World Heritage Photos

The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is a glacial valley in the southeast of Andorra. Andorra is located in the eastern Pyrenees Mountains, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south. The landscape of cliffs and glaciers with open pastures and steep wooded valleys covers an area of 4.247 ha, nearly 10% of the principality Andorra. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is an isolated valley. The valley is not virgin land, the site features summer settlements, terraced fields, shepherd's huts, barns, dry stone walls and stone paths. The countless charcoal-making sites in the woods bear witness to iron working. People have lived and worked uninterruptedly in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley for seven centuries, the valley is the last remaining part of the Andorran rural way of life. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is only accessible on foot along ancient stone paths and donkey trails. There are no plans to build an access road into the valley. One of the accesses to the isolated Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is on the road to the village of Engolasters, located two km east of the capital city Andorra la Vella. Many tracks link the valley to Catalonia to the south, Roussillon to the east and the Languedoc to the north. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2004.

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1. 

   The snow-covered peaks of the Pyrenees Mountains, viewed from the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley. The valley is located in Andorra, in the Pyrenees Mountains and is only accessible on foot or on donkey back. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2004. The site was extended by a large buffer zone to the Spanish-Andorian border in 2006.

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   The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley in Andorra is an imposing landscape of cliffs and glaciers with open pastures and steep wooded valleys. The highest peak in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is the Pic de la Portelleta. There are only two tiny settlements in the isolated valley, surrounded by terraced fields, both are now only in use during the summer months.

3. 

   The Vall del Madriu, the Madriu Valley, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage: Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley. The landscape of rugged rocks, steep wooded valleys, glaciers and open pastures covers an area of about 4247 hectares, nearly 10% of the Principality of Andorra. People have lived and worked uninterruptedly in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley for seven centuries.

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   Several footpaths and donkey trails connect the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley to the centre of Andorra. The Coronallacs Trail is a circular trail, the first leg of the 90 km long trail leads through the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley. Andorra is a microstate in the Pyrenees Mountains, bordered by France to the north and Spain to the south. 

5. 

   Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley: The water of the Madriu River is crystal clear, on the banks of the Madriu River iron smelting took place, using local iron ore. The iron smelting in the valley took place until the end of the 18th century. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is located in the south-east of Andorra. The valley is a true bird's paradise, eighty-nine bird species nest in the valley.

6. 

   One of the donkey trails in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is an isolated valley, a haven for wildlife. The valley is only accessible on foot, there is a network of hiking routes in the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley, numerous tracks link the valley to Catalonia in Spain to the south, Roussillon in France to the east and the Languedoc in France to the north.

7. 

   Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley: Numerous waterfalls on the Madriu River tumble down on their way into the Vall del Madriu (Madriu Valley). The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is considered to be the 'Spiritual Heart' of Andorra. The Madriu Valley is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley.

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   Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley: A dry-stone shepherd's hut in an old orchard in the Madriu Valley. Shepherds lived in the small stone huts during summer. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is not virgin land, it features summer settlements, terraced fields, barns, stone paths, dry stone walls and charcoal-making sites, the pastures were grazed by sheep, cows and horses.

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   Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley: A donkey trail in the Madriu Valley, the Pyrenees Mountains in the background. The donkey trails are paved with flat field stones. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is only accessible by foot along the stone tracks and donkey trails, there are no plans to build an access road. The valley is a heaven for wildlife lovers, thirty mammals species occur in the valley.

10. 

    Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley: The crystal clear water of the Madriu River. The Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is part of the second largest watershed basin in Andorra. One of the accesses to the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley is on the road to the village of Engolasters, located about two kilometers east of Andorra la Vella, the capital city of Andorra.