La Quar

La Quar
Municipality

The village of Sant Maurici de la Quar

Flag
Coat of arms

Location in Berguedà
La Quar
La Quar

Location in Catalonia

Coordinates: 42°06′25″N 1°58′54″E / 42.10694°N 1.98167°E / 42.10694; 1.98167
Country  Spain
Community  Catalonia
Province Barcelona
Comarca Berguedà
Government
 • Mayor Antonio Franch Cid (2015)[1] (CiU)
Area[2]
 • Total 38.2 km2 (14.7 sq mi)
Elevation 885 m (2,904 ft)
Population (2014)[1]
 • Total 57
 • Density 1.5/km2 (3.9/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Quartenc
Website laquar.cat

La Quar is a small town and municipality located in the comarca of Berguedà, in Catalonia. The municipality consists mostly of isolated farmhouses, with a few small settlements. The traditional center of the municipality was Santa Maria de la Quar, located on an easily defended rocky outcropping, but today it has no permanent residents and the center of the municipality has become Sant Maurici de la Quar, on the main road.

Geography

La Quar is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is surrounded by peaks of around 1000 meters to the north and west, and although it is quite close —as the raven flies— to the town of Berga, the town can only be accessed from the south. As a result, the town is relatively isolated.

History

The ruins of the Monastery of La Portella are located within the municipality. Formerly, this monastery was quite powerful, and as a result la Quar had been quite important in spite of its low population. The town was also the seat of the important noble family of La Portella.

The first reference to the Monastery of la Portella is from the year 1003, and it was finally abandoned in 1835. From 1838-1840, during the Carlist Wars, the Carlist authorities moved the University of Solsona to the empty monastery for defensive reasons.

At some point a Romanesque sculpture of Virgin and Child, known as the Mare de Déu de la Quar was discovered in the municipality. Healing properties were attributed to the Virgin, and la Quar became a local place of pilgrimage. Today, the Virgin is kept in the church of Sant Maurici, along with many crutches or wax representations of limbs given in thanks to the Virgin by those who have claimed to have been healed by her.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ajuntament de la Quar". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. ↑ "El municipi en xifres: La Quar". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
 Vilada Borredà
Cercs
  La Quar  
Olvan Sagàs Lluçà
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