vicenç d’Isona qui fui destructa asarazenis, qui deserta fuit per annos multos, in the county of Urgell, in the castle of Abella, in above mentioned Isona place. Also they give the freehold they have and that was Llobeta and his brother Oliba, noting the confrontations of the church and the freehold.
Now it's time to talk about the famous document dated July 30, 973 and corresponding to the donation that made the count Borrell with his brother Jofre, or Guifré that is awarded to the monastery of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles different churches and monasteries from Conca Dellà. Although there have been bibliographic database of many historical works, it is a forged document, although it is a copy of an earlier twelfth century and therefore it is very difficult to say with property that the original document lost was not real. Possibly drafted the XIII century, it is quite useful when released data on Isona and elsewhere in the Conca Dellà. This is a false document certainly, but this relative forgery does not represent precisely explained the facts are also false; not least because this donation is confirmed by the will of Count Borrell and church property was also cited in the act of consecration of the monastery church in 1040. We say, then, that writing was created to certify documented facts which went from historical truth; This does not mean that certain economic rights that perhaps there were to be included. The document mentions us near Isona -of which is repeated several times than est destructa-, church Castle Llordà, fair. The document says that the donation is that Borrell II, Count and Marquis from Barcelona, and Jofre (or Wilfred) brothers make the monastery of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles and the abbot Ameli churches, old established in the last end of Marks at Castle Llordà and Isona city, destroyed by the Saracens, Sant Sadurní de Llordà, Santa Maria and Sant Vicenç from Isona, which was monastery near the fountain named Clara (why some historians talk about St Vicenç de Fontclara or Clarà). The give their freeholds and property, tithes, offerings and oblations, mark the limits, allowing them to imprison workers to recover and bring vacant and dwell therein. Also they granted the monks thems to make aprisió of a term, on-site Calcina, the boundaries are set where they have to build a church in Santa Maria, and you will have everything tot sub manu et fidelitate them and their children and descendants. The reason for these theoretical donations lies in the prestige at that time already reached the monastery from Tavèrnoles with ultra-county influences, albeit within the limits of the county of Urgell. Looking at a map of the Conca de Tremp and, mostly, the subzone Isona and Area, we can verify the number of times that the name Sadurní/Serni repeats, mainly in churches. The then existing primitive castle and church -San Llordà would Sadurní de Castell-Llordà- by monks from Tavèrnoles. Somehow he represented the hegemony of this monastic community in a church in a remote area in the county of Urgell capital but strategic control of the routes that connected the dividing Montsec with the Alt Urgell and Andorra and roamed the valleys of Segre and Valira. And also the restoration of the moors and the repopulation of Meià and Montmagastre.
The evangelizing action and repopulation of the monks of SST and its influence in the territories that were the Urgell county is evident by the frequent pattern names that have many churches. We quote some, following the inter-county route linking Nargó with Isona and Tremp: Gavarra (Alt Urgell, road Bóixols) and exceeded Isona, Conques (castle church almost disappeared and the same completely), Suterranya (Parish Church), Sant Serni (the town itself and its parish church).

Al Mansur races 985 and his son Abd-el-Malek 1003 partially destroyed these activities.

A document that is believed to be above the 993 but with theoretical date of July 25, 1036 which states that Borrell, Count and Marquis gives the monastery of St Saturnine from Tavèrnoles some orchards, of which marks the limits, which He was in the village of Isona in ipsas fontes, at a place called Tudus.
On 24 September 993 and in the will of Count Borrell II of Barcelona-Urgell is confirmed a donation that he had made in the monastery of Sant Saturnine de Tavèrnoles cor some Llordà freeholds.

The November 13, 1009, Ermengol I, Count and Marquis gives the monastery of San Saturnine ancient city called Loris, in the county of Urgell, and Castle Llordà term for remedy of his soul and his father Count Borrell.

