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Writing a detailed guide for Sanctuary of Meritxell…
The Mare de Déu de Meritxell is the patron saint of Andorra, and her sanctuary above Canillo is the country's most important religious site. After a 1972 fire destroyed the Romanesque original, Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill rebuilt it as a striking modern complex of arches, vaults, and reflecting pools that still echoes the lost medieval church. National pilgrimage day is 8 September.
Fun facts
- The original 12th-century wooden statue of the Virgin was destroyed in the 1972 fire; today's figure is a faithful replica.
- Bofill's reconstruction deliberately preserves the ruins of the burnt church inside the new complex.
- 8 September, Meritxell day, is Andorra's national holiday.
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