Badalona

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Translation arrow.svg
 Please expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish Wikipedia. (October 2009)
After translating, {{Translated|es|Badalona}} must be added to the talk page to ensure copyright compliance.
Translation instructions · Translate via Google
Badalona
—  Municipality  —

Flag
Coat of arms
Badalona is located in Catalonia
Badalona
Location in Catalonia
Coordinates: 41°26′56″N 2°14′46″E / 41.44889°N 2.24611°E / 41.44889; 2.24611Coordinates: 41°26′56″N 2°14′46″E / 41.44889°N 2.24611°E / 41.44889; 2.24611
Country  Spain
Community Catalonia
Province Barcelona
Comarca Barcelonès
Government
 - Mayor
Area
 - Total 22.17 km2 (8.6 sq mi)
Elevation 6 m (20 ft)
Population (2009)
 - Total 220,888
 - Density 9,963.4/km2 (25,805/sq mi)
 - Demonym Badaloní, badalonina
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Badalona (Baetulo in Roman times) is a city in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the comarca of the Barcelonès near the city of Barcelona. It is situated on the left bank of the small Besòs River and on the Mediterranean Sea.

Passeig de la Rambla, Badalona

Badalona is in the east of Catalonia, 10 minutes to Barcelona. It is situated between the mountains and the sea. It has a station on the RENFE R1 suburban railway line from Aeroport - Barcelona to Blanes - Lloret de Mar - Mataró, and a small harbour, chiefly important for its fishing and boat-building trades. It also links to the Barcelona metro and different bus lines connected to the Catalan capital. There are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works in the town, which also manufactures woollen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy; while the surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit.

Badalona is one of the oldest towns in Catalonia. It is situated near Barcelona and has 220.000 inhabitants.With a typical Mediterranian climate and six kilometres of beach, Badalona is exceptionally well positioned, between the sea and the mountain.

The greater specific gravity that Badalona has obtained in the metropolitan area and its increasing presence in the economic and cultural world in Catalonia is the result of the transformations introduced in the town urban plans and in the public services. Badalona is a town with a lot of contrasts, where the interrelations between cultures and races generates a big multiplicity of cultural activities. Badalona received many residents of the southern and northern of Spain. The current reality in Badalona is the reflection of 2.000 years of history.

Historically, we can find the urban starting point of our town in the foundations of an urban settlement by the Romans, in the year 100 B.C. Since then, that first nucleus has changed to become Badalona as it is nowadays. It was called Baetulo. People born in Badalona have always been proud of its Roman origin. The Roman Baths, in the Museum, the House preserved in Lladó street, a length of water pipe in Pujol street, and the remains of the wall oh the Hort de les Monges, as well as sculptures, wall paintings, mosaics and the Tabula Hospitalis, show us the results of the efforts to protect the past remains. The Venus of Badalona, a small sculpture, carved in white marble, is what really identifies Badalona with the Roman past, and shows that Badalona was a rich roman town.

Since the tenth century, a new urban nucleus formed in Badalona, where the old Roman city was, formed by a group of houses around the square and the church. At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This double situation, urban and rural, would remain until the middle of the eighteenth century.

Badalona was one of the most important towns during industrialization. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, many high quality buildings were erected, among which the Pavillard house is outstanding. It was built by Joan Amigó i Barriga in 1906, and is considered the best modernist work in town. Badalona also has a lot of modernist buildings, and more architecture from the X-XI-XII-XVI centuries.

The protection of artistic and historical heritage is constant. To this effect, one of the last and more important examples has been the remodelling of Zorrilla Theatre, a nineteenth-century theatre which has been reopened in 1999 with the visit of the Spansih Kings, under municipal management after having being closed for 29 years,

May is the month for festivities in Badalona. On the 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 (Burning Devil), similar to the famous Valencia Fallas. A great opportunity to enjoy great festivities with the beach as a partner.

Despite the famous saying "Badalona, Bressol del Basquetbol" (Badalona Cradle of Basketball), the citizens play a lot of different and varied sports, in numerous sports complexes.

The most important of these sports complexes is the Palau Municipal d'Esports, Municipal Sports Palace, than won Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. This palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, is the home of the famous basketball team from Badalona, Joventut, also known as la Penya. This place will also be the center of the area, which is called Badalona Capital Europea del Bàsquet, and is intended to be a theme park celebrating basketball, with a basketball museum, shopping center, cinemas, basketball courts, harbour, indoor karting and more places to have fun.

Contents

[edit] Anís del Mono

This Mediterranean port region is the home to the historic distillery which produces Anís del Mono, a spirit made of herbs and anise, the most famous anisette in Spain.

[edit] Demography

1900 1930 1950 1970 1986 2008
19,240 44,291 61,654 162,888 225,016 221,206

[edit] See also

  • Joventut Badalona (basketball team) ACB
  • Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona (Olympic basketball seat '92)
  • CF Badalona (Spanish League - 2nd division)
  • Roman Antiquities, Museum (Baetulo, Roman city)
  • Turó d'en Boscà, Iberian settlement (IV century b.C.)
  • The Beaches
  • Weekend Nightlife
  • Indoor Karting
  • La Rambla
  • Carrer del Mar
  • Harbour
  • Pont del Petroli (platform 250m inside the sea)
  • May's parties (Festes de Maig)

Architecture

  • Sant Jeroni de la Murtra Monastery (XIII Century - Gothic)
  • Anís del Mono (most famous spanish anisette)(Modernism)
  • Casa de la Vila (Eclecticism)
  • Casa Gallent (Noucentisme)
  • Casa Gafarel·lo (Modernism)
  • Casa Miquel Badia (Modernism)
  • Can Pepus (Modernism)
  • Casa Agustí (Modernism)
  • Casa Pere Tejedor (Modernism)
  • Casa Matamala (Modernism)
  • Bosch Family Pantheon (Modernism)
  • Can Canyadó farmhouse (XV Century)
  • Torre Codina (XIV Century)
  • Casa Pavillard (Modernism)
  • Ca l'Amigó (Modernism)
  • Godmar Castle (XI Century)
  • Can Boscà (Gothic)
  • Can Miravitges (XI Century)
  • Casa Pere Busquets (Modernism)
  • Maignon Market (Modernism)
  • Torre Vella (XIII Century)
  • Santa Maria's Curch (Neoclassicism)

[edit] References

Search Wikisource Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Badalona.
  • Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona:Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 (Spanish). ISBN 84-87135-02-1 (Catalan).

[edit] External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Badalona


Autoritat del Transport Metropolità
RENFE suburban services for Barcelona
Line R1
L'Hospitalet
de Llobregat		 ↔ Badalona ↔ Maçanet-Massanes
v • d • e
Municipalities of Barcelonès
Flag of Catalonia
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badalona"