The January 17, 1010, Ermengol I, again, gives the monastery and the abbot Ponç of St. Saturnine the county freeholds located within the terms of the castles of Llordà, Abella and Benavent, of which marks the limits, including ancient Loris Subixano and Isona villas, who had been city in the past. We stress this final detail on Isona: agrees with the words of the previous document from 973 where it was said that it had been destroyed; the fact of being classified as a village seems to show us that the reconstruction was complete after all these forty years.
Count Ermengol II of Urgell and his wife Constance sold Castle Llordà to Arnau Mir married Arsenda for two thousand drams. Ager was conquered by the count, and his right hand Viscount Arnau Mir, 1034 and the race would not end ...
Arnau Mir de Tost think was the founder of the former canonical of St. Peter Ager. The first community, once such Benedictine, was established on 1037. The 1048 already on record of a community governed by a canon, which Arnau Mir obtained from the Holy See on the Episcopal privilege of exemption, making it a unique religious enclave . In 1112 he adopted the Rule of St. Augustine, leaving the aquisgranese who had followed until then.
The constitution of the canonical and his subordinate priories, with Covet, have complete Arnau Mir got their hands full control of the territory, at all levels: military, political and religious ...
Caresmar was an act of consecration of the castle church if Llordà in 1040 file Ager. Has not come to us any documents. We can believe that depended on Tavèrnoles and, further, what would coexist with the canonical depending Ager? 

Testament of Arnau Mir de Tost, Viscount of Àger, which leaves a vineyard in the Llordà term of two condominiums to the monastery of St Saturnine de Tavèrnoles, to remedy his soul (August 11, 1.071).
Arnau Mir dying, jurisdictional disputes between the counts of Urgell and the Ager abbey cause the second (or third?) Consecration of the church of Saint Saturnine de Castell-Llordà be held in 1085 and, at the same time established in this church a community of canons, which tries to return the canonical bishop of Urgell domain, through the community of canons of the Cathedral of Urgell. Solved the litigation against the interests of the bishop, Sant Sadurní became the domain of Sant Pere d’Àger, and the community of canons 1092 moved to Santa Maria de Covet, which was a possession of the Bishop of Urgell. This office, however, does not agree anything with records from which it follows Ager citing his Covet as a priory.

Thus, May 2, 1080, the abbot Ramon, with the advice and will of the entire community of the monastery of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles, granted the church of Santa Maria d’Isona to Ermengol Bernard, cure Llordà castle church, designated by the count Ermengol, provided they do celebrate the Liturgy by a cleric in the year, and recognizes the direct and sole ownership of church to above monastery of Tavèrnoles.
Also between 1316 and 1319 Abbot William of Tavèrnoles received an order from the pope, then John XXII, in which he was sending that along with the priors of Sant Jaume de Frontanyà and Organyà, would contribute to meeting the amount of four thousand Barcelona's pay pounds remained of Llordà and Isona castles, which were priced at Barcelona's nine thousand pounds. The sum due shall be provided the tithes of the Holy Land, and handed the bishop and the Chapter of Urgell; it follows that these castles, churches which were the monastery, were now in ruins.
Can we believe that Sant Sadurní de Llordà Castle was a dependency of Sant Sadurní de Tavèrnoles? We think that there is no conclusive or sufficient documentation certifying it definitively, given the successive changes of influences at different times historical evidence. It must be said, however, that such territorial possession of churches by Tavèrnoles and implicit alliance it had with the counts of Urgell allowed at all costs be an important development in fact monastic Llordà factor. 

JOSEP-MARIA NOGUÉS i TORRE – Barcelona, 20.09.2012

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Searchable bibliography (in Catalan):

