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40-511: The parish is extremely mountainous and contains the highest mountain in Andorra, Coma Pedrosa (2,942 m or 9,652 ft). Its western side limits with Tor, Pallars municipal term, in the border with Spain . The parish has an area of 65 square kilometres (25 sq mi), and adjoins the neighbouring parishes of Ordino , Encamp , Escaldes-Engordany , and Andorra la Vella , and also France ( Occitanie ) and Spain ( Catalonia ). There

80-437: A dance at night. During two days, usually the first weekend of August, the streets of Ordino are filled with buners , an aerophone instrument that receives a wide variety of names depending on the area (bag of moans, xeremia , coixinera , Ordino's bagpipe, bottle or cleat) and is a symbol of the parish by its legend . All events are popular, celebrated by local people and parishioners, who have gone from town to town and from

120-597: A popular festival to a popular festival playing the bagpipes. The sings of Caramelles (religious songs from the Old Catalonia sung during the Easter ), and its dances, are also popular and traditional in the parish. The Comú d'Ordino, the local government, has a sports center (CEO) with swimming pool, gym, squash, sauna and rock climbing wall; along with the CTEO sport center with indoor and outdoor fields. It's also

160-442: A pyramid, is situated at the northwestern border with France and Spain. It has in the past acted as a barrier between Andorra and France. The mountainous terrain of Andorra, a landlocked country, contains 65 peaks that rise to an elevation of greater than 2,000 m (6,562 ft), and of the 65 peaks, Coma Pedrosa has the highest one at 2,943 m (9,656 ft). Its recent exposure to tourism has attracted millions to enjoy

200-497: A vast medieval center, mainly linked to the culture of the country. Ordino is a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO since 2020 and has been recognized in 2023 as Best Tourism Village by UN Tourism The parish has borders with France ( Occitania ) and also with the parishes of La Massana , Canillo , and Encamp . The only main road and only all year external link is the CG-3 leading to the neighbouring parish of La Massana. With 85 km

240-493: Is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northwest of Andorra la Vella and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) northwest of Massana, providing a pleasant après-ski sight. At an elevation of 2,260 metres (7,410 ft) lies Refugi de Coma Pedrosa , a mountain hut. It was inaugurated in 1992. Ordino Ordino ( Catalan pronunciation: [oɾˈðino] ) is the most northerly parish in the Principality of Andorra . It's mostly

280-473: Is 262 hectares (650 acres) of agricultural land, 14% of the total agricultural land in Andorra. The main villages are La Massana (the capital city itself), Pal , Arinsal , Anyós , Erts , Sispony , L'Aldosa , and Escàs . Other settlements are Xixerella , Mas de Ribafeta, El Pui, and Puiol del Piu. Coma Pedrosa in the north-west of the parish is the highest point in the Principality of Andorra at 2,942 metres (9,652 ft), and has panoramic views of

320-591: Is 942.4 mm (37.10 in) with May as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around 15.9 °C (60.6 °F), and lowest in January, at around 1.5 °C (34.7 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Ordino was 32.9 °C (91.2 °F) on 18 August 2012; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −18.9 °C (−2.0 °F) on 23 February 2005. The etymological origin of

360-426: Is also a good example of romanesque Andorran art . Manor houses like Fiter-Riba or Casa Rossell , which holds the original Manual Digest and Areny-Plandolit family house , owners of Farga de l'Areny , represented the good society of Andorra between the 17th and 19th centuries. Both mansions were acquired in 1972 by Consell General and converted into an ethnological and historical museum. The parish and town

400-620: Is considered moderate meanwhile the last 862 m is considered to be difficult. Several mountain lakes and tarns are found on the slopes, notably Estanys de Baiau , which lies on the western slopes, across the Spanish border. The nearest town is Arinsal , La Massana . Historically, the mountain provided ample security from invasions into Andorra. Nowadays, the mountain is part of the Parc Natural Comunal de les Valls del Comapedrosa national park. Coma Pedrosa, shaped like

