Organyà Monument Honors Origins of Written Catalan from 1968 Grassroots Push
Erected in 1972 through local initiative led by Joaquim Viola Sauret, the Monument to the Homilies d’Organyà countered a dam threat and drew funding.
Key Points
- Initiated in 1968 by locals, promoted by Franco-era politician Joaquim Viola Sauret to oppose Tresponts dam.
- Designed by architect Josep Puig Torné; funded half by Spain's Housing Ministry, rest via public subscriptions across Catalonia and Andorra.
- 1972 commission gained support from Òmnium Cultural, town councils, and FC Barcelona's proposed benefit match.
- Inaugurated in 1979 by Josep Tarradellas despite local parking disputes and its unusual oriental-inspired design.
The Monument to the Homilies of Organyà, a distinctive structure at Plaça Patalín marking the site's role in the origins of written Catalan, emerged from a grassroots initiative in 1968. Local residents in Organyà pushed the town council to honour the 12th-century Homilies d’Organyà, long regarded as a foundational text of the Catalan language.
Key promoter Joaquim Viola Sauret, a prominent Franco-era politician from the region and procurador for Lleida province, played a central role. His involvement aligned with opposition to a proposed dam at Tresponts, which threatened local heritage; the monument served as a cultural counterargument that helped shift the project to the Baronia de Rialb reservoir.
Organyà's council commissioned architect Josep Puig Torné, known for the Punxa convent church in La Seu d'Urgell and later Andorra's government building. With Viola's connections in Madrid, the Housing Ministry covered half the costs, designating the site as a tourist office. The rest came from public subscriptions.
A 1972 pro-monument commission rallied widespread support across Catalonia and beyond. Provincial deputacions, town councils including Barcelona's, and private entities contributed. The Consell General d'Andorra donated 100,000 pesetas, as did Palma city council and firms like Cooperativa Cadí. Òmnium Cultural joined, bridging diverse political views. Even FC Barcelona offered a benefit match in Organyà to raise funds, though logistical issues prevented it—a missed chance for an iconic image of Johan Cruyff playing near Santa Fe mountain.
Not all locals agreed; some opposed landscaping the former Plaça del Portal for losing parking spaces. The project prevailed regardless.
Its unusual, vaguely oriental design—once linked to a supposed Chinese pagoda inspiration for Viola—puzzled visitors until later renovations softened the look. Josep Tarradellas, newly elected as Generalitat president, inaugurated it on 21 January 1979.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: