Lleida
Encyclopedia
Lleida (ˈʎɛjðə, ˈʎejðɛ; ) is a city in the west of Catalonia
, Spain
. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida
, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat
and Sucs
. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants. It is also the capital city of the Segrià
comarca
.
Lleida is one of the oldest towns in Catalonia, with recorded settlements dating back to the Bronze Age
period. Until the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
, the area served as a settlement for an Iberian people, the Ilergetes
. The town became a municipality, named Ilerda, under the reign of Augustus
. It was reconquered
in 1149, after being many centuries under the rule of the Moors
, who had conquered the town in the 8th century. In 1297, the University of Lleida
was founded, becoming the third oldest in the whole of Spain. During the following centuries, the town was damaged by several wars such as the Reapers' War
in the 17th century and the Spanish Civil War
in the 20th century. Since then, the city has been in a constant urban, commercial and demographic growth.
town and province, with a characteristic dialect (known as Western or, more specifically, North-Western Catalan, or colloquially lleidatà). Most of the population is actively bilingual in Spanish
.
, an Iberian
tribe. Indíbil, king of the Ilergetes, and Mandoni, king of the Ausetanes, defended it against the Roman invasion.
Under the Romans, the city was incorporated into the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis
, and was a place of considerable importance, historically as well as geographically. It stood upon an eminence, on the right (west) bank of the river Sicoris (the modern Segre
), the principal tributary of the Ebre, and some distance above its confluence with the Cinga (modern Cinca); thus commanding the country between those rivers, as well as the great road from Tarraco (modern Tarragona
), the provincial capital, to the northwest of Spain, which here crossed the Sicoris.
Its situation induced the legates of Pompey
in Spain to make it the key of their defense against Caesar, in the first year of the Civil War
(49 BCE). Afranius
and Marcus Petreius
threw themselves into the place with five legions; and their siege by Caesar himself (Battle of Ilerda
), as narrated in his own words, forms one of the most interesting passages of military history. The resources exhibited by the great general, in a contest where the formation of the district and the very elements of nature seemed in league with his enemies, have been frequently extolled; but no epitome can do justice to the campaign. It ended by the capitulation of Afranius and Petreius, who were conquered as much by Caesar's generosity as by his strategy. In consequence of the battle, the Latin phrase Ilerdam videas is said to have been used by people who wanted to cast bad luck on someone else.
Under the Roman empire
, Ilerda was a very flourishing city, and a municipium
. It minted its own coins. It had a fine stone bridge over the Sicoris, (the bridge was so sturdy that its foundations support a bridge to this today). In the time of Ausonius
the city had fallen into decay; but it rose again into importance in the Middle Ages.
It was part of Visigothic and Muslim
Hispania
until it was conquered from the Moors
by the Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona
in 1149.
It used to be the seat of a major university
, the oldest in the Crown of Aragon
, until 1717, when it was moved by Philip V
to the nearby town of Cervera
. The University of Lleida is nowadays active again.
During the Reapers' War, Lleida was occupied by the French and rebel forces. In 1644 the city was conquered by the Spanish under D. Felipe da Silva
Lleida served as a key defense point for Barcelona
during the Spanish Civil War
, and fell to the Insurgents, whose air forces bombed it extensively, in 1937 and 1938. The November 2, 1937 Legion Kondor attacks against Lleida became especially infamous since they were aimed to the school known as Liceu Escolar de Lleida
. 48 children and several teachers died in it that day. 300 people were killed on the November 2 bombings altogether, and the town would be bombed and sieged again in 1938, when it was conquered by Franco
's forces.
After some decades without any kind of population growth, it met a massive migration of Andalusians
who helped the town undergo a relative demographic growth. Nowadays it's home to immigrants of 146 different nationalities.
During 2007 Lleida was the year's Capital of Catalan Culture.
's Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line
, serving Barcelona
, Zaragoza
, Calatayud
, Guadalajara
, and Madrid
. Lleida has a new airport
opened in January 2010, and a minor airfield located in Alfès
. Also, the town is the western terminus of the Eix Transversal
Lleida-Girona
, and a railway covering the same distance (Eix Transversal Ferroviari) is currently under planning.
Lleida's only passenger railway station is Lleida Pirineus
. It's served by both Renfe
and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
train lines. In the future a Rodalies Lleida commuter network will connect the town with its adjacent area and the main towns of its province, improving the existing network with more train frequency and newly-built infrastructure. A second railway station is Pla de la Vilanoveta in an industrial area, and only used by freight trains. A future railway museum will be located in its facilities.
Since 2008 the bulk of public transport of the Lleida's surrounding area
, mainly buses operated by several companies, is managed by Autoritat Territorial de la Mobilitat de l'Àrea de Lleida
.
In addition to these, there's a tourist bus and a regular night service to nearby clubs.
opened in 2010.
-train
system is pending approval. Using an existing but outdated passenger line, it would link Balaguer
and Lleida, crossing both towns in a much-needed move towards better public transportation, both inner-city and between localities.
is the town's concert hall and main music institution and conservatory. It's named after the composer Enric Granados, who was born there. Lleida's newest venue is La Llotja de Lleida
, which opened with Verdi's Il trovatore
. CaixaForum Lleida
(formerly known as Centre Cultural de la Fundació La Caixa) includes a concert hall.
