La Seu d'Urgell (; es, Seo de Urgel, formerly in ca, Urgell}) is a town located in the

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca

Alt Urgell Alt Urgell () is a ''comarca'' (county) in Catalonia, Spain, a modern representation of part of the historic County of Urgell (''ca'' 789 - 1413), seat of the Counts of Urgell and the historic region of Urgellet Urgellet () is a historical te ...

, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of Bishop of Urgell, one of the Andorra co-princes. It is in the district of

Alt Pirineu i Aran Alt Pirineu i Aran
(in

Puigcerdà Puigcerdà (; es, Puigcerdá) is the capital of the '' Catalan comarca'' of Cerdanya, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, northern Spain, near the Segre River and on the border with France (it abuts directly onto the French town of Bourg-Ma ...

together have 30% of the population of the area. It is located at the confluence of the

Segre Segre may refer to: * Segre (surname) * Sègre (department), a former department of France * Segre River, a river in Catalonia * Segré, a commune in Maine-et-Loire, France * Segré, Burkina Faso * '' Diari Segre'' or ''Segre'', a Spanish- and Ca ...

and the Valira rivers.GGCC, la Seu d'Urgell:
Urban morphology. The city is in the local region of Urgellet, a Pyrenean region formed by 16 municipalities of

. Urgellet and Andorra were the originary

County of Urgell The County of Urgell ( ca, Comtat d'Urgell, ; la, Comitatus Urgellensis) is one of the historical Catalan counties, bordering on the counties of Pallars and Cerdanya. History The county of Urgell was carved by the Franks out of a former sectio ...

with capital in la Seu d'Urgell before the county expansion to the south.

is the gateway to the state of Andorra and the proximity to this important population center and economic activity is one of the main reasons for the current vigour of the city of la Seu d'Urgell within

Alt Pirineu i Aran Alt Pirineu i Aran
(in

Ot of Urgell Saint Odo of Urgell ( ca, Ot, Odó or Dot es, Odón) (c. 1065 – 1122) was a bishop of Urgell, noted for his care for the poor. He was from the family of the counts of Pallars Sobirà. He is buried in the monastery of Santa Maria de Gerri. In 1 ...

,Diocesan Museum of Urgell
the work of Sant Ot. Saint Sebastian, and the Virgin of Urgell. While the Virgin of Núria and Sant ErmengolDiocesan Museum of Urgell
the work of Saint Ermengol. are the main patrons of the diocese of Urgell. Sant Ermengol is the most prominent in the city than other patrons. Probably that's why there are various events throughout the year dedicated to Sant Ermengol, such as the Sant Ermengol Fair, one of the oldest in Catalonia, and the altarpiece of Sant Ermengol. The

Parc Olímpic del Segre Parc Olímpic del Segre is a canoeing and kayaking facility in La Seu d'Urgell, Catalonia, Spain, built in 1990 for use during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The competition whitewater course is 300 m long, with a 6.5 m drop, making a 2 ...

, built in 1992 for the Barcelona

Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

, is a pump-driven canoe and kayak sports venue located adjacent to the historical centre of la Seu d'Urgell.

Name origins

The name ''la Seu d'Urgell'', in Latin ''Sedes Urgelli'', is formed by two different words: ''Seu'' from the Latin "Sedes", or seat, and ''Urgell'' a pre-Roman name. Joan Coromines, a linguist, interprets that the name is related to the presence of water. The Iberian settlement of Arse-durgui (or Arse d'Urgui) was on the hill of

Castellciutat Castellciutat () is a village in the municipality of la Seu d'Urgell (Alt Urgell, Catalonia). In the past it was called ''Ciutat'' (City in English) but is now called either Ciutat or Castellciutat. It has a population of 451 inhabitants.{{cit ...

. At that time the hill was called ''Puiolo Urgelli''. Where there was the village of Arse-durgui they built the city of Urgell (in Latin ''civitas Orgellia'' and in Catalan ''ciutat d'Urgell'') and here lies the origin of the name

. Until the eighteenth century the town was known simply as "Ciutat" (City in English) and ''Castell'' (Castle) was added because the existence of an ancient castle that was home of the Counts of Urgell. Shortly after the destruction of the former Orgellia new neighborhood arose, which became the new home of the Diocese of Urgell. Its name ''vicus Sedes Urgelli'' indicates that the town is the

episcopal see An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...

of the Bishop of Urgell. Over time, ''Sedes Urgelli'' took importance and lost the word ''vicus'' (denotes that it was a district) while ''civitas Orgellia'' lost the word ''Orgellia'' and becomes simply ''Civitas'' until the 18th century.GGCC, la Seu d'Urgell:
Origins.

