From 19 juny 2026 00:00h
to 22 juny 2026 23:59h
Engolasters Witches Shelter
In the middle of the Les Pardines path, one of the most appreciated and accessible routes in the parish of Encamp leading to Lake Engolasters, we find an old mountain shelter. This small space, which originally served to protect visitors from the rain during the walk, has now been restored and revalued to become a point of tourist, cultural, and artistic interest.
Thus emerges the Shelter of the Legend of the Witches of Lake Engolasters, a space dedicated to legends and popular memory, inviting visitors to pause and discover a new perspective on this emblematic place.
Inside, visitors will discover a large-format mural inspired by the lake and the legend of the witches, created by painter and sculptor Àngel Calvente. This artistic intervention invites visitors to immerse themselves in the collective imagination associated with this place and to rediscover its symbolism.
Outside, a totem topped with a black cat —also created by the artist— serves as a striking and reflective element. Traditionally associated with magic and superstition, the black cat connects us with a deeply rooted iconography that forms part of the popular narrative.
However, this space goes beyond legend. The project incorporates a historical and educational perspective aimed at highlighting the memory of the women who were accused of witchcraft in the valleys of Andorra, particularly in the parish of Encamp. Far from myth, these accusations were part of a context of persecution and stigmatization.
The shelter thus becomes a place for pause, contemplation, and reflection, where legend, art, and history come together to offer a new interpretation of this intangible heritage.
Mural by painter and sculptor Àngel Calvente.
The legend
Lake Engolasters is one of the most magical and enigmatic places in Andorra, and also the setting of one of its most well-known legends.
According to popular tradition, on the night of Saint John, witches from across the Pyrenees would gather on the shores of the lake to celebrate their great sabbath. It was said they arrived flying from many places: from the valleys of Andorra, but also from Canigó, Puigmal, and Cadí.
At midnight, when the moon lit up the waters of the lake, the celebration began. The witches danced in a circle around the devil, who presided over the gathering in the form of a goat. Amid music, cries, and rituals, they shared spells and secrets.
Curiosity also drew some young people from nearby villages, who secretly climbed up to the lake to watch them. But if they were discovered, the witches would cast a spell turning them into black cats, condemning them to take part in the dance until dawn. With the sunrise, the lake returned to calm, and the young people awoke with no memory of what had happened.
Another belief explains that the name Engolasters comes from “to swallow stars.” According to tradition, shooting stars crossing the sky on the night of Saint Lawrence end up plunging into the waters of the lake, as if it were swallowing them.
History and reality
Beyond the legend, accusations of witchcraft are also part of Andorra’s history.
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, in the parish of Encamp, dozens of women were accused of being witches by their neighbors, who blamed them for causing illness and the deaths of people and livestock. Many were tried by the Andorran Court of Corts, which sentenced them to punishments such as exile, death by fire or hanging, and confiscation of their property.
Much of these trial records have been lost, but some are preserved in the National Archives of Andorra. Today, a total of 34 people from Encamp (32 women and 2 men) accused of witchcraft between 1450 and 1661 can be identified. Some managed to escape, but at least seven were executed and others banished from the valleys.
List of people accused of witchcraft in Encamp between 1450 and 1661
These cases show that behind the myths and popular imagery, there were real people and real events. Often, the accusations stemmed from fear, deeply rooted beliefs, or the need to find someone to blame for the hardships of the time.
Today, this space also aims to be a place of memory and reflection, inviting us to look at the past from a new perspective to better understand it and to give visibility to the women who were its victims.
Where?
Camí de les Pardines
Whole year