Church of Sant Romà

Vilanova de Sau, Spain

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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Heritage registerPobles de Catalunya↗

The Church of Sant Romà stands in the municipality of Vilanova de Sau in Catalonia's Guilleries mountains, a Lombard Romanesque parish church consecrated in 1062. Built around 1100, it served the now-abandoned village of Sant Romà de Sau until 1962, when the completion of the Sau Reservoir on the river Ter submerged both church and settlement beneath approximately 23 metres of water. Recognized by the Official World Record Organisation as the world's oldest standing submerged church, Sant Romà remains partially accessible on foot during periods of low water. Its distinctive bell tower consistently rises above the reservoir's surface, functioning as a visible measure of regional water levels. The structure is protected as a Cultural Asset of Catalonia's cultural heritage.