“El Gran Carlemany” presents the nation’s history in a first-person narrative. The anthem was officially adopted on September 8, 1921, the anniversary date of the feast of Our Lady of Meritxell (the Virgin Mary), the patron saint of Andorra.

Despite the anthem having been written just before the official change in Catalan orthography, the lyrics using the old orthography are still official in Andorra and in active use.