Madriu Perafita-Claror Valley - (World Heritage Site in Andora)

Brief Report

The cultural landscape of Madriu-Perafita -Claror Valley offers a life shows how repressive perspective of the way in which people have harvested the resources of the Pyrenees over thousands of years. The dramatic glacial landscape of rocky cliffs and glaciers, with high open meadows and steep wooded valleys, covering an area of 4,247 ha and 9% of the total area of the principality. The past reflects changes in climate, economic prosperity and social systems, as well as the persistence of shepherds and a strong mountain culture, in particular the existence of a common land ownership system that dates back to the 13th century. The site offers houses, in particular summer settlements, terraced fields, stone tracks and evidence of iron smelleding.

Wide Report

Madriu-Perafita -Claror Valley offers a life shows how repressive perspective of the way in which people have harvested the resources of the Pyrenees over thousands of years. The dramatic glacial landscape of rocky cliffs and glaciers, with high open meadows and steep wooded valleys, covering an area of 4,247 ha and 9% of the total area of Andorra. The past reflects changes in climate, economic prosperity and social systems, as well as the persistence of shepherds and a strong mountain culture. The site offers houses, in particular summer settlements, terraced fields, stone tracks and evidence of iron smelleding. The features are still intact structures of organization and management of the area since the middle ages. Since there is no substantial change in the geopolitical and territorial model, hence we are as a living witness of the history of Andorra and the coexistence between the men of the mountains and an exceptional natural surroundings.

The most striking natural heritage elements are the glacial geomorphology (U-shaped valley, glacial circuses, the lake system of Gargantillar-Els Estanys, Estany de la Nou, rock glaciers, the hanging valley of Estany Blau, etc. ), The post-alpine plateaus of Peace the Claror, the dynamics of avalanches. The vegetation related to water (wet heaths, marshes, riparian forests, etc. ), AND several endangered vertebrate animals (bearded vulture, wood grouse, ptarmigan, the Tengmalm's owl, dotterel, Pyrenean desman, etc.).  The lichens of the circus of Estanyons have served to obtain the first dates back to the Small ice age in the Eastern Pyrenees, from which the relevance of this cold period of European history.

As the largest part of the territory of the Europe, the valley not virgin country. Man has used, crossed, and enjoyed it for centuries forms a landscape in which his stamp is present everywhere. The main historical purposes of this zone are agriculture (arable crops, livestock, forestry), iron and hydroelectric power. As a result many human elements have been preserved to the cultural landscape of the valley. The structure of the vegetation is also amended by all these activities, the print of which can be replaced by indirectly from meadows located on forest land, terraces on steep slopes or birch forest replacement of old-growth pine.

The cultural heritage elements connected with traditional agriculture are the best represented: sanding (Ràmio, Entremesaigües), terraces, shepherds' huts, sheep pens, drystone walls, milking stalls, etc. , And a network of irrigation ditches in tillage areas. The remains of the forge of Andorra (at a height of 1,900 m), the mines at La Maiana and Claror and the numerous charcoal-sites in the woods witnesses of iron.  The stone path of the Madriu links all these activities at the same time a symbol of and unique witness of the presence of the man in the valley and are one of the most characteristic and excellent values of this cultural landscape.

Historical Data

According to tradition, in recognition of the support are people gave him against the Saracens, Karel Andorra founded in 805 when he the bishop of Urgell the overlord. The French counts of Foix contested this overlordship, and finally, in 1278 an agreement was reached which joint domination and the establishment of the principality of Andorra. Andorra was controlled from 1419 by a Council, Consell de la Terra , with representatives of all municipalities. In 1981 the Consell Executiu , the Andorran government, was established in 1993, and Andorra acceded to the United Nations. The President of France and the Bishop of Urgell holder remain co-princes.

For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, but that lived under a unique, stable co-principality. This long period of stability (fortified houses were apparently demolished in the 13th century as part of the 'arbitration' awards) and the relative remoteness of the mountain terrain, meant that Andorra remained a rural state with the economy based largely on livestock farming. These factors also encouraged the persistence of strong cultural traditions with regard to mountain living. Change came quickly from the middle of the 20th century with the development of low taxes shopping in the largest city of Andorra la Vella. Between 1960 and 2000 the population grew from 8000 to 70,000 now approximately 33% but. In the last twenty years, large ski areas are developed.

The Madriu-Perafita -Claror valley is the last remnant of the Andorran rural way of life. It seems to have survived more by chance than planning by the absence of an access road. The Government is now in preserving this distinctive character, by not allowing the development of a road, while measures which the valley to be part of the Andorran agricultural economy by encouraging high quality livestock based on sustainable regimes.