The Spanish region of Catalonia

Catalonia shares it's northern border with the countriesheiress of Aragon the two regions became united. The
of Andorra and France in the mountainous Pyrenees.city of Barcelona became the capital as it was for
The Mediterranean Sea forms it eastern border withfuture kings of Spain. A well ruled Barcelona expanded
the coast running south west down as far as thetrade in the Mediterranean. Its cloth industry flourished
region of Valencia. The eastern border is shared withand it became a powerful centre of banking and
the region of Aragon. Throughout history Catalonia hascommerce. Around 1400 saw the peak in it's fortunes,
struggled for greater autonomy in it's relationship withdecline followed along with the rest of Catalonia. The
Spain. In attempts to gain full independent it has onFrench occupied the city on three occasions in
more than occasion revolted. Few Catalonians today1640-52, 1715 and 1808-14. Catalan separatism centred
aspire to have any real expectations of independenceon Barcelona and the city was the scene of many
but the struggle for greater autonomy within Spaininsurrections. It revolted against Philip IV of Spain from
continues.1640-52. It also became the Spanish centre of
History - Greeks and Romans established trade alongsocialism and other radical political doctrines around
this part of the Mediterranean coast. In the middle ages1900. Barcelona was the capital of the region's
Catalan art and literature flourished and the nowautonomous government from 1932-39. During the civil
established coastal trade saw merchants becomewar the Spanish Loyalist government sat in Barcelona
very powerful rivalling those of Venice and Genoa. Inuntil it fell to Franco's forces in early 1939. The region
1461 Catalonia rose up in protest at it's alliance withsaw demonstrations against Franco's dictatorship
Aragon but the rebellion was crushed. The subsequentthroughout the 1950's. Today Barcelona is Spain's
union of Aragon with Castile side lined Catalonia. Tradesecond largest city and the claims to be cultural centre
routes were moved, commercial income fell, faminesof the country. It is the capital of the Catalonian region
and plagues all contributed to it's decline. But theand more than one third of region's population reside
Catalonian desire for independence continued. It rosethere. Barcelona is also Spain's largest port and its
against Philip IV during the thirty year war of 1618-48chief commercial centre with international banking and
and followed that by taking the side of Archdukefinance houses. It is a major industrial centre and
Charles in the War of the Spanish Succession againstproduction includes aviation, chemicals, electrical
Philip V. It was a centre for socialist influence at theequipment, foundries, locomotives, machinery, textiles
turn of the 19th Century. 1931 saw the Catalansand vehicles. The city itself is modern, with wide
establish a separate government which went on toavenues, bustling traffic and striking new architecture.
win autonomy from the Spanish Cortes in 1932. TwoBy contrast the well preserved old city, Roman walls
years later a revolution for complete independencecan still be seen, is filled with narrow, winding streets
failed, but in another 2 years autonomy was restored.and ancient structures, including a cathedral, many
In the Spanish civil war of 1936-39, Catalonia oncechurches, the city hall and the Lonja or exchange.
again picked the wrong side and following Franco'sBarcelona is the site of a reputed opera house, the
victory over the republicans the region suffered badlyContemporary Art Museum, the Fine Arts Museum of
and the cherished Catalan language was banned inCatalonia and the Picasso Museum. In 1992 it hosted
public life. In 1978 it was restored and is now an officialthe summer Olympics. The remainder of the province
language of the region along with Castilian or Spanish. Itof Barcelona is in the main hilly or mountainous. But it
elected its first parliament as an autonomous region inalso home to some highly fertile plains where cereals
1980. By the mid-1990s Catalan nationalists hadgrapes and olives are grown. The province also
become a force in both the region's and the nation'sproduces one third of Spain's wine. Much of the area's
politics.power is generated by hydroelectric plants built on the
Catalonia comprises four provinces, Girona, Barcelona,Ebro, Cinca and Segre rivers. The coastline, stretching
Tarragona and Lleida, all are named after their capitals.nearly 400 kilometres has many good harbours and
Girona or Gerona in the north sits on the Onyar River.marinas, excellent fisheries and an buoyant tourist
Dating from pre-Roman times, the old town hastrade. West of Barcelona you will find the vineyards of
preserved its medieval aspect. Girona was ruled bythe Penedes area. Also the mountain of Montserrat, on
the Moors from 714 to 797. During the Peninsular Wara clear day the peak at 1236m above sea level offers
of 1808-09 the town resisted the Napoleon's Frenchviews of the Pyrenees to the north and to Mallorca in
forces. Industries today include chemical production,the Balearic Islands to the south east.
machinery, paper making and textiles. Outside the cityTarragona sits on the mouth of the river Francola on
and on the coat the beaches and coves around Begurthe Mediterranean. It was formally known as Tarraco
and Palafrugell and particularly attractive. Or take in aand in 218BC was captured by Roman forces. They
sunrise at the Cap de Crues, Spain's most easterlybuilt up is fortifications against attack by the
point. Just to the south is the enchanting whitewashedCarthaginians. The ruins of Roman walls and an
village of Cadaques built around a rocky bay. Theaquaduct remain still. It fell to both the Visigoths and the
artist Salvador Dali spent the holidays of his youthMoors in the 5th and 8th centuries respectively. The
there and later lived in the nearby village of Port Lligat.Christians recaptured it in the 12th century but when it's
The barren shorelines, odd formations of rocks andtrade was captured by either regions Barcelona or
desolate moonscapes so typical of his paintings canValencia it fell into decline. In 1903 Carthusian monks
be seen in abundance throughout the locality. Thesettled in the city having been expelled from La
Teatre-Musea Dali is located in the town of FigueresGrande Chartreuse in France. Their famous liqueur is
and contains a great deal of the artist's works. Theproduced here to this day. Today it is important as
Pyrenees, in the north of the province, offer manyboth a commercial centre and port. Industries include
opportunities for walking and hiking, the Parc Nacionalflour mills, an oil refinery and wine production and
d'Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici being one ofexport. Some of the countries finest wines are made
the most attractive areas. There are several skinearby in the Priorat region.
stations operating throughout the winter months.Lleida lies on the river Segre. Formally known as
There is evidence of some settlement in the areaLlerda, Julius Ceasar defeated the generals of
going back to the 15th century BC but Barcelona isPompey here in 49 BC. The Moorish invasion from the
reputed to take it's name from the powerfulsouth saw Lleida fall in 714. It was liberated by Christian
Carthaginian family of Barca who founded the basisforces in 1149. By tradition a strategic, fortified city,
for the city as we know it today. Under the RomansLleida became a key defence point for Barcelona in
and Visigoths the city flourished. In the 8th century it fellthe Spanish civil war. It eventually fell to Franco's
to the Moors and in 801 it was taken by Charlemagne,forces in the April of 1938 having withheld for nine long
who included it in the Spanish March. The Marchmonths. A castle, whose ramparts enclose a
became independent under the leadership of theRomanesque cathedral, dominates the old section of
powerful counts of Barcelona in the 9th and 10ththe city. Lleida is the centre of a fertile farm area and
centuries, They won lands from the Moors to theagriculture predominates. There is little in the way of a
south and acquired all of Catalonia. In 1137, following themanufacturing industry.
marriage of Count Raymond Berengar IV to the