APROXIMACIÓ A L’HISTÒRIA DE COVET I EL SEU ENTORN – 1993 – ISBN  84.604-5536-X

ELS BENEDICTINS A TAVÈRNOLES-ANSERALL – 2011 – ISBN  978-84-9975-136-8

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The theft and subsequent incomplete recovery of the Beatus copy of the diocesan museum of the la Seu d’Urgell serves to remind us of the situation of many examples of ancient Catalan art that have been news not because of their historical or patrimonial value but because of the acts of spoliation and marketing that They have suffered throughout the course of their history to this day.
Everything that we consider to be the main works of Catalan art of all times have had different final applications according to their origin and use. Thus, the objects of the civil sectors that the military or ecclesiastics have followed have not followed the same path to us.
The most well-known destination of many of the jewels of the baixpallarès liturgical trousseau is far from its natural site. In addition, if we apply to what has happened to churches of the Conca de Tremp we will see that you can visit almost all works of art outside the natural site that, we could say, gave birth to them. They are to la Seu d’Urgell, in Barcelona, in Vic or in Boston.
Today we will talk about Covet. Not of his imposing prioral church or of the Romanesque carving of his virgin, but of an apparently secondary object: a censer. (A part of this article was published in the 1995 Report of the Association of Friends of Covet and was compiled by collecting the data provided by the Episcopal Museum of Vic while refounding the works published separately in Romanesque Catalonia by J.Vigué Viñas and, also, by the team formed by María del Carmen Bergés Saura and Leonor Badía Morera), it must be stated that said encyclopedia reproduces an excellent photograph of the incense burner made by Gemma Llop..
We explain, then, that the Episcopal Museum of Vic keeps, with the number 4418 of its inventory, a censer from the priory of Santa Maria de Covet made in cast bronze, which makes 16 cm. of height and that is conserved in quite good condition. Liturgical object built between the XII-XIII centuries, was acquired in 1923 by Mosén Gudiol for the exact price of thirty-five pesetas of the time, about 195 € now.
Of this censer they have conserved all the elements: cazoleta, cover and chains. Its structure is a little different from the usual in this type of utensils of the Romanesque period. The bowl or stew is hemispherical, slightly flattened, almost smooth; It has a simple decoration, it only has a band adorned with simple incisions that ripple around the outer perimeter. At the top, following the edge, there are three spindly holes between ring and ring of support chains. The foot, of frustoconical structure, does not present any type of ornament.
The cover has been designed as a dome, overlapping three floors in degradation, as a step pyramid. This cover has been divided horizontally by a strip decorated with a central rib, forming a spine, leaving on both sides small incised stripes that undulate and describe arched spaces in two overlapping floors. In each of them there is a sequence of small, elongated and drilled windows. In half of these spaces, the metal forms a small relief towards the outside, like a small apse, which presents this same ornamentation, covered by a tongue, like a circular roof, at the culminating point of which a horn. All these decorations and small vertical openings contribute to strengthen the architectural character of the piece.
We see that the undulating decoration mentioned above develops the same type of incised decoration that we found in the bowl. The chains are still preserved; three of which joined the lid and the stew; the fourth that served to lift the lid.
The censer of Covet moves away from the most repeated models during the Romanesque period. semi-spherical and simple geometric decoration; It adopts a more complex composition inspired by architectural motifs. It is, then, a very exotic specimen, very well worked and showy, that by its characteristics denotes an already a little advanced time within the Romanesque one. This type of object, closer to the Gothic models, makes it possible to place Covet's censer between the end of the 12th century and, better still, the first quarter of the 13th century, a period of some renovation in the repertoires of the liturgical furniture.
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Article published in the intercomarcal magazine "Lo Raier", of Tremp (PJ), at nro.186; III-98 pg.26 & nro.220; VI-2002; pg.28.
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The general lack of interest in the conservation and study of the Catalan artistic heritage gathered in the enormous extension of the bishopric of Urgell made it very difficult to keep track of the inventory of religious objects; adding another difficulty: the way in which the estate watchmen were controlled. Currently, this seems assured. Anyway, it must be said that it is one of the Catalan bishoprics that suffered a greater and systematic plunder.
As has already been said in previous articles, the original image of the Virgin of Covet was (fortunately) sold to a dealer of works of ancient art; in 1924 and, perhaps, by the same enigmatic Mr. Dupont who intervened in the pillaging of the altar frontal of Benavent de la Conca and, finally, also acquired by the Catalan art collector Mr. Lluís Plandiura. Later, he sells his entire collection to the Board of Museums of Barcelona for seven million pesetas of 1932.
In the same way we can see in the National Art Museum of Catalonia these samples of Pallars Jussà popular art although far from their original place that gave birth to them and that, despite the vile acts of marketing that suffered around them, they remained in our country and were protected from the revolutionary riots of July 1936; acts with which, far from achieving the destruction of the Catholic Church, caused the irretrievable loss of historical and cultural memory of our people.
The iconographic set of Covet (Mother and Son) is a polychrome wood carving made, possibly, of a poplar stock. It is inscribed in the MNAC with the registration number 4395, an image painted in tempera on a seated crowned Virgin and with a Child.
A first look at the whole can give us the impression that it is a work of a popular craftsman. As some scholars point out, we will remark that the crown is too big for the size of the head and covers a simple veil. The cheerful and striking decoration of the throne contrasts with the extreme simplicity of the mother's tunic. When studying a monument or any sample of ancient art, some authors manifest their belief in the theory that all decorations and other artistic manifestations were made without any intention, that everything was pure fantasy of the artists; they copied each other ... On the other hand, there is another conception of the facts that allows us to affirm categorically, together with other authors, that art for art was a strange phenomenon to the artisans of that time, since the artisan obeyed strict rules of behavior.

