Santa Maria de la Guàrdia Lada is a church located in the upper part of the village, in the municipality of Montoliu de Segarra (Segarra). The building is integrated into the medieval nucleus of the village. It has a rectangular floor plan with a single nave, side chapels, and a flat apse. The roof is double-pitched with tiles and bricks around the perimeter, and it features an external cover.
The main façade has an access door with a lowered arch and a molded molding, with a molded corbel at the keystone of the arch. Above this is a small square opening surrounded by three sculptures integrated into the wall. It is very difficult to identify the images on these sculptures due to their eroded state, but two of them appear to correspond to saints; one of these, located above the window, would be a pilgrim because of the clothing it wears.
The bell tower has a square floor plan and four lowered arches, attached to one side of the main façade. Inside the building, there is a molding at the start of the barrel vault, where the former arches rise and rest on pilasters. The church has been documented since the 11th century under the name "Guardia Lada." Originally belonging to the bishopric of Vic, it passed to the diocese of Solsona in 1957.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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