440-619: Is for about one hour from Estany Negre to the highest peak in Andorra at 2,943 metres (9,656 ft) elevation, and this trek, passing through rocky terrain, is difficult. The return trek follows the same route. A diversion through Malhiverns pass instead of Estany Negre is more enjoyable. In the Arinsal valley below the Coma Pedrosa, winter season offers skiing and snowboarding. The first ski lifts were installed in Arinsal in 1973. It

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480-651: Is linked to the neighbouring parish of Ordino by the CG-3 main road, and to the capital, Andorra La Vella , by the CG-3/CG-4 main road. There are two road tunnels along the route of the CG-3/CG-4: the Pont Pla Tunnel , a 1.3-kilometre (0.8 mi) long tunnel built in 2006, and the Sant Antoni Tunnel , a 280-metre (306 yd) long tunnel built in 2003. The Pont Pla Tunnel has been designated

520-522: Is located in Ordino town. The International Narciso Yepes Festival , a series of classical music concerts, has been held there every October since 1983. The festival was started by the late guitarist, Narciso Yepes . The Postal and Postcard Museum of Andorra (Catalan: Museu Postal d'Andorra ) and the Miniature Museum (Catalan: Museu de la Miniatura ) are localed in the parish of Ordino. La Ruta del Ferro , which translates into English as

560-581: Is open as bike park. In mountain biking, Vallnord was the venue for events during the 2008 , 2009 and 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup . The 2015 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships were held in Vallnord. In road cycling, Arcalis was used for a stage finish in the 1994 Vuelta a España , and Pal as a stage finish in the 2010 Vuelta a España . Vallnord was used for stage finishes in

600-578: Is part of the annually Freeride World Tour El Dorado route since 2015, as part of the major ski events in Andorra; along with the FIS International Youth Trophy Trofeu Borrufa celebrated every January. The ski station has also hosted since 2005 main stages of the European Championships of Ski Mountaineering and World Championships of Ski Mountaineering . During summer the ski resort

640-470: Is possible to book taxi flights from Barcelona , Lleida , Perpignan , or Toulouse airports for fixed prices. There is no airport in Andorra. The nearest one is Andorra–La Seu d'Urgell Airport in Spain around 12 km from the border. There is a gondola lift linking the town of La Massana to Vallnord (Pal-Arinsal sector ski station) ; it runs throughout the year. There are further gondola lifts within

680-602: Is the confluence of the Coma Pedrosa River and Pla de l'Estany River rising from the mountains and arriving at Grau. The ascent continues along a steep hill slope of the Coma Pedrosa River valley and arrives at the Coma Pedrosa refuge or camping site at an elevation 2,272 metres (7,454 ft), which is located near the l'Estany de les Truites (Trout Lake). A further hour's walk leads to the Estany Negre (Black Lake), named on account of its colour. The last stretch

720-723: Is the namesake of the Andorran legend El buner d'Ordino , in which a bagpiper from Ordino, en route to a festival in Canillo , is chased and treed by wolves, but frightens them off by playing his instrument. Ordino has been part of the culture of Andorra and the Catalan language as major headquarter of Fundacio Ramon Llull ( Ramon Llull Foundation ), an international organization constituted in 2008 in order to promote Catalan language and culture internationally. The National Auditorium of Andorra (Catalan: Auditori Nacional d'Andorra )

760-427: Is the third largest parish after Canillo and Encamp . The town of Ordino lies on the footslopes of Casamanya (2740 m), a mountain which has spectacular panoramic views from its summit being located almost exactly in the centre of Andorra. Ordino has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb ). The average annual temperature in Ordino is 8.0 °C (46.4 °F). The average annual rainfall

800-664: The 2007 , 2009 and 2011 Volta a Catalunya . Stage 10 of the 1997 Tour de France , Stage 7 of the 2009 Tour de France and Stage 9 of the 2016 Tour de France also all finished at Arcalis. The major national road bicycle touring event, La Volta als Ports , finish in Arcalís. The race, also known as the Tour of the Andorran Passes or the Andorran Vuelta , was developed during the mid-1970s and has become one of