Let's now look at the iconographic set of Covet:
+ The Mother: possibly the artist was not of great value, but it conferred a representation of the dress of a lady of the high nobility of the time, although the face presents a dysfunction at the height of the eyes.
+ The group: Mother and Son located on the dais, are elongated and constitute the type called vertical. It looks like an effigy of the early thirteenth century. Another characteristic of the time is that the mother's severe and expressionless face -in principle- starts a slight smile, while the sheets, rectilinear or rounded, become more and more triangular.
+ The Child: is displaced completely on the left knee but maintains its frontality. The Child appears rachitic, as if he could not reach the perfect age and does not look like the childhood years that would correspond to him. Like all representations, he wears a Roman tunic and robe and goes barefoot.
A scholastic description of the virgins in majesty says that as the hands of the Son are occupied with the one to hold the book of the Gospels and the other to bless, the ball of the world is placed on the right hand of the Mother. What happens with the group from Covet? If we do a detailed analysis, this eye inspection gives us the result of what they really carry in their hands:
+ The Son carries the BOOK of the Gospels that constitutes the symbol of the wisdom of Christ because it is the sacred book where the prophecies that Jesus has come to carry out are counted. It is rare that the Romanesque Jesus does not carry the book that is the symbol of divine wisdom; He has it in his left hand, without opening or reading it, let alone playing.
+ The Virgin of Covet carries in her right hand a POMEGRANATE - and not the ball of the world, since they did not believe that this was round that, within the set of primitive symbols, represents fertility. Recall that the parish of Covet is under the Marian dedication of the Nativity of Mary. The general features, the hair that falls on his forehead give the image of the Mother a certain air of friendly, popular and pleasant person, without losing his manorial elegance. We will say that it has a certain charm; (In addition, it must be added that at that time the cult of Mary was more lavish than Christ himself, principally by the Templars). The drawings of the lower part represent some well-known themes in the decorations of Covet's own church: like the starfish and other geometric shapes. The back of the image is partially emptied; that is, it was used as a reliquary.

This group, surely, was part of a large altarpiece from which it was torn, what comes to our mind when we see the signs of that possible event. We must also think that the primitive image - tree trunk - of the eleventh century, was possibly a victim of some predation, of those convulsive times, and replaced by this one that we connect.

In 1989, the Association of Friends of Covet commissioned a reproduction of the original in order to begin the gradual recovery of the cultural heritage of the extinct Priory of Covet, even if it was based on copies. Currently, this project has not prospered because the adherence of ecclesiastical leaders has not been achieved. The image that can be seen inside the church of Covet is the copy mentioned above, property of the Association. (*)

As a summary of this article, we give the text of the card 4395 of the MNAC: Virgin of Covet: polychrome carving with back partially emptied, XII-XIII centuries. Virgin with Child; the Virgin is sitting on the throne decorated with geometric drawings on a blue background. He carries a ball in his right hand and with his left he holds the Child on his left knee. Dress a tunic and mantle with white veil adorned with parallel lines, white leaves and a crown. Rest your feet on a double plinth. The Child, also crowned, blesses with his right hand and carries a book on the left (80x32 cm). Plandiura Collection 18-10-1932. The gold of the crowns was renovated modernly. The lower part of the sides of the throne is missing. This image was part of a group of sculptures that, perhaps, came out together from the same workshop and that -of a more rustic appearance- are conserved in the Diocesan Museum of Lleida.

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Article published in the Intercomarcal magazine "Lo Raier" of Tremp, (number.191 - VIII-1998, pgs.22 / 23)

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(*) This society remains inactive since the end of August 2003.

