Arties
Description
The town of Arties (400 inhabitants) is located at 1,143 m above sea level, at the confluence of the Valarties river with the Garonne river, in a small area of the Val. At the end of the village, the Valarties riverbank dominated by the Tuc del Montardo (2,833 m) takes us to the head of the Valarties river where there are the ponds of Mar, Tòrt, de Rius, the one of Restanca with its mountain refuge next to it and other minors
In the old town, the parish church of Sta. Maria d’Arties, Romanesque construction from the 11th to the 12th century, with a very elegant bell tower built in the last years of the 13th and early 14th centuries, it also has a Romanesque bell tower.
The church has three naves separated by cylindrical pillars, which have no bases. These pillars are crowned by a square and undecorated abacus from those that tear off the semicircular arches that support the walls. The important number and quality of his paintings stands out. To the N of the town, to the right of the Garonne and on the other side of the road, there is the church of Sant Joan d’Arties, a Gothic building from the late 13th century, early 14th century, with an octagonal bell tower. It is currently a museum facility, which hosts traveling exhibitions.
To the south of the town is the chapel of Sant Pelegrin with a small bell tower and semicircular apse, currently whitewashed. In the old center of the village, two civil buildings stand out. One, the house called Çò de Paulet (1,549) with remarkable windows, and the other, the Portolà house, of which a square tower from the 16th century remains. Around 1970, the Gaspar de Portolá National Tourist Inn was built.
On the outskirts of the town there are the Banhs d’Arties, currently abandoned, with sulphurous waters and which have two springs, one at 43º and the other at 29º.
He celebrates the main festival on June 24 for Sant Joan, and the Taro festival is held on the eve. On June 25 there is a pilgrimage to Sant Pelegrí, and on July 25 a pilgrimage to Sant Jaume.
The town has a school, library, retirement home, doctor’s office, pharmacy, bank office, tobacconist, shops, hotels, a campsite and a wide range of bars and restaurants. There is also an outdoor recreational space with a sports area, and a zoological center within a space delimited and protected by a brown bone.