Ancienne église Saint-André de Baillestavy

About

The former church of Saint-André de Baiillestavy (Catalan: sant Andreu de Vallestàvia) is a Romanesque church located in the cemetery of Baiillestavy, in the French department of the Pyrénées-Orientales.

The Canigou Massif is the easternmost massif of the Pyrenees above 2,000 m altitude. Located in the French department of the Pyrénées-Orientales, it separates the natural and historical regions of Catalan tradition from Vallespir, to the south, and the Conflent to the north. This massif is particularly famous for its rich iron deposits which led men to mine from ancient times. Baillestavy is a municipality of about 100 inhabitants located on the northern flanks of the Canigou massif, in Conflent, at about 600 m altitude. If the village of Baillestavy is built on the slopes of the mountain above the bed of the Lentillà River, the church of Saint-André is located 300 m further north, in the minor bed of this stream, on its left bank. Baillestavy is accessible from Vinça via a departmental road (D13).

History: Before the appearance of Christianity, as early as the 2nd century BC, the site of the present Saint Andrew Church is used...