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The two images coming from the Priory of Covet had different destiny. One was (fortunately) sold to a dealer of ancient works of art; perhaps the same one that resold it to the Catalan art collector Lluís Plandiura. This citizen sold his entire collection in 1932 to the Board of Museums of Barcelona for the price of seven million pesetas of the time. Inside the lot, in addition to the image of the Virgin of Covet there was, among other pieces, the front of altar of Benavent de la Conca.
The Gothic Christ carved in wood that was deposited in an uncertain date in the Convent of Clarid nuns of Conques (stylistic influences very similar to the famous Saint Christ from Balaguer), was burned in the summer of 1936. What is now inside the Church of Conques is the result of a reproduction, not very faithful, made years later under voluntary and popular subscription organized by the authorities and that is in Conques within his parochial church of Saint Michael. This new carving has an impressive facial expression and is of a beauty that impacts the spirit: sweetly shows the death of the crucified.
We have received a photographic sample, not very careful, of the original size. It is quite difficult to expand it more by sections in order to get a detailed study, although, we hope, new technologies should allow us better results in future treatments.
Of the original size, Ceferí Rocafort quotes Joaquim de Gispert and with reference to Conques says that the famous Crucifix that is venerated is Gothic and comes from Covet. The celebration of the Saint Christ is the 14-IX.
The moment and the reasons that led to its change of place are unknown. We point out, however, these possible causes:
a) A provisional transfer forced by works in the church of Covet.
b) Will of the noble protector of the city of Conques with the consent of the religious authorities with sufficient power.
c) Virtual extinction of the canonical of Covet, together with the ecclesiastical predominance of the regular nuns of Conques, which helped to create expectations of an increase in the cult of the Christ.
All are pure hypotheses that cannot be based on any type of document written, original, reproduced or published.
The people, in singing to the Holy Christ in verses like prayers to ask for his intercession to make rain, say: Saint Christ de Conques / ABBOT of Covet / give us water / that we are thirsty. Normally, in singing that, the word abbot was usually changed to that of STOLEN. Some reason -not written- will have the tradition to act in this way.
There is an old manuscript possibly written by the clergyman Llorenç singing teacher of the church of Conques where the way of proceeding is described in the processions of prayers to make rain, the protocol to follow, etc. That same religious was who, in 1606, made the text of the first known joys of the Holy Christ of Conques.
We ended up saying that the oral tradition affirms that it was well known in all its property to make it rain ... Even, it ended with long periods of drought!
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Article published in the inter-regional journal "Lo Raier" by Tremp (number 1888 - VI-1998, p.32)
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In the same way that the situation of the works of ancient art in the Conca Dellà has been described in previous articles by Lo Raier, we think that it would correspond now to try another missing piece of the region, although well preserved in Barcelona and which, as a consequence of the he plundered, he was saved from the indiscriminate burning caused by the revolutionary fever of 1936.
The episcopal Vic museum and the National Art Museum of Catalonia preserve the vast majority fontal altars made of wood that have been preserved, most of them Catalan. These and other art depository centers of our country have resulted, as has already been sufficiently explained, the authentic saviors of a national heritage that, if it were not for them, would have disappeared from our house: burned or sold to foreign collectors. The greed, the lack of respect and lack of scruples of some of the guardians of our heritage along with the popular indifference have been strongly demonstrated.
Having said that, remember that our front was moved in 1924 from its usual place - the parish church of Santa Margarita de Benavent de la Conca - to Barcelona by the old art dealer Mr. Dupont (real name, fictitious name?) That sells it the well-known painter and scenographer from Barcelona, Oleguer Junyent Sans, who restored it and took out previous touches and clumsy painting hands, recovering the original colors. Once this is achieved, he passes it to Lluís Plandiura. This, in 1932 and for seven million pesetas of the time, sells it along with other objects stolen - among them the image of the Virgin of Covet - and the rest of his entire collection of art to the Board of Museums of Barcelona, precursor of the current National Museum of Art of Catalonia.
Registered with the number 3914 of the inventory of the MNAC, we will say that the front of Benavent is a wood carving of a single sculptured and polychrome solid piece from the end of the 13th century. It is not believed that his sculptor was a first-class artist although it is considered that the style of the work is the most autochthonous of all fronts of known altars. We can criticize the smallness of human figures compared to the size of their feet.
Christ in majesty sitting on the rainbow in the center surrounded by a mandorla and surrounded by the twelve apostles and the symbols of the four evangelists. Bless with the right hand while, on the left, the Gospel of St. Luke is open (4.30 and 24.6) and can be read in capital letters: IH(ESU)S AUTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIUM ILLORUM ET DIXIT EIS: PAX VOBIS: EGO SUM DEUS (sic) DIXIT: EGO SUM ALPHA OMEGA VENITE AD.

