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Although the name Pierres Vedel is widely accepted when referring to this 16th-century genius, various versions of both his first and last name appear in historical records. His name has been recorded as Pierri, Pierres, Pierre, Quinto Pierres, and his surname as Bedel, Bédel, or Vedel, depending on the document or author citing him.
Very little is known about Vedel’s life prior to his arrival in Spain and the beginning of his remarkable career as a builder in the provinces of Teruel and Zaragoza. Once he had settled and begun practicing his profession in the region of Teruel, it becomes easier to trace both his personal history and the impressive body of work that constitutes his legacy.
Identifying his exact place of birth remains one of the most debated issues due to the scarcity of reliable sources, which has given rise to several theories. While various possibilities have been proposed, strong arguments support the idea that he was born in Uzès, near Nîmes, in what is now the French department of Gard.
No records survive regarding his exact date of birth, but a plausible estimate places it around the second decade of the 16th century.
The exact moment and reasons behind his move to Spain remain uncertain. It is likely that he entered the country through the Roncesvalles Pass, and we know he was already present by 1543 — the year in which he is first documented. As for the reasons behind his migration, we can only speculate, but the turbulent climate in southern France at the time — marked by continuous religious and territorial conflicts — likely forced many individuals, including Vedel, to flee their homeland.
Marriage of Pierres Vedel:
“...entre los quondam mase Pierres Vedel, escultor y arquitector, y Clara Vizcarret... del mismo lugar de Vizcarret, diócesis de Pamplona del reyno de Navarra, fue contraído matrimonio en faz de la sancta madre iglesia...”
(“...between the late mase Pierres Vedel, sculptor and architect, and Clara Vizcarret... from the same place of Vizcarret, diocese of Pamplona in the Kingdom of Navarre, a marriage was contracted in the presence of the Holy Mother Church...”)
The marriage between Pierres Vedel and Clara Vizcarret resulted in six children: Catalina, Pedro, Bernabé, Juan, Miguel, and María.
Between 1546 and 1550, Vedel worked on what is considered his first project in Aragón: the parish church of Fuentes de Ebro, in the province of Zaragoza, commissioned by the Fernández Heredia family.
He later moved to Teruel. Although the exact date of his arrival in the city is unknown, it likely occurred around 1549, when the City Council commissioned him to restore the Tower of San Martín. Between 1552 and 1560, the presence of the Vedel family in Teruel is well documented; they appear alongside a number of his assistants in the Annual Register of Penitents of San Martín.
During this period, Vedel carried out construction work in various towns across the province of Teruel — including Rubielos de Mora, Mora de Rubielos, Santa Eulalia, and the city of Teruel itself — as well as in Daroca, in the province of Zaragoza. He would not change residence until his involvement in the construction of the church of Santa Eulalia, which led him to settle in that town between 1560 and 1566.
Regarding his time in Albarracín, it is likely that he moved there from Santa Eulalia, although records already link his name to Albarracín as early as 1556. There, he would undertake his final projects, participating in the reconstruction of the Cathedral and the construction of the church of Santa María.
Pierres Vedel died in Albarracín (Teruel) on May 30, 1567. His death certificate was found in the parish register of Santa María. His wife, Clara, had passed away in the same town just weeks earlier, on April 25 of the same year.