Location

The city is at the confluence of two rivers, the

and

Gran Valira The Gran Valira (, es, Río Valira) is the largest river in Andorra. It flows through the capital, Andorra la Vella, and exits the country in the south near the Spain–Andorra road border crossing. The Gran Valira is a tributary to the Se ...

, located in a plain 7 km long and 691 meters high surrounded by high mountains, such as the Cadí mountain range. The plain is called plana de la Seu and was formed by the

Segre river The Segre ( or ; french: Sègre) is a river tributary to the Ebro (''Ebre'' in Catalan) with a basin comprising territories across three states: France, Andorra and Spain. The river Segre, known to Romans and Greeks as Sicoris, and to the Arabs ...

. Because it is located at one of the major crossroads of communication in the Catalan Pyrenees, la Seu d'Urgell has had a unique and historic role in the

county of Urgell The County of Urgell ( ca, Comtat d'Urgell, ; la, Comitatus Urgellensis) is one of the historical Catalan counties, bordering on the counties of Pallars and Cerdanya. History The county of Urgell was carved by the Franks out of a former sectio ...

. The roads to Andorra,

Cerdanya Cerdanya () or often La Cerdanya ( la, Ceretani or ''Ceritania''; french: Cerdagne; es, Cerdaña), is a natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it was one of the counties ...

and the low

all converge on la Seu d'Urgell. Parallel to the Valira river rises a mountain range, where stand the remains of two great fortresses, the

Ciutadella __NOTOC__Ciutadella () is a common place name in Catalan-speaking areas. Ciutadella de Menorca * Ciutadella de Menorca, a municipality on Menorca ** Ciutadella de Menorca Cathedral ** Ciutadella Lighthouse ** Atlètic de Ciutadella, the city's ...

and Ciutat Castle (in

), both of historic importance in the town. Small banks or open plains around the Segre are separated by gorges. In the north, La Seu d'Urgell has borders with the municipality of les Valls de Valira, to the west with Montferrer i Castellbò where there is

La Seu d'Urgell Airport LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figur ...

(also known as Andorra-Pirineus airport), to the south-west with

Ribera d'Urgellet Ribera d'Urgellet is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Alt Urgell in Catalonia, Spain. It includes a small exclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of on ...

, to the south-east with

Alàs i Cerc Alàs i Cerc is a municipalities of Spain, municipality in the ''Comarques of Catalonia, comarca'' of Alt Urgell, Province of Lleida, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. References External links Government data pages
Municipalities in Alt Urge ...

, and to the north-east with

Estamariu Estamariu is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Alt Urgell, Lleida, Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Stat ...

.GGCC, Seu d'Urgell:
Location and layout. The municipality includes a small

exclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

to the east.

La Seu d'Urgell municipality

*Bell-lloc. *

(a village). *Les Torres. *La Seu d'Urgell districts: **Sant Antoni. **Sant Pere. **Poble-sec. **La Seu d'Urgell: ***Santa Magdalena. ***Serrat de la Capella. ***Eixample Bergós (non-official). ***Casc antic (''Town center historic district'' in English) (non-official).

Fairs, festivals and markets

Despite the low population density of

Alt Pirineu i Aran Alt Pirineu i Aran
(in

Catalonia. In la Seu d'Urgell, there are numerous fairs and markets throughout the year: *

Traditional market A wet market (also called a public market or a traditional market) is a marketplace selling fresh foods such as meat, fish, produce and other consumption-oriented perishable goods in a non-supermarket setting, as distinguished from " dry market ...

takes place every Tuesday and Saturday in the Main Street. * Fira de Sant Ermengol, documented as the oldest of Spain,Diari d'Andorra
, Fair 2008. held on the third weekend of October. * Fira de Formatges Artesans del Pirineu (cheese fair of Pyrenean artisans). * Spring Fair held in April and includes an exhibition of the best examples of ''Vaca bruna dels Pirineus'', a cow from Pyrenees. * Fira d'Art, an art exhibition, held since 2007. * Mercat Medieval dels Canonges: a festival of street music, theater, circus, falconery and old offices. * Mercat de les is held twice a year. * International Music Festival Joan Brudieu began in 1969 and is held in July and August.