We end by saying that this front has been sufficiently studied by numerous authors and historians of our Romanesque art deepening in search of the origins and interconnections with other cultures. They have also studied the sculptural figures of the altar frontal of Benavent de la Conca Mn. Josep Gudiol Conill and Mr. Walter W.S. Cook, from the University of New York, among other characters.
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Article published in the inter-regional magazine "Lo Raier" of Tremp (number.189 - VII-1998, pg.25)
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The image of the Virgin of the Esplugues, very venerated in Conques (Pallars Jussà) has been recently restored by the Service of Restoration of Movable Property of the Generalitat of Catalonia with headquarters in Sant Cugat del Vallès and returned to the village of Conques for its exhibition and worship of the parish church itself once the repair and interior adaptation works have been completed.
Let's say that, for security reasons, it will only return to its hermitage once a year, at the meeting that takes place on Easter Monday; formerly, this feast was made on the day of the Annunciation.
We must congratulate the team of Josep M.Xarrié in general and, in particular, Mrs. Anna M.Claverol -the restorer of the image- for the result achieved. Anyone who reviews the photographic report that makes a faithful testimony of the whole process of the intervention will realize the surprising results achieved.
We will say that it is a virgin carving carved in poplar wood -like Covet's- and that, due to its archaic Romanesque style; we could date it for the first years of the 12th century. It was made in polychrome wood with egg tempera and application of tanned silver in some ornamental decorations. It measures 65 x 21'5 x 13 cm. and 1996-1999 were the years of permanence in the SRBM where it was registered with the number 5416.
It is a virgin found inside, possibly, of a slight cave (or groute) in a place where they are quite abundant and known popularly by the name of Mont de Conques not far from this population.
We will expose some particular features of the whole of Mother and Child. We have said that it is a Romanesque from a time defined as archaic since the hands of Mary - although the carving has lost them, after the intervention - does not seem that they would take the Son but would extend with the palms facing the one with the other, with an upward tendency as an offering and protection of the Child, the main figure of his Son to the adoration of men with an almost priestly gravity.
The Infant Jesus of Conques blesses with the right hand and takes the book of the scriptures to the left, supporting it on the knee and taking it by the highest part.
We will define this set as an isolated Pyrenean type that responds to the prototype that is characterized by a perfect symmetry and absolute frontally: the Child is right in the middle of Mother's lap.
This one is dressed in a purple tunic with sleeves and attached to the body. Above, it has a blue-green cloak and, like all archaic specimens, it is open at the front from the shoulders. It is worn with dark colored shoes finished in ornate tips and that come out from under the tunic that forms a slight crease in the arch. The starfish is preeminent among the drawings that decorate these shoes.
The Son wears a tight tunic of purple color and wears a blue-green cloak that surrounds his body, waist down, like a Roman toga. The border of the neck resembles that of the Mother -also with traces of silver faded- and, like all other examples of our Romanesque, not shoes.
The image of the Mother and the Son were crowned and dressed on the day of the pilgrimage. This custom of dressing the images was an ancient pagan influence that covered the goddesses according to what annual dynasty with the sacred tunic. Among primitive Christians it does not seem that this custom was used. Antoni Noguera Massa affirms that it seems that the promoters of the vestments were the monasteries and convents of religious, due to the natural inclination of the professed young nuns. If this were true, we could easily conclude that the origin of the custom in Conques began at his convent of Poor Clare nuns.
Mrs. Claverol explains that the image suffered, at a time in its history, structural reforms that were the cause of the figure of the Child Jesus, sitting in the lap of the Mother, happened to occupy as throne the left hand of this.
The operation consisted in the elimination of the hands of the Virgin from her original place and the placement of others, located in the arms of the image. To do this, they did not hesitate to drill the size, a little above the inside of the elbows, nailing in this place some wooden spikes and placing the hands, glued and with wooden bar pins.
This new structure allowed, through a wooden stem stuck in the left hand of the Mother and a hole in the size of the Child, to sit in the hand of the Virgin once both dressed for the procession.
The figure of the Child also did not get rid of the modifications, in this case the reform was to place a hand, palm up, approximately in the same place where your original left hand holding a book. This object was almost invisible, as the thick layer of stucco that covered the two sizes covered this and other forms and reliefs of the work. So far a brief reproduction of the interesting article about restoration works. We must congratulate the town of Conques for having restored an object that is part of the culture of the place and is, at the same time, a valuable legacy and a reminder of its historical past. However, we would like the lovers of our national art to be able to contemplate the image without any restriction in the not too distant future, which is almost impossible today. It is worth mentioning our deep gratitude to the SRBM for the transfer of the copies of photographs made by Carlos Aymerich Barba reproduced in this article and also the magnificent attention and information received from JMXarrié, Ángeles Planell and Mónica Salas.

