Andorra Dig at Roc de l'Àliga Tests Medieval Bragafolls Castle Theory

Archaeologists working at the Roc de l'Àliga in Sant Julià de Lòria have not yet confirmed that the site is the medieval castle of Bragafolls, but the excavation has strengthened the hypothesis, according to the Govern.

More than 60 cubic metres of rubble have been removed so far, and the campaign is now roughly halfway through, the Government said. The work is uncovering architectural structures that offer new indications about the possible defensive character of the complex.

Excavations initially focused on the highest part of the hill, but the limited surviving stratigraphy led the team to extend work to the exterior areas around the tower and the curtain wall. That approach has left almost fully exposed a path crossing the slope at mid-height, which had been identified during the 2025 campaign.

Despite the progress, the small quantity of archaeological material recovered makes it difficult to establish a precise chronology for the site. The dig is being directed by the Department of Cultural Heritage and the Institute for Research in Medieval Cultures (IRCVM) at the University of Barcelona, with support from the Comú of Sant Julià de Lòria. Work is due to continue until 11 November, with the aim of further documenting the structures and gathering data to determine whether the complex is indeed Bragafolls.

The question of whether the rocky outcrop once held the castle remains unresolved. It was no closer to an answer after an earlier phase of excavation than it had been a year before, when the first test pit was sunk at the site.

Belief that the site is Bragafolls rests on its commanding position over the surrounding terrain, its topography, the structures already known to exist there, and documentary evidence. Among the records studied is a text indicating that Count Borrell II had the castle built against the Andorrans and assigned it to the archdeacon Sendred, who also served as the comital bailiff of the valleys of Andorra. The castle is documented from 1005, when a so-called "Bragafolls affair" was cited.