Santa Maria de Gerri
Encyclopedia
Santa Maria de Gerri is a monastery in Gerri de la Sal, in the comarca of Pallars Sobirà
, Catalonia
, Spain
, situated on the shores of the Noguera Pallaresa
river.
, the monastery contributed to the evangelization of the territory, which had been recently conquered by the Christians from the Moors. In 1996 the monastery was put under the director protection the Popes, and depended from the Abbey of St. Victor of Marseille
.
In 1190 all the monastery's possession went under the protection of King Alfonso II of Aragon
, and, thanks to numerous donations in the 12th-14th centuries, it became the richest foundation in the county of Urgell. Later it decayed, until, in 1835, it was secularized.
, and with three semi-circular apse
s. The latter are preceded by a presbytery
located at level far lower than the rest of the church.
The nave is covered by barrel vault
s. The central apse is decorated by seven blind arcades, supported by pilaster
s with sculpted capitals, similar to those in the Sant Pere de Galligants
monastery. The same decorations, including vegetable motifs, fantastic animals, angels and biblical characters, characterizes the capitals of the church's interior.
The main façade is surmounted by a sail-shaped bell tower with three floors.
Pallars Sobirà
El Pallars Sobirà is a comarca in the mountainous northwest of Catalonia, Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous Pallars Jussà to its southwest...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, situated on the shores of the Noguera Pallaresa
Noguera Pallaresa
The Noguera Pallaresa is a river in Catalonia, Spain. Its source is at Era Font d'era Noguereta in the municipality of Naut Aran at an elevation of about 2000 m and barely a hundred meters from those of the Garonne...
river.
History
The monastery was founded in 807, and its community adhered to the Benedictine rule in 839. Located in the diocese of UrgellDiocese of Urgell
The Diocese of Urgell is a Roman Catholic diocese in Catalonia, Spain, with origins in the fifth century AD or possibly earlier. It is based in the region of the historical Catalan county of Urgell, though it has different borders...
, the monastery contributed to the evangelization of the territory, which had been recently conquered by the Christians from the Moors. In 1996 the monastery was put under the director protection the Popes, and depended from the Abbey of St. Victor of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
.
In 1190 all the monastery's possession went under the protection of King Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II or Alfons I ; Huesca, 1-25 March 1157 – 25 April 1196), called the Chaste or the Troubadour, was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1164 until his death. He was the son of Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon and the first King of Aragon who was...
, and, thanks to numerous donations in the 12th-14th centuries, it became the richest foundation in the county of Urgell. Later it decayed, until, in 1835, it was secularized.
Architecture
Of the 9th century structure, today only ruins remain. The church, built in the 12th century, has a nave and two aisles, without transeptTransept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, and with three semi-circular apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
s. The latter are preceded by a presbytery
Presbytery (architecture)
The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....
located at level far lower than the rest of the church.
The nave is covered by barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
s. The central apse is decorated by seven blind arcades, supported by pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s with sculpted capitals, similar to those in the Sant Pere de Galligants
Sant Pere de Galligants
Sant Pere de Galligants is Benedictine abbey in Girona, Spain. Since 1857, it is home to the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia in the city.-History:...
monastery. The same decorations, including vegetable motifs, fantastic animals, angels and biblical characters, characterizes the capitals of the church's interior.
The main façade is surmounted by a sail-shaped bell tower with three floors.