Teatre de l'Escorxador, located in a former slaughterhouse, is the town's main theatre. It includes a concert venue, Cafè del Teatre. Teatre Principal de Lleida is used for very different events. Antares is a jazz bar hosting regular live acts. La Boîte and Stones, two clubs, also offer concerts.
is the usual venue for film-related events and screenings.A Latin-American cinema
festival is held yearly in the town (Mostra de Cinema Llatinoamericà de Lleida
), and an animation
film festival called Animac also takes place there every May.
opened in 2008, with historical artifacts and works of art from various periods. The Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs
, a historically relevant building, exhibits both ancient and contemporary art. Centre d'Art La Panera
is a recently open contemporary art institution. Lleida has a number of small galleries, such as Sala Municipal d'Exposicions de Sant Joan or Sala Manel Garcia Sarramona, and some institutions dedicated to local artists, such as Museu d'Art Jaume Morera, Sala Leandre Cristòfol or Sala Coma Estadella. The private foundation CaixaForum Lleida
and the Public Library of Lleida
also offer regular exhibitions. The now defunct Petite Galerie
was an innovative and influential gallery in the 1970s.
Superior art teaching in Lleida is to be found at EMBA (Escola Municipal de Belles Arts).
Lleida was the Capital of Catalan Culture in 2007.
Lleida has sister relationships
with many places worldwide:
Ferrara
, Italy
Foix
, France
Hefei
, China Lérida
, Colombia
Perpignan
, France
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...
. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida
Lleida (province)
thumb|250px|Monastery of [[Santa Maria de Bellpuig de les Avellanes]].Lleida is a province of north-eastern Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Catalonia. It is bordered by the provinces of Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Zaragoza and Huesca and the countries of France and...
, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat
Raimat
Raimat is a locality in the municipality of Lleida , 14 km away from the main town. Along with Sucs, its official status is that of a decentralised municipal entity, as some semi-urban wards attached to a larger municipality are known in Catalonia. It had 489 inhabitants in the 2008 census...
and Sucs
Sucs
Sucs is a locality in the municipality of Lleida . Like the neighbouring Raimat, the official status of Sucs is that of a decentralised municipal entity, as some semi-urban wards attached to a larger municipality are known in Catalonia, and located 22 km from Lleida. In the 2008 census Sucs...
. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants. It is also the capital city of the Segrià
Segrià
Segrià is a comarca in the west of Catalonia, Spain, bordering Aragon. , over two thirds of its population live in the capital city of Lleida, which is also Catalonia's largest municipality, and remains the most populated comarca in the Lleida province. It takes its name from the river Segre.-...
comarca
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
.
Lleida is one of the oldest towns in Catalonia, with recorded settlements dating back to the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
period. Until the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
, the area served as a settlement for an Iberian people, the Ilergetes
Ilergetes
The Ilergetes were an ancient Iberian people of the Iberian peninsula who inhabited the area around present-day Lleida. They are believed to be of Iberian language.-External links:*...
. The town became a municipality, named Ilerda, under the reign of Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
. It was reconquered
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
in 1149, after being many centuries under the rule of the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
, who had conquered the town in the 8th century. In 1297, the University of Lleida
University of Lleida
The University of Lleida is a university based in Lleida , Spain. It was the first university in Catalonia and the whole Crown of Aragon...
was founded, becoming the third oldest in the whole of Spain. During the following centuries, the town was damaged by several wars such as the Reapers' War
Catalan Revolt
The Catalan Revolt affected a large part of the Catalan Principality of Catalonia between the years of 1640 and 1659. It had an enduring effect in the Treaty of the Pyrenees , which ceded the county of Roussillon and the northern half of the county of Cerdanya to France , thereby splitting the...
in the 17th century and 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...
in the 20th century. Since then, the city has been in a constant urban, commercial and demographic growth.
Languages
It is a traditionally Catalan-speakingCatalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
town and province, with a characteristic dialect (known as Western or, more specifically, North-Western Catalan, or colloquially lleidatà). Most of the population is actively bilingual in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
History
In ancient times the city, named Iltrida and Ilerda, was the chief city of the IlergetesIlergetes
The Ilergetes were an ancient Iberian people of the Iberian peninsula who inhabited the area around present-day Lleida. They are believed to be of Iberian language.-External links:*...
, an Iberian
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
tribe. Indíbil, king of the Ilergetes, and Mandoni, king of the Ausetanes, defended it against the Roman invasion.
Under the Romans, the city was incorporated into the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis
Hispania Tarraconensis
Hispania Tarraconensis was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania. It encompassed much of the Mediterranean coast of Spain along with the central plateau. Southern Spain, the region now called Andalusia, was the province of Hispania Baetica...
, and was a place of considerable importance, historically as well as geographically. It stood upon an eminence, on the right (west) bank of the river Sicoris (the modern Segre
Segre River
The Segre is a river tributary to the Ebro with a basin comprising territories across three states: France, Andorra and Spain....
), the principal tributary of the Ebre, and some distance above its confluence with the Cinga (modern Cinca); thus commanding the country between those rivers, as well as the great road from Tarraco (modern Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
), the provincial capital, to the northwest of Spain, which here crossed the Sicoris.
