Marçà
Encyclopedia
Marçà is a municipality in the comarca
of Priorat
, Tarragona Province, Catalonia
, Spain
.
s, the town became part of the Barony of Entença.
The now ruined Sant Marçal monastery was founded in 1611. It was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal
in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain
's rule. The Desamortización caused the exclaustration of the place and brought monastic life in the monastery to an end.
Despite having lost almost half of its population since 1900, nowadays Marçà is the third most important town in the Priorat comarca.
Comarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
of Priorat
Priorat
Priorat is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. The central part of the comarca, "Priorat històric," produces the famous and prestigious wine of the Denominación de Origen Calificada Priorat. Wines from elsewhere in the comarca are denominated as Montsant...
, Tarragona Province, 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...
.
History
In medieval times, after the area had been reconquered from the saracenSaracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s, the town became part of the Barony of Entença.
The now ruined Sant Marçal monastery was founded in 1611. It was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal
Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal
The Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizabal, more often referred to simply as La Desamortización, encompasses a set of decrees from 1835-1837 that resulted in the expropriation, and privatization, of monastic properties in Spain....
in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
's rule. The Desamortización caused the exclaustration of the place and brought monastic life in the monastery to an end.
Despite having lost almost half of its population since 1900, nowadays Marçà is the third most important town in the Priorat comarca.