Bibliography:

+ANNA M.CLAVEROL: "Virgin of Conques" article to RESCAT / Bulletin of the Service of Restoration of Movable Goods nro.7-June-1999, pgs.6-7.

+ANTONIO NOGUERA MASA: "The Romanesque Virgins of the lands of Girona" - Romanesque Art collection - Artestudi Ediciones - Barcelona, 1977

+J.M.NOGUÉS TORRE - "Approach to the history of Covet and its surroundings" - vol. XXVII collection of studies on the Pallars - 1993 - History and Culture of Pallars, Pobla de Segur.

+FRANCESC ROCA and BASTIDA: "History of the village of Conques" - Pallars Study Center, Tremp - Editorial Virgilio & Pagés.SA - Lleida , 1989

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Article published in the inter-regional magazine "Lo Raier" by Tremp (nr.202- XI-1999; pgs.28/29)

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The personality and other characteristics of the artist painter in the Romanesque era remains almost unknown to us in most cases. It is believed that, on occasion. It was the architect and builder of the building who, as well as a sculptor, also applied to other artistic activities which, supposedly, would not happen to all construction projects.
The remains of pigmentation found inside and outside of churches tell us that these works were made in late Romanesque time. However, we will stop at the study of those places where a reliable sample of local pictorial activity has arrived.
The old Romanesque church of the castle of Orcau, of unique ship, at the moment known like chapel of the Piety, raised in a totally impregnable cliff for the north and west bands - with walls of a spectacular verticality by the mentioned sides - remained standing until the spring of 1962 when the entire southern wall collapsed as a result of the landslide that supported it. It is believed that this fact was caused by the leaks and excavations made by the Republican troops of the 11th Army Corps in an attempt to confront the Francoist troops of the 63rd. Division of the Body of Navarre that occupied the mountain ranges of La Campaneta and, later, of Sant Corneli.
Luckily, the mural paintings of the apse of the chapel of Piety had already been preserved long before these events by the Board of Museums of Barcelona and can be seen in full in the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, Palau Nacional, (Montjuïc) Barcelona.
We will say that they are the work of the Master of Orcau, unknown character and author, also, of the crucifixion of Sorpe. We will manifest as Mn.Gudiol that this artist sought to conceal the rigidity of their figures with an original ornamental composition. It belonged to the school or Círculo de Pedret, and corresponded to the first stage of Byzantinism in the so-called Pyrenean school (12th century). We will continue with the same quote to say that it was considered a work of the thirteenth century and within a second stage of Byzantinism in the aforementioned school.
On the other hand, we will define as an expression of the maximum expansion of Neo-Byzantine art, the fragment of Benavent de la Conca's baldachin from the Basin with the Pantocrator (see lo Raier 189 July-98, p.25); an influence of the circle of the Master of Avià, possibly.
On the other hand, the very importance of the Augustinian canonical community that governed the Priory of Covet gives us the reason to believe that the church and its apse were also painted by renowned artists of the time, possibly the Master of Orcau. The truth is that we have only reached signs of pigmentation ...
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Article published in the inter-regional journal "Lo Raier" of Tremp (No. 1212-XII-2000, pg.31)
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The citizens of this cultured self-conscious world were moved in February and March 2001 by acts of mass destruction of religious works of art executed by the Afghan Taliban fanatics: any symbol or memory of previous civilizations was erased by blow of mallet or by cannon fire, the rejection of those that occurred as a result of the strict religious dogmatism of those Islamic fundamentalists.
Unfortunately, these barbarities are not particularities of the domain of an ethnic group or of a specific area of our planet. In our country, some sixty-five years ago, something of this happened: the revolutionary events of July 1936 caused, among other irreparable misfortunes, the loss of a large number of objects of Catalan historical-artistic heritage, most of them property of the Catholic Church. Only those deposited in publicly owned museums or other specially protected collections were saved. For this reason, today we will dedicate ourselves to the memory of the Romanesque image of the Virgin of La Posa that was burned together with the altarpiece of later period and the rest of the furniture of the chapel by uncontrolled people.