Its situation induced the legates of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
in Spain to make it the key of their defense against Caesar, in the first year of the Civil War
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
(49 BCE). Afranius
Lucius Afranius (consul)
Lucius Afranius was an ancient Roman legatus and client of Pompey the Great. He served with Pompey during his Iberian campaigns against Sertorius in the late 70s BC, and remained in his service right through to the Civil War. He died after the Battle of Thapsus in 46 BC.-Early career:Lucius...
and Marcus Petreius
Marcus Petreius
Marcus Petreius was a Roman politician and general. He cornered and killed the notorious rebel Catiline at Pistoria.-Career:...
threw themselves into the place with five legions; and their siege by Caesar himself (Battle of Ilerda
Battle of Ilerda
The Battle of Ilerda took place in June 49 BC between the forces of Julius Caesar and the Spanish army of Pompey the Great, led by his legates Lucius Afranius and Marcus Petreius...
), as narrated in his own words, forms one of the most interesting passages of military history. The resources exhibited by the great general, in a contest where the formation of the district and the very elements of nature seemed in league with his enemies, have been frequently extolled; but no epitome can do justice to the campaign. It ended by the capitulation of Afranius and Petreius, who were conquered as much by Caesar's generosity as by his strategy. In consequence of the battle, the Latin phrase Ilerdam videas is said to have been used by people who wanted to cast bad luck on someone else.
Under the Roman empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, Ilerda was a very flourishing city, and a municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
. It minted its own coins. It had a fine stone bridge over the Sicoris, (the bridge was so sturdy that its foundations support a bridge to this today). In the time of Ausonius
Ausonius
Decimius Magnus Ausonius was a Latin poet and rhetorician, born at Burdigala .-Biography:Decimius Magnus Ausonius was born in Bordeaux in ca. 310. His father was a noted physician of Greek ancestry and his mother was descended on both sides from long-established aristocratic Gallo-Roman families...
the city had fallen into decay; but it rose again into importance in the Middle Ages.
It was part of Visigothic and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
until it was conquered from the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
by the Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona
Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona
Ramon Berenguer IV , sometimes called the Holy, was the Count of Barcelona who effected the union between the Kingdom of Aragon and the Principality of Catalonia into the Crown of Aragon....
in 1149.
It used to be the seat of a major university
University of Lleida
The University of Lleida is a university based in Lleida , Spain. It was the first university in Catalonia and the whole Crown of Aragon...
, the oldest in the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
, until 1717, when it was moved by Philip V
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
to the nearby town of Cervera
Cervera
Cervera is the capital of the comarca of Segarra, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. The title Compte de Cervera is a courtesy title, formerly part of the Crown of Aragon, that has been revived for Felipe, Prince of Asturias....
. The University of Lleida is nowadays active again.
During the Reapers' War, Lleida was occupied by the French and rebel forces. In 1644 the city was conquered by the Spanish under D. Felipe da Silva
Felipe da Silva
D. Felipe da Silva was a Portuguese soldier in the service of Spain.Felipe was the son of D. Filipa da Silva , 4th Countess of Portalegre and of D. Juan de Silva , Spanish ambassador to the court of King Sebastian and Count of Salinas. His brother was D...
Lleida served as a key defense point for Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
during 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...
, and fell to the Insurgents, whose air forces bombed it extensively, in 1937 and 1938. The November 2, 1937 Legion Kondor attacks against Lleida became especially infamous since they were aimed to the school known as Liceu Escolar de Lleida
Liceu Escolar de Lleida
The Liceu Escolar de Lleida was a school in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain founded by Frederic Godàs and Victorina Vila Badia in 1906, who wanted to introduce a modern, progressive pedagogy system, part of the New Catalan School movement, in the country's outdated and authoritarian school system...
. 48 children and several teachers died in it that day. 300 people were killed on the November 2 bombings altogether, and the town would be bombed and sieged again in 1938, when it was conquered by Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's forces.
After some decades without any kind of population growth, it met a massive migration of Andalusians
Andalusian people
The Andalusians are the people of the southern region in Spain approximated by what is now called Andalusia. They are generally not considered an ethnically distinct people because they lack two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed...
who helped the town undergo a relative demographic growth. Nowadays it's home to immigrants of 146 different nationalities.
During 2007 Lleida was the year's Capital of Catalan Culture.
Districts and neighbourhoods
Lleida is divided in the following districts by the Observatori Socioeconòmic de Lleida:- BalàfiaBalàfiaBaláfia is a barrio of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. As of 2008 it had a population of 13, 151 people....
- Butsènit
- Camp d'Esports
- Cap PontCap PontCappont is a neighbourhood in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.It stretches along the eastern bank of the Segre river. Cappont contains the city's largest park, the Camps Elisis, and a University of Lleida campus.The district had 11,612 inhabitants as of 2008....
- Centre Històric
- Ciutat Jardí
- Humbert Torres
- Instituts-TemplersInstituts-TemplersInstituts-Templers is a district of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It's made up of different areas between La Mariola, Universitat and the river Segre, mostly working-class, some middle class. "Templers-Escorxador" is located within the portion of medieval Lleida which was once owned by the Knights...
- Joc de la Bola
- La Bordeta
- Les Basses d'Alpicat
- Llívia
- Magraners
- Mariola
- PardinyesPardinyesPardinyes is a neighbourhood in Lleida . It's a 1920s to mid-20th century urban development grown out of new architecture built on former agricultural land between Balàfia and the River Segre...
