Badalona
Encyclopedia
Badalona is a city in eastern Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...

, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

. It is located in the comarca
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...

 of the Barcelonès
Barcelonès
Barcelonès is the most economically important comarca of Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Barcelona, which is also the capital of Catalonia.- Municipalities :Population figures are for 2009 .-External links:* *...

, near the city of Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...

 and part of its metropolitan area. It is situated on the left bank of the small Besòs River and on the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

, backed by the Serra de la Marina mountain range. Badalona is the third most-populated municipality in Catalonia after Barcelona and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or briefly L'Hospitalet is a city to the immediate southwest of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain, and the second largest in Catalonia by population...

.

History

Badalona was founded by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

 in the 3rd century BC, with the name of Baetulo, although human settlements in the area existed from 3500-2500 BC. The Iberians had fortified villages on the Melasas and Boscà hills since the 7th century BC. The Roman town's plan was based on their common scheme of the cardo
Cardo
The cardo was a north-south oriented street in Roman cities, military camps, and coloniae. The cardo, an integral component of city planning, was lined with shops and vendors, and served as a hub of economic life. The main cardo was called cardo maximus.Most Roman cities also had a Decumanus...

and decumanus, occupying some 11 ha, with a line of walls measuring 413x261 m and having large defensive towers. In the 1st century BC it had some 15,000 inhabitants.

The current Badalona was formed in the 10th century, as a new urban nucleus built over and around the old Roman city. It comprised a group of houses built around the square and the church. At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This rural and urban dichotomy would remain until the mid-18th century.

Sant Jeroni de la Murtra Monastery, built in the 14th century, housed the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...

 of Spain would spend their summers. This is also where they received Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...

 after his first voyage to the Americas.

Badalona was one of the most important towns during the Spanish industrialization process, from the 19th century onwards.

Main sights

  • Monastery of Sant Jeroni de la Murtra (13th century)
  • Roman City
  • Roman Baths
  • The Venus of Badalona is a small Roman sculpture in white marble that symbolized the wealth of the city in Roman times.
  • La Rambla
  • Carrer del Mar
  • Pont del Petroli
  • Giants Anastasi i Maria.
  • Pavillard house, built by Joan Amigó i Barriga in 1906, considered the best modernist work in the city.
  • Zorrilla Theatre (19th century), reopened in 1999
  • Anís del Mono, a distillery in Modernist style
  • Casa de la Vila (Townhall)
  • Santa Maria's Church, in Neoclassicist style
  • Can Canyadó farmhouse (15th century)
  • Godmar Castle (11th century)
  • Maignon Market
  • Torner Market
  • Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
    Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
    Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona, most frequently called the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona is an arena in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. The arena holds 12,500 people, and it is primarily used for basketball, though it's also an habitual home for music concerts and other municipal...

     (Olympic Pavilion)
  • Màgic Badalona
  • Beaches
  • Summer nightlife


Transportation

Badalona has a RENFE
RENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...

 (train) station R1 from Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...

 to Mataró
Mataró
Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it...

 - Blanes
Blanes
Blanes is a town on the Costa Brava in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.The coast of Blanes has 4 km of different kinds of beaches, including the Blanes beach and S'Abanell beach.-Main sights:...

, as well as a small harbour. It links to Barcelona via the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) metro (underground) and bus system.

Economy

The harbor is chiefly important for its fishing and boat-building trades, while in town there are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works, as well as the manufacture of woolen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy. The surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit.

The city is home to the historic distillery which produces Anís del Mono, a spirit made of herbs and anise, the most famous anisette
Anisette
Anisette is an anise-flavored liqueur that is consumed mainly in France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. It is colorless and, unlike some other anise-based liqueurs, contains no licorice.True anisette is produced by means of distilling aniseed...

 in Spain.

Culture

In May, in occasion of the celebration of Saint Anastasi, the patron saint of Badalona, activities and festivals are organized all around the city. The most important celebration takes place the day before Saint Anastasi Day when, at night, people gather at the maritime promenade to participate in the popular Cremada del Dimoni (Devil-Burning)--similar to the famous Valencian Falles
Falles
The Falles is a Valencian traditional celebration in praise of Saint Joseph in Valencia, Spain. The term Falles refers to both the celebration and the monuments created during the celebration...

.

Sport

The city's most important sport complex is the Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona, most frequently called the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona is an arena in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. The arena holds 12,500 people, and it is primarily used for basketball, though it's also an habitual home for music concerts and other municipal...

 (Municipal Sports Palace), which won the Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. The Palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, it is home of the basketball team from Badalona, Joventut de Badalona, also known as la Penya. This place will also be the center of the Badalona Capital Europea del Bàsquet, which is intended to be a theme park celebrating basketball - with a basketball museum, shopping center, cinemas, basketball courts, a harbour, indoor karting and more activities.

Twin towns

Alcanar
Alcanar
Alcanar is a municipality of the Catalan comarca of Montsià, in the Tarragona province. The Serra del Montsià range and its foothills rises above the town and its surroundings. According to data from 2006 its population is 9,620 inhabitants, although this increased the next year, to 9,969...

, Spain San Fernando, Spain Parla
Parla
Parla is a municipality of the Madrid Metropolitan Area, Spain. It is located in the southern part of the autonomous community, approximately 20 km from the capital, Madrid. , it has a population of 120,182.- History :- Origins :...

, Spain Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...

, Chile Göteborg, Sweden Sitges
Sitges
*Church of Sant Bartolomeu i Santa Tecla . It houses two Gothic sepulchres , belonging to the an older church located on the same site...

, Spain

See also

  • Joventut Badalona
    Joventut Badalona
    Club Joventut Badalona, S.A.D. is a Spanish professional basketball club based in Badalona, Catalonia, playing in the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto . Known to their fans as La Penya , it is one of only three teams that have never been relegated from the top division of the Spanish League...

     (basketball team) in Liga ACB
  • Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
    Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
    Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona, most frequently called the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona is an arena in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. The arena holds 12,500 people, and it is primarily used for basketball, though it's also an habitual home for music concerts and other municipal...

     (Olympic basketball seat '92)
  • CF Badalona
    CF Badalona
    Club de Fútbol Badalona is a Spanish football team based in Badalona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1903, it plays in Segunda División B - Group 3, holding home games at the Camp del Centenari, with a capacity of 10,000 seats....

     (Spanish League - 2nd division)
  • Artigues, Badalona
    Artigues, Badalona
    Artigues is an area of Badalona neighbouring Sant Adrià de Besòs. The name derives from a real estate promoter and publisher, Francesc Artigas i Solà, who urbanised the area in 1912. The two spellings of the name reflect Catalan orthography before and after Pompeu Fabra's reform...


External links

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