| Catalonia shares it's northern border
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| | Raymond Berengar IV to the heiress of
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| with the countries of Andorra and France
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| | Aragon the two regions became united. The
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| in the mountainous Pyrenees. The
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| | city of Barcelona became the capital as
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| Mediterranean Sea forms it eastern border
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| | it was for future kings of Spain. A well
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| with the coast running south west down as
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| | ruled Barcelona expanded trade in the
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| far as the region of Valencia. The
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| | Mediterranean. Its cloth industry
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| eastern border is shared with the region
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| | flourished and it became a powerful
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| of Aragon. Throughout history Catalonia
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| | centre of banking and commerce. Around
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| has struggled for greater autonomy in
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| | 1400 saw the peak in it's fortunes,
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| it's relationship with Spain. In attempts
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| | decline followed along with the rest of
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| to gain full independent it has on more
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| | Catalonia. The French occupied the city
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| than occasion revolted. Few Catalonians
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| | on three occasions in 1640-52, 1715 and
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| today aspire to have any real
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| | 1808-14. Catalan separatism centred on
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| expectations of independence but the
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| | Barcelona and the city was the scene of
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| struggle for greater autonomy within
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| | many insurrections. It revolted against
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| Spain continues.
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| | Philip IV of Spain from 1640-52. It also
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| History - Greeks and Romans established
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| | became the Spanish centre of socialism
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| trade along this part of the
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| | and other radical political doctrines
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| Mediterranean coast. In the middle ages
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| | around 1900. Barcelona was the capital of
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| Catalan art and literature flourished and
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| | the region's autonomous government from
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| the now established coastal trade saw
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| | 1932-39. During the civil war the Spanish
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| merchants become very powerful rivalling
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| | Loyalist government sat in Barcelona
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| those of Venice and Genoa. In 1461
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| | until it fell to Franco's forces in early
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| Catalonia rose up in protest at it's
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| | 1939. The region saw demonstrations
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| alliance with Aragon but the rebellion
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| | against Franco's dictatorship throughout
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| was crushed. The subsequent union of
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| | the 1950's. Today Barcelona is Spain's
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| Aragon with Castile side lined Catalonia.
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| | second largest city and the claims to be
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| Trade routes were moved, commercial
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| | cultural centre of the country. It is the
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| income fell, famines and plagues all
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| | capital of the Catalonian region and more
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| contributed to it's decline. But the
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| | than one third of region's population
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| Catalonian desire for independence
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| | reside there. Barcelona is also Spain's
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| continued. It rose against Philip IV
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| | largest port and its chief commercial
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| during the thirty year war of 1618-48 and
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| | centre with international banking and
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| followed that by taking the side of
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| | finance houses. It is a major industrial
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| Archduke Charles in the War of the
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| | centre and production includes aviation,
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| Spanish Succession against Philip V. It
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| | chemicals, electrical equipment,
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| was a centre for socialist influence at
| |
| | foundries, locomotives, machinery,
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| the turn of the 19th Century. 1931 saw
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| | textiles and vehicles. The city itself is
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| the Catalans establish a separate
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| | modern, with wide avenues, bustling
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| government which went on to win autonomy
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| | traffic and striking new architecture. By
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| from the Spanish Cortes in 1932. Two
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| | contrast the well preserved old city,
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| years later a revolution for complete
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| | Roman walls can still be seen, is filled
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| independence failed, but in another 2
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| | with narrow, winding streets and ancient
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| years autonomy was restored. In the
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| | structures, including a cathedral, many
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| Spanish civil war of 1936-39, Catalonia
| |
| | churches, the city hall and the Lonja or
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| once again picked the wrong side and
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| | exchange. Barcelona is the site of a
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| following Franco's victory over the
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| | reputed opera house, the Contemporary Art
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| republicans the region suffered badly and
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| | Museum, the Fine Arts Museum of Catalonia
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| the cherished Catalan language was banned
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| | and the Picasso Museum. In 1992 it hosted
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| in public life. In 1978 it was restored
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| | the summer Olympics. The remainder of the
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| and is now an official language of the
| |
| | province of Barcelona is in the main
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| region along with Castilian or Spanish.
| |
| | hilly or mountainous. But it also home to
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| It elected its first parliament as an
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| | some highly fertile plains where cereals
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| autonomous region in 1980. By the
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| | grapes and olives are grown. The province
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| mid-1990s Catalan nationalists had become
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| | also produces one third of Spain's wine.
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| a force in both the region's and the
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| | Much of the area's power is generated by
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| nation's politics.
