Andorra la Vella

Andorra la Vella

Andorra La Vella is the charming capital city of Andorra. The delightful city has a wealth of interesting sights. It is located in the south-west of Andorra, at the confluence of two mountain streams, the Valira del Nord and the Valira de l'Orient, which merge to form the Gran Valira. The settlement of Andorra la Vella was already inhabited before the Christian era, notably by the Andosin tribe from the late Neolithic. The municipality of Andorra la Vella has been the main town of Andorra since 1278, and its old town - the Barri Antic - contains streets and buildings dating from that time. The most notable building is the Casa de la Vall, built in the early 16th century and the state parliament building since 1702. Until the twentieth century, the area around Andorra la Vella was largely forgotten. After the political turmoil of the 1930s and the attempted coup by Boris Skossyreff, an informal democracy emerged. In 1993, the country's first constitution formalised this parliamentary democracy, with the executive, legislative and judicial branches located in Andorra la Vella. During this period Andorra also developed as a tax haven, which led to the construction of modern banking offices in Andorra la Vella. The city also developed its skiing facilities, so much so that Andorra la Vella was the bidding city for the 21st Winter Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter Olympics.