Ars (Les Valls de Valira)

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Municipality of Les Valls de Valira: Ars
Ars - the townscape
Ars - the townscape
coat of arms Map of Spain
Coat of arms of Les Valls de Valira: Ars
Ars (Les Valls de Valira) (Spain)
Finland road sign 311 (1994-2020) .svg
Basic data
Autonomous Community : CataloniaCatalonia Catalonia
Province : Lleida
Comarca : Old Urgell
Coordinates 42 ° 27 '  N , 1 ° 24'  E Coordinates: 42 ° 27 '  N , 1 ° 24'  E
Height : 800  msnm
Area : 35.30 km²
Residents : 32 (2013) INE
Population density : 0.91 inhabitants / km²
Postal code : 25798
Area code: 25239000500
Official language : Castilian , Catalan

Round tower of the Church of Sant Martí in Ars

Ars is a mountain village in the municipality ( municipi ) Les Valls de Valira in the Spanish province of Lleida in the autonomous region of Catalonia .

location

Ars is located in the southern Pyrenees not far from the border with Andorra and about 20 kilometers (driving distance) in a south-westerly direction from Andorra la Vella and also 20 kilometers in a north-westerly direction from La Seu d'Urgell at an altitude of about 800 meters above sea level. d. M.

Population development

The small mountain village still had well over 100 inhabitants in the 19th century - currently there are only about 30.

history

The formerly independent place was merged - together with others - in 1970 to form the municipality ( municipi ) Les Valls de Valira . Ars is first mentioned in a document in 1110; other mentions also come from the 12th century.

economy

In the past, the inhabitants of Ars lived mainly as self-sufficient farmers from agriculture , which predominantly included keeping chickens and dairy cattle (sheep, goats) for cheese production . Due to the altitude, the cultivation of grain was and is hardly possible (with the exception of barley ). In the meantime, many of the vacant houses have been converted into holiday apartments ( cases rurals ), which are rented out to hikers and ski tourists in both summer and winter .

Attractions

  • The main attraction of Ars, the four-story, in Lombard style held round tower of the Romanesque church of Sant Martí from the early 12th century. It is built entirely from layers of masonry made from mostly regularly hewn rubble stones . Its basement is almost completely closed and is only illuminated by a loop - hole -like light opening; The middle and upper floors of the building, on the other hand, are defined by several twin windows and sound openings. The cylindrical structure is not structured by pilaster strips , but it is spanned by a round-arched frieze below the well-fortified attic . The associated single-nave church, which has been modified several times, has a trapezoidal floor plan and a rectangular apse .
  • In the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona there is a partially enamelled vessel-shaped host container ( naveta ) from the middle of the 13th century from Ars , which was very likely made in Limoges .
  • Only sparse remains of the castle ( castell d'Ars ) can be seen.
  • The place itself consists mainly of houses with quarry stone masonry.

Web links

Commons : Valira Valley  - Collection of images, videos and audio files