Remember that the hermitage-sanctuary of the Posa is a center of Marian devotion that the people of the village of Isona have maintained secularly. Located in a small intermediate plateau, ancient magical place and of pagan cult, its name answers etymologically to the place where it is located.
Apart from the pious legend that tells how the image was found, we will say that the one who first describes it to us is the religious of the Order of St. Dominic Fra Narciso Camós, in 1657, in his book published in the city of Barcelona entitled "Garden of Mary plantation in the Principality of Catalonia" where all the chapels and Marian shrines are mentioned. She explains that "the image is made of wood, she is seated, she has golden black skirts and the blue mantle that from her head falls on her skirt on the outside of her arm, she has white stars on him. It has a flat and long face, the long face of a girl, very cheerful and admitting looking at the town and pointed feet, it has a height of two hands and three quarters, The Boy sitting on his left knee, dressed in a gray and white tunic. black ornaments, with the right (hand) bless and the left (hand) has it flat on the knee, goes barefoot, has a long face and looks at the people ".
If we compare it with the only known graphic testimony that we have available -an extension of a cliché prior to 1936, of an anonymous author, with a very low definition, we can make an approximate study of the image with the same praxis that we have done in previous works and published in Lo Raier and referred to Romanesque virgins of the Conca Dellà, all of them originating from the same artistic school in the Pyrenees. The aforementioned photograph can be found in the work published by the priest, historian and historian Fortià Solà Moreta entitled "Small monograph of the Virgin of La Posa and its sanctuary in Isona" published for the reconstruction and restoration of the new Marian image a la Posa and that was presented the very day of the feast of St. Sebastian in 1947. However, it is a carving in modern format, made with an archaic style, noticeably different from primitive.
We will adapt the definition of P.Camós, all enlarging it, and we will say that it was an image made of poplar wood, possibly, like those of Covet and Conques, with a stylistic resemblance more to this one than to the first one (see nos. and 202 from Lo Raier). It was a Romanesque carving from a time defined as archaic since the hands of Mary did not take the Child but presented it to the adoration of men with an almost sacerdotal hieratism. We will clarify that the footwear of the Mother that adopts the pointy form as quoted by P.Camós is a format already seen in other images.
Mother and Son constitute an asymmetric set of absolute frontality and we will define it as a stylized vertical type, of uncertain dating although, perhaps, in the environment of the end of the first quarter of the 12th century.

The Child is displaced on the left knee, is dressed in robe and Roman tunic and barefoot. Interestingly, it seems not to carry the traditional book of the Gospels in the left hand ... Anyway we do not know if this and other shortcomings are forgotten by Father Camós or it is about post-Romanesque works that disfigured the original stylistic project, as it happened with the image of Conques and other places ...
The difficulties presented by the graphic testimony mentioned above are increased and complemented by the addition that the old image is covered with false dresses; with which the identification becomes much more convoluted.
We will finish this article making memory of all those who, long ago, did their research and contribution of the historical database that have now served sufficiently for the realization of this work; especially Mr José María Gimó Fornells and Mr Antonio Anglés Lluc. To them and to all the others, we make clear our memory and gratitude.

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Article published in the inter-regional journal "Lo Raier" of Tremp (No. 2224-XI-2002; (p.26)

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