Boí - Sant Joan de Boí

The Vall de Boí is a small valley with a complex medieval history with many political moves, due to the strategic position (there are still eight castles) and the silver that was mined here. Actually the history is too complex, to boil it down to a few lines, so I will not try.

The valley is famous for its for its nine Romanesque churches. It was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000 and it is claimed to have the "densest concentration of Romanesque architecture in Europe". I am not sure, what density here really means, as Rome and Cologne have a very rich Romanesque architecture as well - but a way larger population.

The village of Boí gives its name to the valley. It has a population of about 200 - and has the wonderful parish church Sant Joan de Boí. The church is a three nave-basilica, with a rectangular central apse and two semicircular apsidioles. The church suffered a major fire in the 13th century.

Sant Joan de Boí is known for it´s mural paintings. The originals are kept (like most frescoes of the valley´s churches) in the "Museu d'Art de Catalunya" in Barcelona, but I was told that the copies, that now cover the walls are pretty precise.

Once (1100) the walls were covered with mural paintings, but only a few survived incomplete.

An oLIFAnt!

The elephant lost it´s trunk over the time. Similar to the group of grey animals just seen, the tusks protrude like horns. As neither the artist, nor one of the onlookers had ever seen an elephant, this small slip is absolutely forgivable.