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| | hydroelectric plants built on the Ebro,
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| Catalonia comprises four provinces,
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| | Cinca and Segre rivers. The coastline,
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| Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona and Lleida,
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| | stretching nearly 400 kilometres has many
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| all are named after their capitals.
| |
| | good harbours and marinas, excellent
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| Girona or Gerona in the north sits on the
| |
| | fisheries and an buoyant tourist trade.
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| Onyar River. Dating from pre-Roman
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| | West of Barcelona you will find the
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| times, the old town has preserved its
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| | vineyards of the Penedes area. Also the
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| medieval aspect. Girona was ruled by the
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| | mountain of Montserrat, on a clear day
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| Moors from 714 to 797. During the
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| | the peak at 1236m above sea level offers
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| Peninsular War of 1808-09 the town
| |
| | views of the Pyrenees to the north and to
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| resisted the Napoleon's French forces.
| |
| | Mallorca in the Balearic Islands to the
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| Industries today include chemical
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| | south east.
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| production, machinery, paper making and
| |
| | Tarragona sits on the mouth of the river
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| textiles. Outside the city and on the
| |
| | Francola on the Mediterranean. It was
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| coat the beaches and coves around Begur
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| | formally known as Tarraco and in 218BC
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| and Palafrugell and particularly
| |
| | was captured by Roman forces. They built
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| attractive. Or take in a sunrise at the
| |
| | up is fortifications against attack by
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| Cap de Crues, Spain's most easterly
| |
| | the Carthaginians. The ruins of Roman
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| point. Just to the south is the
| |
| | walls and an aquaduct remain still. It
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| enchanting whitewashed village of
| |
| | fell to both the Visigoths and the Moors
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| Cadaques built around a rocky bay. The
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| | in the 5th and 8th centuries
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| artist Salvador Dali spent the holidays
| |
| | respectively. The Christians recaptured
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| of his youth there and later lived in the
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| | it in the 12th century but when it's
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| nearby village of Port Lligat. The barren
| |
| | trade was captured by either regions
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| shorelines, odd formations of rocks and
| |
| | Barcelona or Valencia it fell into
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| desolate moonscapes so typical of his
| |
| | decline. In 1903 Carthusian monks settled
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| paintings can be seen in abundance
| |
| | in the city having been expelled from La
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| throughout the locality. The Teatre-Musea
| |
| | Grande Chartreuse in France. Their famous
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| Dali is located in the town of Figueres
| |
| | liqueur is produced here to this day.
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| and contains a great deal of the artist's
| |
| | Today it is important as both a
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| works. The Pyrenees, in the north of the
| |
| | commercial centre and port. Industries
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| province, offer many opportunities for
| |
| | include flour mills, an oil refinery and
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| walking and hiking, the Parc Nacional
| |
| | wine production and export. Some of the
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| d'Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici
| |
| | countries finest wines are made nearby in
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| being one of the most attractive areas.
| |
| | the Priorat region.
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| There are several ski stations operating
| |
| | Lleida lies on the river Segre. Formally
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| throughout the winter months.
| |
| | known as Llerda, Julius Ceasar defeated
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| There is evidence of some settlement in
| |
| | the generals of Pompey here in 49 BC. The
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| the area going back to the 15th century
| |
| | Moorish invasion from the south saw
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| BC but Barcelona is reputed to take it's
| |
| | Lleida fall in 714. It was liberated by
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| name from the powerful Carthaginian
| |
| | Christian forces in 1149. By tradition a
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| family of Barca who founded the basis for
| |
| | strategic, fortified city, Lleida became
|
| the city as we know it today. Under the
| |
| | a key defence point for Barcelona in the
|
| Romans and Visigoths the city flourished.
| |
| | Spanish civil war. It eventually fell to
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| In the 8th century it fell to the Moors
| |
| | Franco's forces in the April of 1938
|
| and in 801 it was taken by Charlemagne,
| |
| | having withheld for nine long months. A
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| who included it in the Spanish March. The
| |
| | castle, whose ramparts enclose a
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| March became independent under the
| |
| | Romanesque cathedral, dominates the old
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| leadership of the powerful counts of
| |
| | section of the city. Lleida is the centre
|
| Barcelona in the 9th and 10th centuries,
| |
| | of a fertile farm area and agriculture
|
| They won lands from the Moors to the
| |
| | predominates. There is little in the way
|
| south and acquired all of Catalonia. In
| |
| | of a manufacturing industry.
|
| 1137, following the marriage of Count
| |
| |
|
