MOLIST, N., RIPOLL, G. & ESTEVE, X., Olèrdola (Barcelona). Sant Miquel and Santa Maria and their interaction with the medieval civitas and the castral territory, European Association of Archaeologists / EAA / Anual Meeting in Barcelona (5-9 September 2018) (Session 565: Ecclesiastical landscapes in Medieval Europe. A comparative approach).

Abstract

Olèrdola (Barcelona). Sant Miquel and Santa Maria and their interaction with the medieval civitas and the castral territory

Núria Molist, Gisela Ripoll, Xavier Esteve

The medieval civitas of Olèrdola, located on the top of a geostrategic hill, is organized into a main area inside the roman and medieval walls and an extensive outer neighborhood. Both spaces are endowed with a church, a cemetery and several agriculture, livestock and housing structures. It is dated from the 9th century to the early 12th century. The pre-Romanesque church of Sant Miquel, located in the upper part of the enclosure, had parish functions. It was built over a previous 9th century necropolis. Outside walls, Santa Maria concentrates the cemetery and the urban settlement around it. Both churches are landmarks, in contrast to the other non-visual churches.
Located 50 km southern Barcelona, the castral territory of Olèrdola stands as an example of organizational policy of the new conquered area, the Penedès. At the beginning of the 10th century it had been incorporated into the county of Barcelona, having as a main buildings the castle and the parish church of Sant Miquel. This church had eight smaller churches (including Santa Maria) scattered throughout a big terminus castralis around 200 km2.
The written documentation regarding the churches has been contrasted with the recent archaeological excavations at Sant Miquel (project for the restoration of the church, 2005-2008) and at Santa Maria, which has work in progress, in the framework of the ECLOC project (Ecclesiæ, cœmeteria et loci (sæc. VIII-XI). Sancti Cirici de Colera, Sidilianum, Olerdola / Esglésies, cementiris i hàbitats (segles VIII al XI). Sant Quirze de Colera, Sidillà, Olèrdola) (Quadrennial research projects in archaeology and palaeontology 2014-2017, Num. Exp. 2014/100480, Generalitat de Catalunya). These actions have allowed to carry out an in-depth study of the construction and chronology of both churches, the necropolis around and its role in the urban articulation in a border place.

Keywords
Medieval; town; suburban; church; cemetery

Full text

EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION of ARCHAEOLOGIST / 24TH MEETING 2018_BARCELONA
565: Ecclesiastical landscapes in Medieval Europe. A comparative approach�
Olèrdola (Barcelona). Sant Miquel and Santa Maria and their
interaction with the medieval civitas and the castral territory
*Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya, ERAAUB (nmolist@gencat.cat); **Universitat de Barcelona, ERAAUB (giselaripoll@hotmail.com); *** Professional Archaeologist, ERAAUB (xesteveg@gmail.com)
ECLOC project (Ecclesiae, coemeteria et loci (saec. VIII-XI). Sancti Cirici de Colera, Sidilianum, Olerdola / Esglésies, cementiris i hàbitats (segles VIII a XI), Sant Quirce de Colera, Sidillà, Olèrdola)
(Quadrennial research projects in archeology and paleontology 2014-2017, No. 2014/100480, Generalitat de Catalunya)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pre-Romanesque North apse. Santa Maria d'Olèrdola. Pre-Romanesque apse.
BATET, C. (2004). El castell termenat d'Olèrdola. Monografies d'Olèrdola 1. Barcelona. Museu
d'Arqueologia de Catalunya.
BOSCH, J.M.; MESTRES, J.; MOLIST, N.; SANABRE, M.R.; SOCIAS, J. (1999). "El procés
d'urbanització feudal: un possible exemple de continuïtat d'un lloc antic (segles VIII-X)". Catalunya a
l'època carolingia. Barcelona. Museu d'Art de Catalunya, p. 95-99.
MOLIST, N. (coord.) (2012). De Sanctus Michaelis a Sant Miquel. L'ésglésia de Sant Miquel
d'Olèrdola entre el segle X i el segle XXI. Barcelona. Ajuntament d'Olèrdola i Museu d'Arqueologia de
Catalunya.
MOLIST, N.; BOSCH, J.M. (2015). "Olèrdola. Un nucli urbà del segle X i XI al Penedès". V Congrés
ACRAM, vol. 1. Barcelona, p. 373-384.
MOLIST, N.; BOSCH, J.M.; FARRÉ, J.; MESTRES, J. (2011). "L'esglésa i la necròpolis de Sant
Miquel d'Olèrdola. Primers resultats de la intervenció arqueològica (2005-2007)". IV congrés ACRAM.
Tarragona, p.
St. Pere
Sta. Digna
St. Genís
St. Cristòfol St. Pere
St. Julià
St. Salvador
St. Maria
OLÈRDOLA
Small churches associated
OLÈRDOLA, parisch church
Current limits
Olèrdola castral territory (10th century).
The medieval civitas of Olèrdola, located on the top of a
geostrategic hill, is organized into a main area inside the
roman and medieval walls and an extensive outer
neighborhood. Both spaces are endowed with a church, a
cemetery and several agriculture, livestock and housing
structures. It is dated from the 9th century to the early 12th
century.
Located 50 km southern Barcelona, the castral territory of
Olèrdola stands as an example of organizational policy of the
new conquered area, the Penedès. At the beginning of the
10th century it had been incorporated into the County of
Barcelona, having as a main buildings the castle and the
parish church of Sant Miquel. This church had eight smaller
churches (including Santa Maria) scattered throughout a big
terminus castralis around 200 km2.
Parish church of Sant Miquel d'Olèrdola Church of Santa Maria d'Olèrdola
The pre-Romanesque church of Sant Miquel, located on the upper
part of the enclosure, had parochial functions. It was built over a
previous necropolis. In 992 a new Romanesque building was
consecrated, reconstructed at the beginning of the 12th century. It
was the parish until 1884.
Outside the city walls, Santa Maria concentrated the cemetery and
the suburban area around it. Built at the beginning of the 10th
century, the church collapsed after the 15th century. Santa Maria
controlled access to the main road to the fortified area and the
passage between the plain and the coast.
The written documentation regarding the churches has been
contrasted with the recent archaeological excavations at Sant
Miquel (project for the restoration of the church, 2005-2008) and
at Santa Maria, which has work in progress, in the framework of
the ECLOC project.
These actions have allowed to carry out an in-depth study of the
construction and chronology of both churches, the necropolis
around and its role in the urban articulation in a border place.
10th century
11th century
12th century
Preserved Restituted
020 m
Church of Sant Miquel infra muros
Church of Santa Maria foris muros
Castel
Roman wall
Medieval wall
Roman cistern
Quarries
Houses
Wine cellar
Medieval suburb
Both churches are landmarks, in contrast to the other non-visual
churches.
2
048m
2
048m
Molist, N.*; Ripoll, G.**; Esteve, X.***