The government imposed urban restrictions and archaeological oversight in Canillo parish to safeguard the

Government Approves Protection Zones for Sant Joan de Caselles Church

Andorran authorities approved a decree on Tuesday establishing permanent protection zones around the church of Sant Joan de Caselles in Canillo parish. The measures impose urban restrictions and archaeological oversight to preserve the monument and its landscape.

The decree defines two zones: an inner accompaniment area and a secondary preventive zone. These limit changes to the site's historical, aesthetic, and environmental setting, including viewsheds essential for its appreciation and analysis. The protected boundaries run from AINA along the Devesassa path to the Seig river toward the Valira, up to the Moles waterfall torrent. The line then crosses the river, heads northwest to 1700m elevation, follows the Llampa torrent south to the CG-2 road, and loops back to AINA.

Existing structures in no-build areas include the semi-buried former Moto Museum building and its covered parking lot beside the church, plus the Casa Pellicer complex with its warehouse, ex-hotel now public rental housing, and adjacent residences. Maintenance and enhancements for better integration are permitted, but no volume increases. The Moto Museum, noted for clashing with the rural backdrop and obstructing monument views, faces strict limits. Public housing residents must use non-flashy, neutral-coloured outdoor furniture.

A new annex at Casa Pellicer is allowed if it aligns with the residential setup—ground floor plus two storeys—with traditional features like equal-slope dual-pitched roofs, no awnings or shutters, muted tones, and plain tiling. Canillo parish plans to abandon and repurpose the parking lot with permeable, landscape-friendly paving.

Visible cable infrastructure, such as ski lifts, is banned if it intrudes on the church's sightlines or backdrop. New roads may proceed without bridges, viaducts, or elements dominating visual fields from approaches.

The approval followed a November edict in the Official Bulletin of the Principality of Andorra (BOPA), public input on 15 affected properties, and responses to two allegations, refining the original outline.

Canillo must revise its urban planning to incorporate these rules. The church becomes the 19th asset with such protection, tied to the UNESCO candidacy "Material Witnesses to the Construction of the Pyrenean State: the Co-Principality of Andorra," a joint effort with France and Spain for the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.