Andorra · 100 years of the Andorran national anthem

The Andorran national anthem is entitled “El Gran Carlemany” (“The Great Charlemagne”). The text was written by Joan Benlloch i Vivó, who, as Bishop of Urgell, was also one of the two co-princes of Andorra. The melody was composed by the Andorran priest and musician Enric Marfany Bons. Through Benlloch’s dual role, the creation of the anthem was closely connected with the country’s political and ecclesiastical order.

In the song, Andorra speaks in the first person. It calls Charlemagne its father and the Virgin of Meritxell its mother. The text thus combines a medieval origin story with the country’s Catholic tradition. According to an Andorran tradition, Charlemagne granted the inhabitants of the Pyrenean region liberties in gratitude for their support in the struggle against Muslim rulers. This narrative is part of the national self-image, but does not directly correspond to the later constitutional emergence of Andorra.

The political order of the principality is based primarily on the so-called Paréage treaties of the late 13th century. They regulated the joint rule of the Bishop of Urgell and the Count of Foix. The rights of the Counts of Foix later developed into the French co-principality, which is now exercised by the President of France. The other co-prince remains the Bishop of Urgell. The anthem also refers to Andorra’s position between France and Spain and presents the country as an independent political entity between these neighbors.

The Virgin of Meritxell is the patron saint of Andorra. Her feast day on 8 September is also the national day. The anthem thus unites dynastic tradition, religion, geographical location, and political independence. As one of the state symbols alongside the flag and coat of arms, it was therefore a suitable subject for a commemorative coin; the anniversary referred not only to a musical work, but also to the institutional establishment of a national symbol.