Durro

Welcome to Durro: A Charming Corner in Valle de Boí

Durro is a picturesque village located in the municipality of Valle de Boí, in the region of Alta Ribagorza in the province of Lérida, Catalonia. This beautiful town is situated at 1,384 metres above sea level, on the slopes of the Sierra de Corronco mountain range, an enclave where nature and traditional architecture coexist in perfect harmony.

Geography and Architecture

In Durro, the waters of the Durro river and the Barranco Cortina stream meet, framing a hamlet that stands out for its popular architecture, with slate roofs that blend in with the mountainous landscape.

Nativity of Durro

The parish church of La Natividad de Durro, located in the centre of the hamlet, is in the Romanesque style and shows the common denominator of all the churches in the valley, the elegant towers in the style of San Clemente de Taull.

It is a canonically oriented church, with a single nave and a cross plan with two small side chapels that end in a semicircular apse to the east.

Like the main nave, the south apse has disappeared, although traces of the profile of its mouth remain on the east wall of the tower's ground floor.

The central apse, amputated by some alterations, still allows us to see part of its Lombard work on the south side, based on a series of blind arches.

In front, the added sacristy limits the view of the south apsidal cylinder, which looks as if it has been rebuilt in its upper part.

The blind arcade extends along the top of the side walls of the church.

The tower, attached to the north wall of the church, was erected on the north arm of the transept of the church, which today lacks its apsidal cylinder.

It consists of six sections in the typical manner of this valley, the two uppermost sections, which have large windows, show that they were altered to make them suitable for bell openings.

The tower was probably higher, and the upper section, reduced to half its original height, shows signs of having had a window, now closed.

There is a door at the foot of the south wall, through which we access the interior, and on the north wall, under the porch, the original doorway, of elaborate workmanship, very similar in design and sculptural theme to the church of Cardet, not far away.

Five semicircular archivolts, three of which are groined, with the two intermediate ones interspersed with beading, supported by capitals and columns. On the outside, the arch is doubled by means of a moulding of checkerboard carved in lighter-coloured limestone pieces.

Above the fold described above, a chrism carved in ashlar, also limestone, shows a trinitarian model of the Huesca type, with seven arms, with its symbols in an orthodox position. In the upper spandrels, two doves carry it with their beaks, and in the lower spandrels there are two lions with their heads turned on their rumps. The sides are decorated with vegetal decoration.

The capitals that decorate the doorway are difficult to see in detail, given the marbled limestone material in which they are carved.

Their "streaky" shades give a "dirty" look to the images, making them difficult to detail.

On the outside, vegetal motifs, on the inside, on the left, a beast with its head turned on its back and on the inside, a small sunken head. On the right, two lions and a figure in the corner who seems to be licking with a long tongue.

Hermitage of San Quirc

The hermitage of San Quirc de Durro is located on a small promontory to the southwest of Durro, which can be reached by an asphalted track that leaves from the square of the church of La Nativitat de Durro, at an altitude of 1,498 metres above sea level.

We find a very small but pleasant building of Romanesque origin, consisting of a single nave topped by a semicircular apse, covered with a more than possible barrel vault (slightly pointed).

Its privileged location offers impressive views of the middle section of the Boí Valley.

A single loophole window opens into the apse, illuminating the interior on this side. Symmetrically, on the west wall, another small opening allows light to enter from this side.

The entrance door is located in the south wall. It is a simple entrance door that opens under a semicircular arch, without any decoration.

The construction is made up of medium-sized stone blocks, with the addition of a few larger pieces, preferably placed at the base.

The building gives a glimpse of a 12th century Romanesque construction.

Outdoor Activities in Durro

Durro invites you to explore the natural beauty of Alta Ribagorza through various activities.

Hiking and Mountain Biking

Mountaineering and HikingDiscover routes such as the Corronco de Durro (14.22 km) that will take you through spectacular landscapes.
Mountain BikeRoutes such as Pinar de Durro and La Cultia will challenge your adrenaline.

Adventures in the Sky

Paragliding from DurroExperience a tandem paragliding flight with a difference in altitude of 1000m. From take-off in Durro to landing in Barruera, the adventure in the sky will last approximately 20 minutes, with a total activity of an hour and a quarter. This experience is available for adventurers aged 4 years and over, with a maximum weight of 120 kg.

Durro offers not only an immersion in the rich history and culture of Catalonia, but also an invitation to explore and admire nature in its purest form.