- Príncep de Viana-Clot
- Rambla Ferran-Estació
- Secà de Sant Pere
- Torres de Sanuí
- Universitat
Communications and transport
Railway
Lleida is served by the Spanish state railwayRENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
's Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line
Madrid-Barcelona high-speed rail line
The Madrid–Barcelona high-speed rail line is a standard gauge railway line inaugurated on 20 February 2008. Designed for speeds of and compatibility with neighbouring countries' rail systems, it connects the cities of Madrid and Barcelona, in Spain...
, serving Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Calatayud
Calatayud
Calatayud is a city and municipality in the province of Zaragoza in Aragón, Spain lying on the river Jalón, in the midst of the Sistema Ibérico mountain range. It is the second-largest city in the province after the capital, Zaragoza, and the largest town in Aragón other than the three provincial...
, Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Spain
Guadalajara is a city and municipality in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain, and in the natural region of La Alcarria. It is the capital of the province of Guadalajara. It is located roughly 60 km northeast of Madrid on the Henares River, and has a population of 83,789...
, and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. Lleida has a new airport
Lleida-Alguaire Airport
Lleida-Alguaire Airport is an airport located in Alguaire, 15 km from the centre of Lleida .Lleida-Alguaire has been designed as a regional airport to provide both passenger and cargo transport to Western Catalonia , Andorra and some counties of La Franja....
opened in January 2010, and a minor airfield located in Alfès
Alfés
Alfés is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
. Also, the town is the western terminus of the Eix Transversal
Eix Transversal
C-25 or Eix Transversal is a 280 km long primary highway in Catalonia, Spain.It crosses the Catalan Transversal Range mountaineous region, communicating the northern end of the Catalan Coastal Depression with the Catalan Central Depression....
Lleida-Girona
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
, and a railway covering the same distance (Eix Transversal Ferroviari) is currently under planning.
Lleida's only passenger railway station is Lleida Pirineus
Lleida Pirineus railway station
Lleida Pirineus railway station is a regional railway station in the city of Lleida, Catalonia, between the neighbourhoods of Pardinyes and Rambla de Ferran. The first train services in Lleida date of 1860, but the station wasn't was built until 1927, and it didn't adopt its current official name...
. It's served by both Renfe
RENFE
Renfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya , or FGC, is a railway company which operates several unconnected lines in Catalonia, Spain....
train lines. In the future a Rodalies Lleida commuter network will connect the town with its adjacent area and the main towns of its province, improving the existing network with more train frequency and newly-built infrastructure. A second railway station is Pla de la Vilanoveta in an industrial area, and only used by freight trains. A future railway museum will be located in its facilities.
Since 2008 the bulk of public transport of the Lleida's surrounding area
Ponent
Ponent, Lleida or Terres de Lleida is one of the seven territories defined by the Regional Plan of Catalonia and is not clear what name will have ....
, mainly buses operated by several companies, is managed by Autoritat Territorial de la Mobilitat de l'Àrea de Lleida
Autoritat Territorial de la Mobilitat de l'Àrea de Lleida
Autoritat Territorial de la Mobilitat de l'Àrea de Lleida or ATM Àrea de Lleida is one of the five transport authority corporations in Catalonia responsible for the coordination of public transport systems in Lleida and its surroundings, the Àrea de Lleida.It's a consortium made up by the Lleida...
.
Bus
The urban buses, coloured yellow with blue stripes and owned by Autobusos de Lleida, include the following lines:- L-1 Interior
- L-2 Ronda
- L-3 Pardinyes
- L-4 Mariola - Parc cientific i tecnologic
- L-5 Bordeta
- L-6 Magraners
- L-7 Secà
- L-8 Balàfia-Gualda
- L-9 Hospitals
- L-10 Exterior
- L-11 Llívia-Caparrella
- L-11B Llívia-Caparrella-Butsenit
- L-12 C.Històric-Universitat
- L-13 Cappont
- L-14 Agrònoms
- L-P Polígons
- L-17 Bordeta-Ciutat Jardí
- L-18 Palau de Congressos- Rambla de la Mercé
- L-19 Butsenit
- L-N Wonder (Regular night service)
- L-Bus Turístic (tourist bus)
- L- Aeroport
- L- Llotja
In addition to these, there's a tourist bus and a regular night service to nearby clubs.
Lleida-Pirineus airport
Lleida has depended long time on nearby airports and had no local air transit. Lleida-Alguaire airportLleida-Alguaire Airport
Lleida-Alguaire Airport is an airport located in Alguaire, 15 km from the centre of Lleida .Lleida-Alguaire has been designed as a regional airport to provide both passenger and cargo transport to Western Catalonia , Andorra and some counties of La Franja....
opened in 2010.
Future and planned services
A tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
-train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
system is pending approval. Using an existing but outdated passenger line, it would link Balaguer
Balaguer
Balaguer is the capital of the comarca of Noguera, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.It is located by the river Segre, a tributary to the Ebre....
and Lleida, crossing both towns in a much-needed move towards better public transportation, both inner-city and between localities.
Culture
Theatre and music venues
Auditori Enric GranadosAuditori Enric Granados
Auditori Enric Granados is the main concert hall in Lleida also hosting the city's music conservatory. It contains a symphonic hall with 803 seats and a chamber music hall with a capacity of 245. This music institution is named after the composer Enric Granados, who was born in Lleida in 1867...
is the town's concert hall and main music institution and conservatory. It's named after the composer Enric Granados, who was born there. Lleida's newest venue is La Llotja de Lleida
La Llotja de Lleida
La Llotja de Lleida is a theatre and congresa centre in Lleida . It opened its doors in January 2010, and is owned by the city council. Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore premiered there on 21 January. Its two congress halls, called A and B, have capacity for 400 and 200 people, while the main auditory,...
