Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Llesp
Llesp is a village within the municipality of Pont de Suert, situated in the comarca of Alta Ribagorça in Lleida. The area extends around the catchment areas of two of the region’s main rivers, the Noguera Ribagorçana and its tributary, the Noguera de Tor, as far as the Barravés and Boí valleys.
The village, formerly a municipality in itself, is home to the parish church of Sant Martí, which dates from the 12th century, although it has been altered over the centuries. However, the present church is built using stones from the original Romanesque structure and retains the old portal, now situated on the north wall, which features a semicircular arch with an archivolt and capitals.
Its current appearance, probably dating from the 18th century, is that of a church with three naves, the two side naves each having three chapels. A room situated next to the chancel houses a painting of Our Lady of Grace, while outside, the bell tower is attached to the façade.
As is the case in the other villages in the region, where they have been designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, the Fallas festivals in Llesp are an important celebration. This tradition of sun worship, which sought to purify fields and crops and protect the population, is celebrated in July and involves carrying the fallas – wooden torches made from pieces of pine wood attached to a pole with wire and spikes – down from the mountain. With the fallas lit, the fallaires make their way to the town square, where a lively celebration takes place around a bonfire.