Andorra la Vella, Andorra

Andorra la Vella is the capital and largest city of the independent Principality of Andorra, a small country in southwestern Europe bordered by France and Spain. Andorra la Vella is considered the country's only true city and comprises the largest of Andorra's seven parishes. It is also the country's commercial and administrative center.

Landscape

Andorra la Vella is a landlocked city situated in the Gran Valira valley, surrounded by the Pyrenees Mountains, some of which are as high as 2,400 meters (7,870 feet). The city itself has an elevation of about 1,023 meters (3,356 feet), making it Europe's highest capital. Andorra la Vella sits on the eastern slope of the Pic d'Enclar, near the junction of the Valira and the Valira del Norte rivers.

Much of Andorra la Vella is made up of broad plains, but the city is best known for its mountains. The mountainous terrain makes Andorra a popular tourist destination, especially for hiking and skiing. As such, the city contains three major ski resorts: Pal-Arinsal, Ordino, and Soldeu. The latter in particular is known for its snowboarding, which is a popular pastime in Andorra.

The city's Old Quarter, or Barri Antic, is actually made up of three distinct sections: the Pui, Puial, and Cap del Carrer quarters. The Barri Antic dates from the thirteenth century and made up the entire city prior to its mid-twentieth century expansion. The Barri Antic is known for both its cobbled streets and its quaint shops.

Andorra la Vella has a temperate climate, with average temperatures ranging from 1 to 10 degrees Celsius (34 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) in January, and from 14 to 25 degrees Celsius (57 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) in July. The average monthly rainfall is approximately 5 centimeters.

People

Andorra la Vella is in many ways a unique combination of Spanish and French cultures. In addition, the parish system of division in Andorra recalls the country's Catholic origins. In fact, approximately 90 percent of the population identifies as Catholic, making Andorra one of the most Catholic countries in Europe.

Stemming from its Spanish influences, Andorra la Vella often holds three-day festivals, consisting of traditional music, dance, and food, most commonly held in late summer. Andorra la Vella also has a specific music and dance season, which lasts from November to May, featuring local and international musicians, and the city's traditional dance, the Contrapàs. The city's theater season, known for its quality and innovation, runs from October to February.

The mountainous terrain has made both skiing and snowboarding popular pastimes in Andorra le Vella. In fact, each February the Martini Trophy Snowboarding Competition is held at the nearby Pas de la Casa resort.

Found throughout Andorra la Vella, bordas are traditional Catalan restaurants, often built within old restored barns. Typical cuisine served in these bordas includes pork stew called escudella, as well as salami, ham, and fresh river trout. Mel i mato, made from cream cheese, honey, and almonds, is a typical dessert served in the bordas.

About 87.8 percent of the population of Andorra lives in urban communities. The approximate population of the city is roughly 23,000 (2018 estimate). The official language in Andorra la Vella is Catalan, although French, Castilian Spanish, and Portuguese are also common.

Economy

As the only metropolitan center in Andorra, the capital is also the economic hub for the country. Tourism is the major industry of both the city and the state, with between 8 and 10 million international visitors each year, as of 2019, accounting for approximately 80 percent of national gross domestic product (GDP). Although Andorra is not a member of the European Union (EU), the country uses the Euro as currency. This, combined with its status as a tax-free city, makes Andorra la Vella especially attractive to tourists.

Andorra la Vella is a major retailer of duty-free goods, particularly electronics and other luxury items. Retail sales make up the majority of the city's economy, with people from around the world coming to the city for unique items, including Cuban cigars, Cabécou goat cheese, and byrrh, an aperitif (an alcoholic beverage served before a meal) made from wine, cocoa, and orange peels.

Many of these goods that would be heavily taxed elsewhere, such as alcohol and tobacco, are significantly cheaper in Andorra la Vella. Also among the city's many duty-free items are watches, honey, meats, and leather bags, and among the goods produced in Andorra la Vella are furniture and brandy. However, Andorra la Vella has seen its economy start to suffer in the early twenty-first century.

In addition to retail and tourism, another major industry in Andorra la Vella is banking, which also benefits from the city's status as a tax haven. The city is working to establish foreign financial services in addition to its domestic banking business. There are also some manufacturing businesses, such as wool, tobacco, and textiles. Manufacturing and agriculture are limited in Andorra, however, and sheep raising and tobacco cultivation are the most prominent agricultural pursuits. In fact, only 2 percent of the land is fertile, and most of the city's food is imported.

Landmarks

The Barri Antic, the city's historic section, is home to many buildings that date from the city's early days, including the house of the General Council (parliament), and the Casa de la Vall, which was built in 1580. The latter building, which has been the home of the government officials since its construction, is decorated with Gothic frescoes depicting Jesus Christ's final days. Other historical landmarks in this area include the churches of Sant Esteve and Sant Andreu.

Andorra la Vella is home to many striking examples of Romanesque architecture, including at least forty churches. One well-known church in the Port d'Envalira region boasts a famous bell tower. The Bridge of la Margineda is located in the Santa Coloma section of the city, as is another well known church, with a rare circular bell tower that is nestled among the nearby mountains; this church dates from the ninth or tenth century.

One of the city's more modern landmarks is a sculpture of a robot, called "Robot in Suspension," by Belgian artist Paul van Hoeydonck. It is located in the Prada Casadet building, near the Casa de la Vall.

History

Although the French and Spanish names for the city ("Andorre la Vieille" and "Andorra la Vieja," respectively) both mean "Andorra the old," the literal translation from Catalan simply means "Andorra the city," as a way of distinguishing between the city and the country. In fact, the city has only been officially established for a relatively short amount of time.

However, the area occupied by Andorra la Vella has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic era (roughly 4,000 to 2,200 BCE), when the Andosin tribe settled there. Tradition states that Charlemagne granted Andorra official status sometime during the eighth century CE in exchange for the inhabitants taking up arms against the Moors of the Iberian Peninsula. Control of the state was eventually passed to a Catalan count, or Spanish noblemen, during the eleventh century, but the French soon disputed the Spanish influence over the territory. This disagreement between the two European powers continued for centuries.

In 1278, Andorra la Vella was officially declared the capital of Andorra, under the control of the French and Catalonian rulers. The two rulers, a French count and a Spanish bishop, signed a feudal treaty called a paréage, which gave them equivalent power over Andorra. This unique status of cosovereignty isolated Andorra, both protecting the city and shrouding it in mystery.

When the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, Andorra was left out of the agreement, largely because both city and country had been isolated from the rest of the world for decades. It was only in the 1930s that Andorra la Vella began to modernize and establish independent governmental institutions. During this time, the Russian nobleman Boris Skossyreff, styling himself King Boris I, attempted to stage a coup in the city, leading to some mild turmoil for several years before Andorra eventually became a de facto democracy. Although the basic institutions were in place at this early date, Andorra did not formalize its government until much later.

The country remained neutral during World War II, and Andorra la Vella became a smuggling hub between the German-occupied Vichy France and Spain. After the war, the city's economy began to develop as tourists started visiting Andorra. The influx of tourists quickly transformed Andorra la Vella into a retail center, and its duty-free status resulted in the sale of goods from across Europe and Asia.

Andorra drafted its first constitution in 1991, and that constitution was ratified in 1993, establishing legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, all of which are based in Andorra la Vella. With the establishment of this constitution, Andorra also became a member of the United Nations (UN). Nevertheless, Andorra is still a coprincipality, with the president of France and the bishop of Seu d'Urgell in Spain acting as co-princes, sharing power over the country equally. The two princes are represented in the General Council by appointed officials.

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