, which opened with Verdi's Il trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
. CaixaForum Lleida
CaixaForum Lleida
CaixaForum Lleida is a museum, cinema and art centre in Lleida . It's a private entity set up and funded by La Caixa, a savings bank based in Barcelona and part of the CaixaForum network of cultural centres...
(formerly known as Centre Cultural de la Fundació La Caixa) includes a concert hall.
Teatre de l'Escorxador, located in a former slaughterhouse, is the town's main theatre. It includes a concert venue, Cafè del Teatre. Teatre Principal de Lleida is used for very different events. Antares is a jazz bar hosting regular live acts. La Boîte and Stones, two clubs, also offer concerts.
Music festivals
There's two important music festivals in town, MÚSIQUES DISPERSES Folk Festival taking place during the whole month of March (http://www.musiquesdisperses.com) and the jazz festival JAZZ TARDOR in November. Concerts are also a regular fixture of the two local feasts, Sant Anastasi in May, and Sant Miquel in September.Film
CaixaForum LleidaCaixaForum Lleida
CaixaForum Lleida is a museum, cinema and art centre in Lleida . It's a private entity set up and funded by La Caixa, a savings bank based in Barcelona and part of the CaixaForum network of cultural centres...
is the usual venue for film-related events and screenings.A Latin-American cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
festival is held yearly in the town (Mostra de Cinema Llatinoamericà de Lleida
Lleida Latin-American Film Festival
The Lleida Latin-American Film Festival is a cinema festival that takes place in Lleida, Spain awarding Latin American films. It is organised by the Latin American Centre of Lleida and is sponsored by the city council , the University of Lleida and La Caixa...
), and an animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
film festival called Animac also takes place there every May.
Art and museums
The Lleida MuseumLleida Museum
Lleida Museum, the shortened and current usual name of the Diocesan and Comarcal Lleida Museum is an art and history museum in Lleida owned by the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Lleida city council, Roman Catholic Diocese of Lleida and the comarcal council of Segrià, of which Lleida is the...
opened in 2008, with historical artifacts and works of art from various periods. The Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs
Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs
Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs , also known by the acronym IEI, is a cultural institution created on March 25, 1942 in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain by the provincial delegation, then under the leadership of Josep Maria de Porcioles, with the aim of promoting culture and research in the region of Lleida...
, a historically relevant building, exhibits both ancient and contemporary art. Centre d'Art La Panera
Centre d'Art La Panera
The Centre d'Art la Panera is an art museum in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It's named after Carrer de la Panera, the street where it's located, in the old-town area known as Els Vins....
is a recently open contemporary art institution. Lleida has a number of small galleries, such as Sala Municipal d'Exposicions de Sant Joan or Sala Manel Garcia Sarramona, and some institutions dedicated to local artists, such as Museu d'Art Jaume Morera, Sala Leandre Cristòfol or Sala Coma Estadella. The private foundation CaixaForum Lleida
CaixaForum Lleida
CaixaForum Lleida is a museum, cinema and art centre in Lleida . It's a private entity set up and funded by La Caixa, a savings bank based in Barcelona and part of the CaixaForum network of cultural centres...
and the Public Library of Lleida
Public Library of Lleida
The Public Library of Lleida , also formerly called Biblioteca Pública de la Maternitat, is a public library in the city of Lleida . Its legal owner is the Generalitat de Catalunya...
also offer regular exhibitions. The now defunct Petite Galerie
Petite Galerie (Lleida)
Petite Galerie was a short-lived alternative art gallery in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It existed between 1968 and 1974, during the last years of the Francoist dictatorship, and was especially relevant for being the first of its kind in Catalonia, offering exhibitions of avantgarde art...
was an innovative and influential gallery in the 1970s.
Superior art teaching in Lleida is to be found at EMBA (Escola Municipal de Belles Arts).
Traditional culture
Traditional celebrations include Festa Major, Aplec del Cargol (the biggest in the world of this sort, held at the Camps Elisis since 1980), and Fira de Sant Miquel.Lleida was the Capital of Catalan Culture in 2007.
Nightlife
Lleida's most popular bars and clubbing area is informally known as Els Vins. Els Vins Vells, as the oldest part of the quarter is called, has experienced serious decay during the 2000s and most venues in the area are currently closed, with buildings being demolished. Els Vins Nous, on the other hand, an architecturally newer and more upscale area, has largely replaced it. Most big clubs in Lleida, such as Wonder or Cotton, are located right outside the town, and are not easily accessible without a car, even though on Saturdays night, there's a bus that drives you until Wonder. Also Larida (biggest discothèque in Catalonia) and Excess are big dancing clubs, and they are inside the city.People from Lleida
The following names are sorted alphabetically.- Antoni Abad - artist (born 1956)
- Jaume BalagueróJaume BalagueróJaume Balagueró i Bernat , is a Spanish film director widely known for his horror films.- Life :Jaume Balagueró was born in Lleida, and grew up in Barcelona. He studied communications and photography at the University of Barcelona, graduating in 1991 with a degree in Communication Sciences...
- filmmaker (born 1960) - Josep BorrellJosep BorrellJosep Borrell Fontelles is a Spanish politician. He was nominated President of the European University Institute on 12 December 2008, and assumed this position in January 2010. Borrell was President of the European Parliament from 20 July 2004 until 16 January 2007...
