La Fatarella
Encyclopedia
La Fatarella is a municipality
in northern Terra Alta
, within the region of Ribera d'Ebre
.
The Fatarella has irregular and winding streets that present an architectonic element locally known as perxes , which are sections of a street being covered by envigats, or stone arcs, that unite several houses. The origins of the Fatarella present town is medieval, as the facades of many houses show, having porticoes of stone with thresholds carved with different symbols and inscriptions.
During the Middle Ages the town was walled to offer protection for its inhabitants, mainly from brigands and wolves. The walls are between 80 and 120 cm in width. This defensive system continued until well into the 17th century, when the a population boom forced the city to expand beyond the walls. Nowadays, vestiges of these walls can still be seen, from which access doors on the enclosure can be deduced.
La Fatarella, especially neighboring Serra de la Fatarella
mountain range, was one of the main scenarios of the Battle of the Ebro
in the Spanish Civil War
. A monument to commemorate the victims was erected in 2010.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in northern Terra Alta
Terra Alta
Terra Alta is a sparsely populated inland comarca in Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Gandesa. It is also known as Castellania, a name dating back to its medieval status as a fiefdom held by the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem under the Crown of Aragon.- Municipalities...
, within the region of Ribera d'Ebre
Ribera d'Ebre
Ribera d'Ebre is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. The name in Catalan refers to its location on the banks of the river Ebre, usually referred to in English by its Spanish name, "Ebro.- Municipalities :Populations are from 2001.* Ascó - pop. 1,617...
.
History
One of the oldest buildings in La Fatarella was a Muslim watchtower in the site where the chapel of Mare de Déu of the Misericòrdia stands today. The name of the population is derived from the Arab name fro 'tower', although there are other etymological theories. They are no visible remains of the tower. From the point where it stood there is a commandig view of the High Terra and a magnificent panoramic view.The Fatarella has irregular and winding streets that present an architectonic element locally known as perxes , which are sections of a street being covered by envigats, or stone arcs, that unite several houses. The origins of the Fatarella present town is medieval, as the facades of many houses show, having porticoes of stone with thresholds carved with different symbols and inscriptions.
During the Middle Ages the town was walled to offer protection for its inhabitants, mainly from brigands and wolves. The walls are between 80 and 120 cm in width. This defensive system continued until well into the 17th century, when the a population boom forced the city to expand beyond the walls. Nowadays, vestiges of these walls can still be seen, from which access doors on the enclosure can be deduced.
La Fatarella, especially neighboring Serra de la Fatarella
Serra de la Fatarella
Serra de la Fatarella is one of the isolated mountain ranges of the Catalan Central Depression located off the southern end of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range between La Fatarella and Ascó....
mountain range, was one of the main scenarios of the Battle of the Ebro
Battle of the Ebro
The Battle of the Ebro was the longest and bloodiest battle of the Spanish Civil War...
in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. A monument to commemorate the victims was erected in 2010.