Church of the Assumption of Mary

 
Tourist information about the Asunció de Maria church in Bossost. Romanesque monument in Pyrenees, aranese Romanesque architecture.
The Bossost Church. Photography: Xavier E. Traité
The center of the picturesque village of Bossost hosts a magnificent 12th century church, the most representative example of the Romanesque architecture of the Aran Valley. Also known as the Church of the Purification (Gleisa dera Mair de Diu dera Purificacion in Aranese) and declared in 2015 Cultural Asset of National Interest, the monument surprises by the great stylistic unit and by the perfect state of conservation.
The church a basilical ground plan, with three naves separated by circular pillars and finished with three semicircular apses decorated in the Lombard style. The central nave, the largest, is covered by a pointed barrel vault, while the lateral naves are covered by half-domes. The building has two porticos located in the lateral walls, a belfry and a one-eyed bell gable.
Highlights
The two portals, formed by a succession of semicircular arches. The most outstanding doorway is the oldest, located on the north side. It has a tympanum of black marble carved with a pantocrator accompanied by the symbols of the evangelists, the sun and the moon.
The bell tower, very high, attached to the north wall of the church. It consists of four square-planned floors of square plan finished by a slate spire.
The interior. In the central apse we find a fragment of mural painting from the late 13th or early 14th centuries. There is also a Romanesque baptismal font, embedded in a church column.
Contact
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Contact
Address: Plaça dera Gleisa (Church Square) - Bossòst (Lleida) 25550
Timetable
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Timetable
In summer (June 15 - September 15)
Guided visits from Monday to Saturday: 11am, 12am, 1pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm.
Rest of the year
Mondays to Sundays: 10am to 8pm
Prices
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Prices
Free visit
How to get
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How to get
By bus. The internal buses of the Aran Valley link Bossòst with the other villages of the valley.
By car. The N-230 road (Vielha - Border with France) passes through Bossòst.
Location
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Location
GPS: 42°47'08.8"N 0°41'31.9"E / 42.785787, 0.692197
Nearby
Attractions
Accommodation
Attractions
Accommodation