- Politician, president of the European ParliamentPresident of the European ParliamentThe President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
2004-2007. (born 1947) - Dani Andrada, One of the world's strongest climbers
- Francesc Claverol - 18th century religious scholar, author of De ineffabile misae sacrificio y Libellum de Adventu Anti Christi.
- Pep Coll - writer (born 1949)
- Albert CostaAlbert CostaAlbert Costa i Casals is a former professional tennis player from Spain. He is best remembered for winning the men's singles title at the French Open in 2002.-Tennis career:...
- tennis player, olympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
contestant in 2000, winner of the 2002 French Open, (born 1975) - Leandre Cristòfol - artist, pioneer of SurrealistSurrealismSurrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
sculpture in CataloniaCataloniaCatalonia 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...
(1908–1998) - José Espasa AngueraJosé Espasa AngueraJosé Espasa Anguera was a Spanish publisher. He is most famous for having been the driving force behind the prestigious Enciclopedia Espasa....
- founder of the precursor of Espasa-Calpe and Enciclopedia Espasa (1840–1911) - Pere Fages - Soldier and Governor of the CaliforniasLas CaliforniasThe Californias, or in — - was the name given by the Spanish to their northwestern territory of New Spain, comprising the present day states of Baja California and Baja California Sur on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico; and the present day U.S. state of California in the United States of...
(1734–1794) - Adolf Florensa - architect, urban planner who worked for various governments during the 20th century directing the restoration of Ciutat VellaCiutat VellaCiutat Vella is a district of Barcelona, numbered District 1. The name means "old city" in Catalan and refers to the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Ciutat Vella is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the neighborhood called l'Eixample...
in BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. - Javier Galitó-Cava Official Site - actor, dancer born in Barcelona but raised in Lleida for most of his childhood years. He resides in the U.S since 1989.
- Miguel Ángel Gallardo - underground comic book artist, especially known for his controversial comic series Makoki, published in the Spanish magazine El Víbora.
- Indíbil (Indibilis, Andobales) king of the IlergetesIlergetesThe Ilergetes were an ancient Iberian people of the Iberian peninsula who inhabited the area around present-day Lleida. They are believed to be of Iberian language.-External links:*...
(3rd century BC). - LorenaLorena (singer)Lorena Gomez Pérez is an Spanish pop singer known artistically as Lorena.She was the winner of TV's Spanish Language's talent-search program Operación Triunfo 2006 . In 2007, her debut album, Lorena was released under the Sony BMG label.- Early years :She was born April 12, 1986 in Lleida, Spain...
, singer, winner of the 5th series of Spanish Fame AcademyFame AcademyFame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
, Operación TriunfoOperación TriunfoOperación Triunfo is a reality-show talent contest which first aired on Spain's TVE network in 2001. A kind of cross between Pop Idol, Voces en Función, Star Search, and Big Brother, the show aimed to find the country's next solo singing sensation, putting a selection of hopefuls through their...
. - Enrique GranadosEnrique GranadosEnrique Granados y Campiña was a Spanish pianist and composer of classical music. His music is in a uniquely Spanish style and, as such, representative of musical nationalism...
- RomanticRomanticismRomanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
composer (1867–1917) - Mari Pau Huguet - Catalan TV personality, TV3TV3 (Catalonia)TV3 is the primary television channel of Catalan public broadcaster Televisió de Catalunya, a subsidiary of the CCMA. TV3 broadcasts programs only in Catalan, with an optional dual track in the original language for some foreign-language series and movies...
presenter. - Kílian Jornet BurgadaKílian Jornet BurgadaKílian Jornet Burgada is a Spanish ski mountaineer, long-distance runner, mountain biker and duathlete . He is a three time champion of the Skyrunner World Series from 2007–09 and the winner of the 2011 Western States Endurance Run.- Biography :Jornet was born in Sabadell in Catalonia, Spain...
(born 1987), ski mountaineer, long-distance runner, mountain biker and duathlete - Bojan KrkicBojan KrkicBojan Krkić Pérez known as just Bojan, is a Spanish footballer who currently plays as a forward or winger for Italian Serie A club Roma.- Early years :...
- (born 1990) football player. - Carles PuyolCarles PuyolCarles Puyol i Saforcada is a Spanish footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team.Mainly a central defender, he can also play on either flank, especially as a right back...
- (born 1978) football player. - Joan CapdevilaJoan CapdevilaJoan Capdevila i Méndez is a Spanish footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, and the Spanish national team.His usual position is left defender, but he is also capable of operating as a winger and, from a defensive position, often contributes with goals...
- (born 1978) football player. - Josep Lladonosa - historian (1907–1990)
- Mercè Mor - dancer.
- Jaume Morera - Artist (1854–1927)
- Joan OróJoan OróJoan Oró i Florensa was a biochemist from Catalonia , whose research has been of importance in understanding the origin of life. He participated...
- biochemist whose research has been of importance in understanding the origin of life, received several international honours for his work. (1923–2004) - Manuel del Palacio - Satirist, journalist (1831–1906)
- Gaspar de PortolàGaspar de PortolàGaspar de Portolà i Rovira was a soldier, governor of Baja and Alta California , explorer and founder of San Diego and Monterey. He was born in Os de Balaguer, province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain, of Catalan nobility. Don Gaspar served as a soldier in the Spanish army in Italy and Portugal...
