The same rich history above has provided a broad cultural heritage in the county, with the most important examples being the Romanesque architecture, represented in almost all municipalities and centres.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Quadres - Nostra Senyora de Quadres - is one of them. This was a church located on the old road to la Seu d’Urgell and has given shelter to travellers since time immemorial. It also lay on the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago). Standing beside the site of the former chapel today stands the Ermitatge de Quadres.
The original religious building dates from the late 12th century, and it was significantly modified to its current state in the 17th century.
L’Aplech de Quadres
This is the original pre-regulatory Catalan text of Isidre Escofet Soler about the ‘Aplech’ - a festive pilgrimage - traditionally celebrated in Quadres. It included a bustling market for local produce, banquets, games and music:
Al arribarhi, quin cop de vista tan encisador y sorprenent presentava l'aplech! Quin conjunt tan pintoresch y hermosament sugestiu! Per un costat dues orquestes, enfilades en sos corresponents catafalchs, feyen sentir alternativament sos acorts alegres y ubriagadors, al ensemps que centenars de parelles jovenívoles de virolada y llampanta vestimenta giravoltaven vertiginosament per demunt de la verdosa catifa del prat; per l'altre, numerosos grupos capritxosament escampats pel molsut englevat, reyen y bromejaven movent gran gatzara, mentres despatxaven les abundants y saboroses viandes que constituhíen llur brenar; y per tots indrets, fruytayres ab ses portadores curulles de préssechs, rahims y figues, peres, tomátechs y esberginies, pregonant les excelencies de llur mercadería a grans crits y ab gestos afectats. Gent que ven menjar, constituhits per un sol día en hostalers, ab ses taules plenes de plats y cassoles que fumegen; basters ab ses parades de basts y selles, corretjám pera bous y guarniments pera cavalleríes; cotxers y tartaners ab sos corresponents vehículs, fent petar el fuhet pera que tothom s'adongui de sa arribada al aplech; carrabiners, civils, capellans... tots en una caótica y abigarrada peró hermosa confusió. Y tots cridant, gesticulant, fent mil esforços pera exteriorisar y donar a compendre l'alegría qu'embarga llurs cors y que obsessiona llurs cervells.