840-532: The Iron Route , is a cultural route of old iron ore mines and rural cottages across the Valira del Nord , between Llorts and La Cortinada . It is part of the old road that the carriers used to carry the iron from the mines of Llorts to the ironwork forges of La Massana . A festival deeply rooted in the town of Ordino is El Roser d'Ordino or The Rose Festival , in which the processions and devotions during

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880-558: The Arinsal and Pal sectors, which jointly have 89 km of runs ranging in altitude from 2600 m to 1550 m. In summer, the main activities are hiking, climbing, mountain biking, 4x4 trails, and canyoning . Agricultural land amounting to 262 ha is used for growing tobacco, vegetables (mainly potatoes), and cereals. There are rough pastures on the higher slopes which are used for raising dairy cattle and also for keeping horses used in trekking holidays. The construction industry and real estate have also been significant sectors of

920-466: The Comapedrosa valleys). The forest vegetation on the mountain and in its valleys are of pines, birch and firs. There are several glacier lakes formed within the valley created by the mountains and also vast meadows. Consequent to the popularity of skiing in and around this mountain valley near Arinsal and close to the Andorra la Vella and other valleys in Andorra, the valley has seen an increase in

960-615: The Llac de Tristaina, is a 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) long tributary of the Gran Valira . There are also the Pal and the Montaner. The mountains have rough pastures with numerous native species of Pyrenean wildflowers , and extensive forests of pines, firs, birches, wild cherries, and oaks. The average annual temperature of La Massana town is 8 °C (46 °F). Across the whole parish,

1000-714: The Pyrenees. The mountain is also the site of the Coma Pedrosa Nature Reserve . It is covered by heavy snowfalls in winter, and usually retains some snow cover in summer. The four next-highest peaks are Medacorba (2914 m), Sanfonts (2888 m), Pla de l'Estany (2859 m), and Racofred (2837 m). The town of La Massana has an average elevation of 1,240 metres (4,070 ft) above sea-level. There are four lakes: Forcats , Montmantell , Estany Negre , and Les Truites Lake . The parish has three main rivers. The Valira del Nord, which begins at

1040-581: The best and safest tunnel in Europe by the European Tunnels Assessment Programme (EuroTAP). The parish's road network is being upgraded in a multimillion-euro programme involving new tunnel construction, road widening, improved sign-posting, new bicycle lanes, and additional safety measures such as crash barriers and signal-controlled pedestrian crossings. The Dos Valires Tunnel , a road tunnel between Anyós and Encamp ,

1080-463: The climate varies greatly with elevation. Regions above the Alpine tree line at about 2100–2400 m have an alpine climate and alpine tundra . The valleys have a milder climate that is essentially temperate . The main industry is tourism and the parish is a major tourism destination. In winter, the main activities are skiing, snowboarding, and ski biking. The main ski resort, Vallnord , includes

1120-468: The development of tourist resorts, hotels, restaurants and business establishments catering to tourists. This has created an awareness to preserve virgin mountains and forests, and put restrictions on further proliferation of ski resorts and urban activities by introducing a national network of parks as preserves. Coma Pedrosa is classified as a subalpine climate ( ET ), due to fewer than 4 months with an average temperature above 10°C (50°F). The trek or

1160-520: The economy. There are two museums: Casa Rull Ethnographic Museum in Sispony, and Farga Rossell, a forge built in the mid-19th century which has demonstrations of iron working. The parish is host to a number of fiestas and other public celebrations. There are the festa patronale on 17 November, the festa major on 15 August, and the Rosary fete on the second Sunday of July. A fiesta is also held at

1200-542: The end of June or beginning of July, depending on the weather, to mark the consecration of the livestock and pastures. The transport infrastructure consists of roads, road tunnels, gondola lifts , and two heliports. There are no railways, ports, airports, or navigable waterways. There are regular bus services throughout the rural and metropolitan areas of the parish. There are services to most destinations inside Andorra and several long-distance services to destinations outside Andorra such as Barcelona and Toulouse. The parish