- Soldier and Governor of Alta and Baja California (1716–1784) - Josep Pernau - journalist, satyrist (born 1930)
- Araceli Segarra - mountaineer and model (born 1970)
- Salvador SeguíSalvador SeguíSalvador Seguí , known as El noi del sucre for his habit of eating the sugar cubes served him with his coffee, was a Catalan anarcho-syndicalist in the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo , a Spanish confederation of anarcho-syndicalist labor unions active in Catalonia.Together with Ángel Pestaña,...
, "El Noi del Sucre" - AnarchistAnarchismAnarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, secretary general of CNTConfederación Nacional del TrabajoThe Confederación Nacional del Trabajo is a Spanish confederation of anarcho-syndicalist labor unions affiliated with the International Workers Association . When working with the latter group it is also known as CNT-AIT...
in Catalonia, assassinated (1896–1923). - Humbert Torres - Physician and politician, vicepresident of the Generalitat de CatalunyaGeneralitat de CatalunyaThe Generalitat of Catalonia is the institution under which the autonomous community of Catalonia is politically organised. It consists of the Parliament, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Government of Catalonia....
, member of the Spanish Parliament. - Màrius TorresMàrius TorresMàrius Torres was a [-Catalan poet, first published by fellow writer Joan Sales in Mexico. He's among the most influential poets in the first 30 years of post-Civil War Catalonia....
- Symbolist poet (1910–1942) - Jaume Ulled - stage actor (born 1978)
- Josep VallverdúJosep VallverdúJosep Vallverdú i Aixalà is a Catalan poet, novelist, playwright, linguist and essayist. His narrative Rovelló served as basis for a TV-series in TV3 . His works, rich in vocabulary, have been widely used in the Catalan classrooms...
- writer (born 1923) - Salvador Vázquez de Parga - essayist, comic book historian (born 1934)
- Ricardo ViñesRicardo ViñesRicardo Viñes was a Spanish pianist. He first publicly performed many important works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, Manuel de Falla, Déodat de Séverac and Isaac Albéniz. He was also the piano teacher of composer Francis Poulenc and pianist Léo-Pol Morin.He was born in Lleida,...
- Classical pianist and composer (1875–1943)
Main sights
- Seu Vella, a Cathedral built in a blend of RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
and GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
styles over the time, and made a military fortress in the 18th century and the older, and mostly destroyed Palau de la Suda, built during the Arab rule and later used as royal residence by the Counts of Barcelona and Kings of Aragon. Both medieval buildings are situated over the so-called Turó de la Seu, a medium-sized hill that dominates the town. - Seu Nova, the baroque Cathedral used since BourbonHouse of BourbonThe House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
rule. It was burnt during the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil WarThe 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...
by the anarchists commanded by Durruti. - Institut d'Estudis IlerdencsInstitut d'Estudis IlerdencsInstitut d'Estudis Ilerdencs , also known by the acronym IEI, is a cultural institution created on March 25, 1942 in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain by the provincial delegation, then under the leadership of Josep Maria de Porcioles, with the aim of promoting culture and research in the region of Lleida...
, used to be a hospital (Antic Hospital de Santa Maria) built in a GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style, but nowadays it is an historical museum and research centre open to visitors, with historically significant objects and art from the IberianIberiansThe Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
, RomanAncient RomeAncient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, ArabArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, medievalMiddle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and modern times, as well as an exhibition area usually showcasing contemporary local artists. - La PaeriaLa PaeriaThe Palace of La Paeria is the name the city hall of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, which currently houses the city council. The see is located on Plaça de la Paeria. Lleida's mayor is called Paer en cap, a term also used for Cervera's mayor. The term paer derives from Latin paciarum, meaning "man of...
, the city council and also, a historical site with remains and pieces of art from RomanRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
times, to the Moorish rule, to Mediaeval and ModernModern AgeModern Age is an American conservative academic quarterly journal, founded in 1957 by Russell Kirk in close collaboration with Henry Regnery...
times, including old prison cells. - Gardeny. It is a hill hosting a fortress built between the 12th and 13th centuries. Used by the Knights TemplarKnights TemplarThe Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
in the Middle AgesMiddle AgesThe Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
after the area (a fifth of the town) had been granted to them by king Ramon Berenguer IVRamon Berenguer IV, Count of BarcelonaRamon Berenguer IV , sometimes called the Holy, was the Count of Barcelona who effected the union between the Kingdom of Aragon and the Principality of Catalonia into the Crown of Aragon....
. - The gardens known as Camps Elisis, already used by the RomansRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. It has the fountain of the mermaidFountain of the Mermaid of LleidaThe Fountain of the Mermaid of Lleida is a fountain located in the Parc des Champs Elysees in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It features a mermaid holding in a hand a conch, which released the water. The fountain is surrounded by a garden....
. - La Mitjana, a park with wilderness areas. There stands too a damDamA dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the river Segre. - Les Basses d'Alpicat, a park. It's currently closed, awaiting reforms.
- Church of Sant LlorençChurch of Sant Llorenç, LleidaSant Llorenç is a Romanesque church in Lleida dating from the late 12th century, with Gothic additions from the 15th century. The initial architects of the church were Pere de Coma, the master of works who in charge of La Seu Vella, the old cathedral of Lleida...
