Sant Serni de Tavèrnoles

Sant Serni de Tavèrnoles is a Romanesque Benedictine monastery in Anserall, in the municipality of Les Valls de Valira, Alt Urgell, in the Province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.
It became a Bien de Interés Cultural site on 3 June 1931 and was restored in 1971.

There is some confusion regarding the origin of the monastery. According to local legend, the relics of St Saturnin arrived at the site during the 6th century leading to the construction of a Visigoth monastery. Between 776 and 799, Leidrad of Lyon, the bishop of La Seu d'Urgell, brought the monastery into the Benedictine Order. The monastery prospered in the 10th and 11th centuries leading to a new building which was consecrated to the Virgin Mary, St Michael and St Saturnin in 1040 by Bishop Eriball of Urgell and Bishop Arnulf of Ribagorça. In the 11th century, the monastery was so rich and powerful that it was able to provide assistance to the Counts of Urgell. During this period the monastery's possessions extended from El Berguedà to Andorra and included the County of Pallars and Cerdanya. Bulls issued by Pope Urban II in 1099 and by Pope Callixtus II in 1119 documented the monastery's privileges and exemptions.

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