Routes through Romanesque art in Osona county
The county of Osona boasts an impressive number of buildings in the Romanesque style across all its territory. In every town and village we can find examples of this heritage constructed during the eleventh century. In the city of Vic there is the Episcopal museum, one of the most important museums in Europe, where pieces of Romanesque art from the buildings across the county are on display. The reality and presence of Romanesque art meant that it was considered worthwhile to work together and promote all this heritage.
“The county of Osona is one of the richest in all Catalonia for its examples of Romanesque art. It has over ninety buildings which are either completely or in part Romanesque, and the Episcopal museum is the second most important in the country for its collection of mural paintings, especially paintings on wood, or alter paintings, images, arches, “capitells” sculptured columns. No scholar or lover of Romanesque art can miss out on visiting our museum or fail to visit our monuments. Romanesque art in Osona has some characteristics which differentiate it from that of the surrounding counties: La Garrotxa, Ripollès, Bages, Vallès Oriental and la Selva. In Osona the Romanesque art is primarily in the Lombard style, or was created in the eleventh century. Romanesque art in Osona is therefore of the early stages, the fruit of the impulse given to this style by the bishop and abbot Oliba, and his team of workers. Examples of this architecture are the “casa vescomtal” of Osona, later renamed of Cardona, the monastery of Casserres, the church of Sant Esteve de Tavèrnoles, the church of el Brull, Savassona and other churches in these domains”
Antoni Pladevall i Font
“Director of Catalunya Romànica”
