Església de Santa Coloma d'Andorra, Pre-Romanesque church in Santa Coloma, Andorra.
The església de Santa Coloma d'Andorra is a church built of schist and granite bound with lime mortar. Its rectangular nave, south-facing door and squared east apse are joined by a circular bell tower 17.5 metres high, with four levels of paired windows and Lombard decoration under a conical roof. Sculpted heads with prominent chins or beards, carved in travertine, appear on the tower's window frames.
This church was built during the 8th and 9th centuries, making it the oldest surviving religious structure in the Andorran region. Later modifications during the 12th century altered the original design while reinforcing its role in the local community.
The church is dedicated to Columba of Sens, the patron saint of Andorra. Inside stands a 13th-century polychrome wooden image of Our Lady of the Remedies, and the altarpiece dates from the 1740–1749 renovation. The building appears on some Andorran euro coins.
The church stands in Santa Coloma, on the right bank of the Valira river between Sant Julià de Lòria and Andorra la Vella, and is reached by road rather than mountain paths. The south wall holds the entrance door and the porch, so approach from that side. The nave is covered by a wooden roof structure and the roofs are slate.
The 12th-century murals were painted by the Master of Sant Coloma. Most were removed in 1933 and kept in Berlin until 2007; they are now shown in the Andorran Government Exhibition Hall, while only an Agnus Dei remains in situ. The church appears on some Andorran euro coins.
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