Palafrugell
Encyclopedia
Palafrugell is a municipality
in the Mediterranean Costa Brava
, located near Palamós
in the comarca of Baix Empordà
, in the province of Girona, Catalonia
, Spain
. With 22,365 inhabitants it is the largest city of its comarca. Several coastal and interior towns (Llafranc
, Calella de Palafrugell
, Tamariu
and Llofriu
) belong to this city.
The combination of a good summer climate and beautiful beaches has been exploited for both domestic and international tourism. Tourists have come from a wide range of countries, especially the Netherlands
, England
, France
, and more recently, America
. It also serves as a summer holiday town for residents of cities such as Barcelona
and Girona
.
This medieval town was once fortified but is no longer. Many narrow streets emanate from Plaça Nova -a large square with bars, restaurants and boutiques. The local government (Ajuntament) sponsors activities such as concerts and dances including the traditional Sardana
. St. Martí's church was built in the late 11th century and is close to Plaça Nova.
There is a new bus station belonging to Grup SARBUS whose local division is known as Sarfa. The station has a regular bus service, servicing the Costa Brava
region (including Llafranc
, Calella de Palafrugell
, and Tamariu
) as well as Barcelona.
Palafrugell was reputed for its cork manufacturing in the 18th and 19th centuries. The largest factory was owned by the American company Armstrong
and employed hundreds of locals. Its closing in the 1970s led to severe unemployment. The factory's tower still stands, and there is now a small museum commemorating the cork industry just below it.
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 the Mediterranean Costa Brava
Costa Brava
The Costa Brava is a coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, Spain, in the comarques of Alt Empordà, Baix Empordà and Selva, in the province of Girona. Costa is the Catalan and Spanish word for 'coast', and Brava means 'rugged' or 'wild'...
, located near Palamós
Palamós
Palamós is a town and municipality in the Mediterranean Costa Brava, located in the comarca of Baix Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain....
in the comarca of Baix Empordà
Baix Empordà
Baix Empordà is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain, one of the two into which Empordà was divided in the comarcal division of 1936. It is popularly known as L'Empordanet .- Geography :...
, in the province of Girona, Catalonia
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...
. With 22,365 inhabitants it is the largest city of its comarca. Several coastal and interior towns (Llafranc
Llafranc
Llafranc is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Calella de Palafrugell and Tamariu. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà.The combination of a...
, Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Llafranc and Tamariu. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà...
, Tamariu
Tamariu
Tamariu is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà...
and Llofriu
Llofriu
Llofriu is an aggregate of the town of Palafrugell , in Catalonia . As of 2005, it has 294 inhabitants. The parish church of St...
) belong to this city.
The combination of a good summer climate and beautiful beaches has been exploited for both domestic and international tourism. Tourists have come from a wide range of countries, especially the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 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...
, and more recently, America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. It also serves as a summer holiday town for residents of cities such as 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...
and 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...
.
This medieval town was once fortified but is no longer. Many narrow streets emanate from Plaça Nova -a large square with bars, restaurants and boutiques. The local government (Ajuntament) sponsors activities such as concerts and dances including the traditional Sardana
Sardana
The sardana is a type of circle dance typical of Catalonia, Spain. The dance was originally from the Empordà region, but started gaining popularity throughout Catalonia during the 20th century....
. St. Martí's church was built in the late 11th century and is close to Plaça Nova.
There is a new bus station belonging to Grup SARBUS whose local division is known as Sarfa. The station has a regular bus service, servicing the Costa Brava
Costa Brava
The Costa Brava is a coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, Spain, in the comarques of Alt Empordà, Baix Empordà and Selva, in the province of Girona. Costa is the Catalan and Spanish word for 'coast', and Brava means 'rugged' or 'wild'...
region (including Llafranc
Llafranc
Llafranc is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Calella de Palafrugell and Tamariu. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà.The combination of a...
, Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Llafranc and Tamariu. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà...
, and Tamariu
Tamariu
Tamariu is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà...
) as well as Barcelona.
Palafrugell was reputed for its cork manufacturing in the 18th and 19th centuries. The largest factory was owned by the American company Armstrong
Armstrong World Industries
Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is an international designer and manufacturer of floors, ceilings and cabinets. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armstrong operates 40 plants in 10 countries and has approximately 12,300 employees worldwide. In 2006, Armstrong’s net sales were $3.42 billion, with...
and employed hundreds of locals. Its closing in the 1970s led to severe unemployment. The factory's tower still stands, and there is now a small museum commemorating the cork industry just below it.