1240-547: The industrial center of Andorra, Ordino is considered the cultural center of Andorra. Here Antoni Fiter i Rossell wrote the Manual Digest (1748), called the "Bible of Andorra," which tells the story, the government and the Andorran customs. The town of Ordino include the parish church of Sant Corneli i Sant Cebrià , already mentioned in 839, was mainly built during the 12th and 13th centuries. The Romanesque church of Sant Martí de la Cortinada , with 12th-century murals,

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1280-484: The main area of Valira del Nord or Valira d'Ordino river valley. Ordino is also the name of the main town of the parish. Other settlements in the parish are El Serrat , Ansalonga , Sornàs , La Cortinada , Llorts , Segudet , Arans , Les Salines and Arcalís . It is home to the Sorteny National Park , the largest nature area of Andorra. It has a population of 4,858, as of 2017. The town preserves

1320-471: The month of July have given way to the Roses festival, a spring symbol linked to love, beauty and devotion. Traditionally, the day before the youth went to pick roses that grew in the fields and orchards, preparing the bouquets and placed in a basket that gave to women. The celebration was religious in the morning, in the afternoon there was a parade and a harvest ( La Plega del Carbassó ) and everything ended with

1360-483: The mountain climb starts from Arinsal, which is considered an easy route, from the picnic area at the base of the Ribal Warefall at 1,580 metres (5,180 ft). It takes about 4 to 4 1 ⁄ 2 hours to reach the highest point of Pic de Coma Pedrosa. The first part of the climb, taking just under half an hour, is along a wide, 800 metres (2,600 ft) long foot track past a signpost to Aigues Juntes , which

1400-621: The mountain pass Baiau . The town of Arinsal is in the narrow valley below the mountain. The Coma Pedrosa's Estany Negre , the Torta Coma, Coma's Gaspedrosa, the Puestode las Erolas, Cape dels Croes, and Puig dels Emborts in the Sierra del Aguiro surround the parish of La Massana. The local area is known as Comapedrosa. The mountain is in a natural park called Parque Natural Comunal de los Valles del Comapedrosa (Communal natural park of

1440-563: The name of the parish Ordino and its capital is pre-Roman , and it is documented for the first time in the Acta de Consagració i Dotació de la Catedral de la Seu d'Urgell (Deed of Consecration and Endowment of the Cathedral of La Seu d'Urgell), during the 9th century, as Hordinavi or Sant Cebrià d'Hordinavi . Ordino is historically known for its ironworks of the 16th century, especially Farga del Serrat and Farga de l'Areny . Besides being

1480-733: The parish were the start and finish of Ultra Trail Andorra take place, one of the most important mountain trail races in Southern Europe. FC Ordino , founded in 2010, is one of the major sport clubs in the parish. The club's football section currently plays in Primera Divisió , the Andorran Premier Division. In the extreme northwest of the parish is the Vallnord (Ordino-Arcalis sector ski station) ski resort which has peaks up to 2,625 m. Vallnord

1520-450: The ski resorts themselves. [REDACTED] Media related to La Massana (parish) at Wikimedia Commons Coma Pedrosa Coma Pedrosa ( Catalan pronunciation: [ˈkomə pəˈðɾozə] ; 2,943 m or 9,656 ft) is the highest mountain in the principality of Andorra . It is popular with mountain climbers, its ascent being technically straightforward, although strenuous. From Arinsal to Camp de Refuge (650 m climb)

1560-537: The unique scenery of its hills and valleys. The higher reaches of the mountain are covered with forests while the lower reaches have some arable lands. The mountain gets fully covered with snow during the winter months which provides opportunities for skiing and mountaineering, ice climbing and scrambling. During the summer season, the mountain provides many easy routes for trekking through the Arinsal valley covering neighbouring areas of Vall Ferrera in Spain after crossing

1600-566: Was completed in 2012, cutting the expected journey times from the current 30–45 minutes to 5 minutes. There are two heliports in the area — one in La Massana town (the Heliport Terra Guindaldes) and one in Arinsal , both providing commercial helicopter services. In addition, there is a heliport in the capital, Andorra la Vella Heliport . There are no scheduled passenger flights to these heliports, but it

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