A former Romanesque church

The present church stands on the remains of a Romanesque church dating from the 10th century. First documented in 966, it was destroyed during attacks by Almanzor and the Almoravids in the Middle Ages. Work to extend the church began in 1846, but it was eventually decided to build an entirely new one. The Sant Andre architect Pere Falqués i Urpí was responsible for the work.

In 1882, the dome collapsed in the middle of Mass, killing several people and injuring others. Josep Domènech i Estapà was responsible for completing the work. The bell tower was completed in 1889, and the façade was unveiled in 1904.

Fires and uprisings

During Tragic Week, the rebels set fire to the high altar, the organ and the church’s wooden altars. The pews, confessionals and other objects were used to a bonfire that burned beneath the centre of the dome for 30 hours. One of the most significant losses during Tragic Week was the Crist dels Segadors, which had been carried aloft during the uprising of 1640.

The church was set on fire again during the Civil War, and there was an attempt to blow up the dome. The Republican Air Force used the parish church as a petrol store, and the bells were melted down to make war materiel.

Among the parish church’s artistic treasures are murals by Josep Verdaguer i Coma, a painter from Sant Andreu who decorated the church between 1956 and 1960 with paintings depicting biblical scenes and episodes from the life of Sant Andreu.

The Capella dels Segadors

The remains of the Capella dels Segadors still stand beside the Parròquia de Sant Andreu de Palomar. It was from here in 1640 that peasants from across Catalonia, carrying the parish church’s crucifix as their standard, began the uprising that would lead to the Reapers’ War.

Declared a Cultural Asset of National Interest, the chapel is currently being restored and is expected to open to visitors in the future.