Bofill’s Pyramid, a monument to break the monotony of the Spanish-French border
A car drives along an endless road. An infinite gray line that some travelers have been driving for hours and hours, so many hours that they have even stopped being in Spain to be in France. They drive along the A9 highway, also known as the Languedocienne or the Catalane. And suddenly, on one of the sides of it, a figure appears on top of a hill. It looks like a castle, but it is not. It is the Bofill Pyramid, a monument that the Barcelona native erected in 1976 as a tribute to his community and as a touch of color among the monotony of the border landscape. A Weekend Getaway for all those who are traveling to or returning from the neighboring country.
The border between Spain and France was formally defined in the middle of the 17th century with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees on the Pheasant Island, a document that put an end to a war between the two countries. Later there were some changes, although it is with the signing of the Treaties of Bayonne, issued between 1856 and 1868, when the definitive limits were established, which are still in force today (except for minor changes).
Thus, the Spanish-French border extends over 650 kilometers between the southwest of France and the northeast of Spain. From west to west, the delimitation begins in the municipalities of Hendaye and Fuenterrabia, the first French and the second Spanish. The border then extends along the Pyrenees until it reaches Andorra, where it is interrupted for dozens of kilometers. This imaginary line ends at the Mediterranean Sea, in the French and Spanish municipalities of Cerbère and Portbou, respectively.
Bofill’s pyramid from afar. | RBTA
Just across the border between the two countries, a high hill rises on the east side, dotted with long staircases that culminate in a reddish-colored building, baptized the Bofill pyramid. In the 1970s, the Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura (RBTA) was commissioned by the Société des Autopistes du Sud-Est de France for a project that was neither defined nor explicit. But one thing was clear: they wanted to break with the monotony of the highway. ‘The idea was to design a project that would contribute to the humanization of the Southeast Highways, as a response to the monotony of endless kilometers of tar and concrete,’ says RBTA.
Initially, the project was going to be a promenade of more than one kilometer, but this turned out to be too ambitious and plan B was chosen: the pyramid. In addition to the intention of giving more heterogeneity to the landscape, the architect wanted to pay homage to Catalunya. To see this part of the monument you have to climb to the top. There, the four bars of its coat of arms and flag are represented. In addition, the studio adds that ‘it symbolizes and materializes international cooperation and fraternity’.
The columns of Bofill’s pyramid representing a tribute to Catalonia. | RBTA
Another of the curiosities of the Bofill pyramid is that the hill on which it sits is built with the rubble of the earth that had to be removed for the construction of the road. The size of the pyramid is 80 meters high, while its base reaches 100 meters.
Being on the Spanish-French border, from the Bofill Pyramid it is possible to visit sites in both France and Spain. The Alberca mountain range, which is administratively part of both Girona and the Eastern Pyrenees of France, is next to the monument, although it is true that it depends on which part of it you intend to go to. In any case, the routes offered are very varied. In addition, monasteries, megalithic monuments, castles and churches can be seen in the area.
Les Cluses, a town nestled in this mountain range, is located just seven minutes drive from the pyramid and has several monuments of interest, such as the remains of the Roman fort, a medieval bridge or the parish church. The remains of the Via Domitia, the first Roman road built in Gaul, stand out.
Location of Colliure, in the southeast of France. | Shutterstock
Slightly further away, 30 kilometers from Bofill’s monument, is the coastal commune of Colliure. Its location by the Mediterranean, its artistic tradition or its beautiful streets and facades are reason to pay it a visit. By the way, the poet Antonio Machado died here during his exile in the Spanish Civil War.
Bofill’s Pyramid is an original stroke that raises the heads of drivers and their companions for at least a second and makes them wonder what they are seeing. Watching from above, this monument is designed by one of the great contemporary architects of Spain and is a break in the road, a place to get strength to continue with the rest of the trip.
