Església de Sant Esteve, Catholic church from 12th century in Andorra la Vella, Andorra.
Església de Sant Esteve is a Romanesque church on Plaça del Príncep Benlloch in Andorra la Vella. It retains its original semicircular apse, the largest in Andorra, decorated on the outside with a Lombard frieze, arches and bands. The square bell tower is a plain three-storey structure, and the nave walls survive from the original building.
Built in the 11th–12th century in Romanesque style, the church was restored several times, most notably in the 1940s by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, who remodelled the bell tower and side entrance. A new nave was added in the 1960s. It is registered as a Bé d'interès cultural.
The church is dedicated to Saint Stephen and serves as a defining landmark in the old city center with its straightforward Romanesque appearance. Visitors recognize it immediately by its distinctive semicircular apse and stone details that characterize the historic district.
The church is easily accessible via Meritxell Avenue or Prat de la Creu Street, with an elevator available to reach the Town Square nearby. Its location at the entrance to the Old Town district makes it convenient to visit as part of a walking tour through the historic center.
The church's 12th-century apse is the largest in Andorra, and its exterior carries a frieze with Lombard arches and bands. The square bell tower rises in three plain storeys without decoration. Most of the original frescoes were removed in the early 20th century; surviving panels, including The Marriage of Cana and Christ before Pilate, are held at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona and Espai Columba, with further fragments in the Museo del Prado.
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