A Guide to Andorra Architecture
- elizabethhelenpier
- Nov 22, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 8
Despite Andorra being a very old country, in existence since the 9th Century, it is, in many ways, a very new country in terms of its buildings. Architecture is one of the traits that marks Andorra’s transition into the globalised world we know of today. Read on for information about the influences on the Andorra architecture of the buildings you see today and the kind of materials used historically and in the modern day.
The story behind historical Andorra architecture
There was a short-lived flurry of interesting granite stone architecture in Andorra that started towards the 1930s until the 1950s, mainly thanks to the French and Swiss. They saw Andorra’s potential and were interested in helping develop the country. A few famous buildings erected in this old style still exist today, such as the Casa Felipó on Avinguda Meritxell and La Torre dels Russos in Santa Coloma.
Historically, it all began with the FHASA hydroelectric power station in Escaldes-Engordany (now known as FEDA) during the 30s and the improvement of the road network; retaining walls, bridges and tunnels. Back then it was Swiss and German engineers who introduced their construction knowledge, subsequently influencing builders and future projects in Andorra. After this, with the increase in migration to Andorra, stonemasons arrived among the crowds. A lot of them came from the Spanish regions of Galicia and Andalusia, that have reputable knowledge in granite carving techniques.
The construction of these granite-stone buildings maintained a short history and within a couple of decades many of these old buildings were destroyed. In the 60s and 70s most were pulled down to leave place for "modern" architecture and to leave room for road widening to accommodate the increase in vehicle traffic.
The Andorran population at the time regarded new building techniques as a sign of progress for the country, having constructed in stone, mud and wood for centuries. This caused them to discard the older properties, which were a synonym for harsh times for them.
In the 1980s and 1990s, there was a short-lived revival of a more traditional looking architecture, known locally as rustic. For example, the housing development of La Pleta d’Ordino or the Bordes d'Arinsal are examples of a reinterpretation of traditional architecture. Initially, these projects were geared towards the Spanish in search of a mountain holiday home or for the new arrival of expats back then. Unfortunately, most of these pastiche constructions did not take into consideration the basics of traditional architecture which has resulted in dark spaces with little natural light in these "new" old towns.
To this day, historic architectural details or techniques are still shunned, leading to a more bland contemporary architecture taking precedent. It does not help that traditional stonemasons, prepared to build in traditional form, are also hard to come by and expensive to employ.
Historical architecture is quite scarce in the country due to the above and some important last other factors:
Andorra was very isolated for many centuries and subsisted mainly on agriculture and livestock, subject to infertile soil and harsh winters. This made living conditions quite difficult and many households of Andorra could not afford any extravagances.
The population was very small for a long time. As an example, in the 1940s the number of inhabitants was only 5000 people.
Although Andorra is a co-principality, there has been very little presence of any aristocracy or bourgeoisie. Meaning no mansions or castles are to be seen, to the disappointment of some tourists, expecting to find a Pyrenees version of Lichtenstein.
The story behind modern Andorra architecture
Modern architecture, on the other hand, has been heavily influenced by Spain. From the late 60s onwards, most of the building workforce came from southern Spain, importing their own building techniques such as brick walls and tile floors. The latter being ideal for southern climates but not so comfortable for Andorra. Insulation was non-existent so properties of that period are very draughty and cold.
Since the 80s, properties in Andorra have been constructed mostly with a concrete base structure including pillars, floors and roofs. Occasionally some builders and owners have preferred the roofs to be constructed with wooden beams instead in order to maintain a little bit of charm. This is once again becoming more the norm in 2025. Concrete does however remain to be the main focal point in construction in Andorra, used in astronomical proportions.
Nearly all materials for construction are now imported, which adds to the cost of any project. Stone cladding and roof slates, are imported mainly from the northern regions of Spain as there are not any stone quarries located in the country. In the 80s and 90s you were permitted to use stone from mountain scree, but this is no longer permitted. The wood used for beams or general construction is also imported despite the quantity of pine we have growing naturally in the country.
Over the last 10 years the Andorran population have finally been able to access a fairly large array of materials for the final stages of construction (flooring, appliances, etc.) but due to import costs and local companies keeping a tight grip on the market, the costs tend to be higher than in our neighbouring countries. Anything “out of the ordinary” will either need to be imported specifically or will be almost impossible to obtain.
Architectural design in Andorra
When it comes to architectural design, Andorra has never had any particular interest in this domain. You would expect that in colder months the historic local population would have reverted to some sort of craft activity, as you will find in the Alps. However, design was closely linked to practicality here, meaning all the old villages are located in the sunniest and safest spots of Andorra, ensuring as much sun (ergo heating) as possible throughout the day and avoiding any avalanches or rock falls.
Nowadays, Andorra architecture is very much influenced by Spain, as explained previously. Most architects that practice here are either from Spain or have studied in Spain. Therefore, most properties being built here strive towards contemporary architecture as is popular in Spain. Some are more daring than others, but all in all, the majority seek open plan spaces, light and large openings to the outdoors, and a lot of right angles and crisp designs. Nordic wooden projects (known also as passive houses) are only just becoming known in Andorra. The first projects of which begun being built in 2023.
All in all, more daring foreign architects occasionally leave their mark in Andorra, however most of the current building projects are employing classic, crisp and more economical modern designs using concrete. We do not know of any current projects using old fashioned stonemasonry due to the cost and restrictions.
For more information about how to build your own home in Andorra, please read our blog post How to buy land and build a house in Andorra?
Materials used in historical construction in Andorra
All traditional homes and barns were constructed on the same principles with very few materials, all sourced locally. In most cases this means a square or rectangular floor plan with stone walls 60 / 80cm thick. To this day, some old barns still have their original mortar: a mixture of mud, hay and manure, surprisingly resistant and long lasting. You will be able to distinguish this traditional mortar because of its warm tones and texture, very similar to the consistency of makeup powder.
Roofs and windows were constructed from pine logs. Although you would think that there was plenty of choice, the task was not as easy as one would think. For example, chopping down a tree on a steep hill (i.e. most trees in Andorra) would result in the log bending when drying out, due to the stress that the tree was subject to by growing on the side of a mountain - not ideal for the construction of a roof.
The slates used on the roofs were simply pieces of specific slate stone that could be split into sheets, ranging from 1.5 cm thick to a whopping 4 cm in some cases. Andorra has maintained its use of the these slate roofs, by demanding that all buildings are constructed with a finishing of slate roof. It is just a shame that this symmetry is not seen in the construction of walls, and is therefore only visible from a birds-eye-view, looking down at the roof tops of the country.
