View source for Culture of Andorra

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'''[[Andorra]]''' is essentially [[Catalans|Catalan]]-speaking.{{clarify inline|date=April 2020}} The country has contributed significantly to Catalan heritage.

==Language and literature==
The official and historic language is [[Catalan language|Catalan]]. Thus the culture is Catalan, with its own specificity.{{clarification needed|date=December 2025}}

Two writers well known in [[Catalonia]] and the region, Michele Gazier and Ramon Villero, both come from Andorra. In addition, [[Ricard Fiter]], another well-known writer, not only comes from Andorra, but also serves as the Principality's [[ombudsman]]. Yet the tradition of writing in Andorra dates further back than the 20th century; [[Antoni Fiter i Rossell]], from the parish of Ordino, wrote a history book of his lands called ''Digest manual de las valls neutras de Andorra'' in 1748, describing the feudal historical and legal setting of Andorra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://europe-cities.com/destinations/andorra/culture/|title=Culture of Andorra - Europe-Cities|website=Europe-cities.com|access-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083816/http://europe-cities.com/destinations/andorra/culture/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Music==
{{Main|Music of Andorra}}
Given the fondness of the Catalans for music,{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}} it may not be surprising to hear that Andorra has a Chamber Orchestra directed by the [[violin]]ist [[Gérard Claret]]. It also stages an international singing contest supported by the Spanish singer [[Montserrat Caballé]]. [[Eurovision Song Contest 2004|In 2004]], Andorra participated in the [[Eurovision Song Contest]] for the first time. This attracted media attention from [[Catalonia]], since it was the first<ref name="Lalala">[[1968 Eurovision Song Contest|In 1968]], [[Joan Manuel Serrat]] renounced to sing "[[La La La (Massiel song)|La, la, la]]" for Spain when the Franco government forbid the Catalan lyrics. [[Massiel]] sung it in Spanish winning the contest.</ref> song to be sung in [[Catalan language|Catalan]]. The song was eliminated in the semi-finals, and the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2005|2005]] and [[Eurovision Song Contest 2006|2006 entries]] also met the same fate.{{Citation needed|date=February 2008}} In 2009, they were eliminated in the semi-finals as well.

==Dance==
Typical dances, such as the ''[[marratxa]]'' and the ''contrapàs'', are especially popular at feasts. Among famous feasts are the one honoring [[Sant Jordi]], when books and roses are given as presents; the ''[[St. John's Eve|People's feast]]'', celebrating [[John the Apostle|Saint John]] and the summer [[solstice]], and the feast of [[Saint Stephen]] (Sant Esteve), [[patron saint]] of [[Andorra la Vella]]. Andorrans tend to celebrate their feasts loudly and gleefully.

==Media==
Andorra's [[constitution]] provides for full freedom of the media. There are two daily newspapers published in the principality, ''[[Diari d'Andorra]]'' and ''[[El Periòdic d'Andorra]]''. Television services are broadcast by the public [[Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra]]. Apart from the public [[Radio nacional d'Andorra]], there is also the commercial radio station called [[Radio Valira]].

==See also==
* [[List of regional characteristics of Romanesque churches]]
* [[Sport in Andorra]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Andorra topics}}
{{Culture of Europe}}

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