Attractions

* Church monuments: ** Santa Maria d'Urgell, cathedral of la Seu d'Urgell, in the square of Oms. ** Cloisters of the cathedral of Urgell. ** Diocese of Urgell Museum. It houses the

Urgell Beatus The Urgell Beatus, Beatus d'Urgell or Beatus la Seu d'Urgell is a 10th-century illuminated manuscript and medieval commentary. It is at ''Musei Diocesá de La Seu d'Urgell'', at La Seu d'Urgell in Spain. History Around the year 786 the abbot of th ...

illuminated manuscript. ** Palau Episcopal de la Seu d'Urgell (Episcopal Palace), the palace courtyard. ** Library of Sant Agustí, current municipal library where there was the old convent of Sant Agustí. ** Church of Sant Miquel along the cloister of Santa Maria d'Urgell is the only building that remains of the cathedral complex built by

Sant Ermengol Sant may refer to: People * Alfred Sant (born 1948), Maltese politician * Andrew Sant (born 1950), English-born Australian poet * David Sant (born 1968), Catalan director, actor and writer * Indira Sant (1914–2000), Indian poet * James Sant ( ...

that dates from the year 1035. ** Old Church of Santa Immaculada and future conference room. ** Old Church of Sant Domènec, a Gothic building. It is used for conferences and exhibitions. ** Church of Santa Magdalena, the most important church from the social point of view. ** Seminari conciliar. To the north of the city, it is surrounded by a large courtyard building with a monumental facade featuring a neo-Romanesque design. Built in 1860 by Roman Samson. Carrer dels Canonges (5)

*Old Town, or historic center, where there are Canonges street and the Main Street, both of high architectural value, in addition to the courtyard of the Palau and square Oms where there are the City Hall. The Passeig de Joan Brudieu, the center of la Seu d'Urgell, is one of the most important streets and divides the old town and the new one. *

village, has panoramic views over the Tower of Solsona, the castel and Ciutadella. * Educational Centers ** Cultural Center "Les Monges" (''The Nuns''), there are the schools of dance, music and plastic arts in addition to municipal child care, a center of

UNED The National Distance Education University, known in Spanish as ''Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia'' (UNED), is a public research university of national scope. The university was founded in 1972 under the Ministry of Universities ...

. ** IES Joan Brudieu: Institute for secondary education, high school. *

Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park The Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park ( ca, Parc Natural del Cadí-Moixeró) is a natural park to the north of Catalonia, Spain, near the border with Andorra. The park was established in 1983 and encompasses of mountainous terrain in the comarques of ...

Sport

At its artificial whitewater course,

, the town hosted the canoe slalom events for the

1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...

in neighboring Barcelona. It hosted the

ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships The ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships are an international event in canoeing organized by the International Canoe Federation. The World Championships have taken place every year in non- Summer Olympic years since 2002. From 1949 to 1999, they ...

1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...

2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...

and again in

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

Demography

Incorporation of the municipality of les Torres (1857), Castellciutat (1975).

Highest summits

* Pic de Salòria 2.789 m. *

Monturull Monturull is a mountain of Catalonia, Spain. Located in the Pyrenees, it has an elevation of 2,761 metres above sea level.. See also *Mountains of Catalonia This is a list of mountains in Catalonia, Spain. See also *Montserrat *List ...

2.761 m. * Torreta de Cadí 2.562 m. * Cap del Verd in

and

Solsonès Solsonès () is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. It is part of historic county of Urgell Modern-day Urgell (), also known as ''Baix Urgell'' (''baix'' meaning "lower", by contrast with Alt Urgell "Higher Urgell"), is a ''comarca'' (c ...

2.282 m. *

El Coscollet El Coscollet is a mountain in Catalonia, Spain. It has an elevation of above sea level.. See also *Mountains of Catalonia This is a list of mountains in Catalonia, Spain. See also *Montserrat *List of mountains in Aragon References ...

1.610 m.

Notable people

The writer

Teresa Colom i Pich Teresa Colom i Pich (born 12 December 1973) is an Andorran author and poet. Biography Maria Teresa Colom i Pich was born in La Seu d'Urgell in 1973. She initially studied economics, graduating from Pompeu Fabra University and went to work in a ca ...

was born here in 1973.

References

External links

Official website

Government data pages

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seu D'urgell