, a 12th century romanesque church with 15th century gothic additions. The interior is well preserved. - The Bishop of LleidaBishop of LleidaA list of bishops of Lleida.*Itxió 203*Sant Filó 227*Joan 230*Pere 258*Màrius Seli 259*Sant Lleir 268-311*Diperdió 313*Amili 380*Prudenci 400*Atanasi 413*Saguici 413*Jacobo 419*Seberí 460*Fortunat 517*Pere 519*Andreu 540*Februari 546...
's Palace on Rambla d'Aragó also serves as an art museum showing pieces included in the styles spanning from RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
to BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
. - El Roser, a 13th century conventConventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
built by the Dominican OrderDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
. It hosted a fine arts academy of the same name and is currently controversially reformed into a paradorParadorA parador , in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, is a kind of luxury hotel, usually located in a historic building such as a monastery or castle. Parar means to stop, halt or stay.- Paradores de Turismo de España :...
(a luxury hotel using a historical location). - Lleida Public Library, on Rambla d'Aragó, hosted in the building previously known as La Maternitat, a mid-19th century orphanageOrphanageAn orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
. - Museum of Lleida, opened in 2008, and owned by the Diocese of LleidaDiocese of LleidaThe Diocese of Lleida is located in north-eastern Spain, in the province of Lleida, part of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The diocese forms part of the ecclesiastical province of Tarragona, and is thus suffragan to the Archdiocese of Tarragona.The diocese of Lleida was created in the 3rd...
focusing on the town's history. Some of the artifacts it contains, which come from areas not belonging to the province of Lleida's territory and jurisdiction, have been object of contention with the neighbouring dioceses and the government autonomous community of AragonAragonAragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
. - Sala Cristòfol, a museum devoted to the works of artist Leandre Cristòfol.
- Sala Mercat del Pla, an art gallery.
- Museu d'Art Jaume Morera, an art museum.
- Centre d'Art de la Panera, a small contemporary art institution.
- Museu de l'Aigua.
- Auditori Enric GranadosAuditori Enric GranadosAuditori Enric Granados is the main concert hall in Lleida also hosting the city's music conservatory. It contains a symphonic hall with 803 seats and a chamber music hall with a capacity of 245. This music institution is named after the composer Enric Granados, who was born in Lleida in 1867...
, Lleida's foremost concert hall. Next to its basement, and publicly displayed are visible ancient ruins. - La Llotja de LleidaLa Llotja de LleidaLa Llotja de Lleida is a theatre and congresa centre in Lleida . It opened its doors in January 2010, and is owned by the city council. Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore premiered there on 21 January. Its two congress halls, called A and B, have capacity for 400 and 200 people, while the main auditory,...
, a concert hall, theatre, opera and congress hall opened in 2010.
Sports
Lleida has been always a city with great sport tradition. Probably the most famous sport at the present time is basketball, because the club of basketball of the city a few years ago ascended to the ACB, being the revelation team in the league, this caused a lot of boys and girls to become fond of this little well-known sport.- Unió Esportiva LleidaUE LleidaClub Lleida Esportiu is a Spanish football team based in Lleida, Catalonia. Founded in 2011, it plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Camp d'Esports, with a capacity of 13,500 seats.-History:...
, based on the Camp d'Esports - CE Lleida Bàsquet, based on the Pavelló Barris NordPavello Barris NordPavelló Barris Nord is an arena in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It is primarily used for basketball games and the home arena of CE Lleida Bàsquet. Its construction began on June 1, 2001 and was opened on October 4, 2001...
- Lleida Llista Blava
Sister cities
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with many places worldwide:
Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
, China Lérida
Lérida, Tolima
Lérida is a town and municipality in the Tolima department of Colombia. The population of the municipality was 20,153 as of the 1993 census....
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
See also
- University of LleidaUniversity of LleidaThe University of Lleida is a university based in Lleida , Spain. It was the first university in Catalonia and the whole Crown of Aragon...
- Diocese of LleidaDiocese of LleidaThe Diocese of Lleida is located in north-eastern Spain, in the province of Lleida, part of the autonomous community of Catalonia. The diocese forms part of the ecclesiastical province of Tarragona, and is thus suffragan to the Archdiocese of Tarragona.The diocese of Lleida was created in the 3rd...
, Bishop of LleidaBishop of LleidaA list of bishops of Lleida.*Itxió 203*Sant Filó 227*Joan 230*Pere 258*Màrius Seli 259*Sant Lleir 268-311*Diperdió 313*Amili 380*Prudenci 400*Atanasi 413*Saguici 413*Jacobo 419*Seberí 460*Fortunat 517*Pere 519*Andreu 540*Februari 546...
. - Talarn DamTalarn DamTalarn Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Noguera Pallaresa River, a tributary of the Ebro River, north of Tremp near Lleida in Catalonia, Spain. The dam is 206 meters long and 82 meters high and supplies a hydro-electric station with an output of 300,000 kW.Construction of the dam began in...
- Volta a LleidaVolta a LleidaThe Volta a Lleida is a road cycling stage race held in the Lleida region of Spain. It was a 2.2 category race on the UCI Europe Tour between 2005 and 2008.-List of overall winners:...
- Battle of IlerdaBattle of IlerdaThe Battle of Ilerda took place in June 49 BC between the forces of Julius Caesar and the Spanish army of Pompey the Great, led by his legates Lucius Afranius and Marcus Petreius...