Puigcerdà
Encyclopedia
Puigcerdà (ˌputʃsərˈða, informally: ˌputʃərˈða, ˌpujsərˈða) is the capital
of the Catalan comarca
of Cerdanya
, in the province of Girona, Catalonia
, northern Spain
, near the river Segre and the border with France
(it abuts directly onto the French town of Bourg-Madame
).
Puigcerdà was founded in 1178 by King Alfonso I of Aragon, Count of Barcelona. In 1178 Puigcerdà replaced Hix as the capital of Cerdanya
. Hix is now a village in the commune of Bourg-Madame
, in the French part of Cerdagne.
Puigcerdà was unique during the Spanish Civil War
in having a democratically elected Anarchist council.
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of the Catalan 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...
of Cerdanya
Cerdanya (comarca)
Cerdanya is a comarca in northern Catalonia, north-eastern Spain, in the Pyrenees, on the border of Catalonia with France and Andorra. Within Catalonia. Cerdanya is divided between Catalonian provinces of Lleida and Girona...
, 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...
, northern 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...
, near the river Segre and the border with 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...
(it abuts directly onto the French town of Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies right on the border with Spain. It abuts directly onto the Spanish town of Puigcerdà, and is near the Spanish exclave of Llívia....
).
History
Puigcerdà is located near the site of a Cerretani settlement, which was incorporated into Roman territory. The Roman town was named Julia Libyca.Puigcerdà was founded in 1178 by King Alfonso I of Aragon, Count of Barcelona. In 1178 Puigcerdà replaced Hix as the capital of Cerdanya
Cerdanya
Cerdanya is a natural comarca and historical region of the eastern Pyrenees divided between France and Spain. Historically it has been one of the counties of Catalonia....
. Hix is now a village in the commune of Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame
Bourg-Madame is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies right on the border with Spain. It abuts directly onto the Spanish town of Puigcerdà, and is near the Spanish exclave of Llívia....
, in the French part of Cerdagne.
Puigcerdà was unique 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...
in having a democratically elected Anarchist council.
Main sights
- Puigcerdà Pool
- Torre del Campanar (12th century). It is the last remain of a parish church destroyed in 1936
- 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,...
church of Sant Tomàs de Ventajola, known from 958 - Romanesque church of Sant Andreu Vilallobent, dating to the 10th century and later restored
- Convent of St. Dominic, founded in 1291 and finished in the 15th century
- Old Hospital (1190), in Romanesque-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
Notable people
- Pere Borrell del CasoPere Borrell del CasoPere Borrell del Caso was a Spanish Catalan painter, illustrator and engraver, best known for his painting Escapando de la crítica , an example of trompe-l'œil. It blurs the boundary between real and fictitious space.Borrell del Caso was born at Puigcerdà...
(1835-1910), painter - Gemma Arró RibotGemma Arró RibotGemma Arró Ribot is a Catalann ski mountaineer. She is born in Puigcerdà. She started ski mountaineering in 2003 and competed the first time at the Cronoescalada Pas de la Casa race.- Selected results :* 2006:...
(born 1980), ski mountaineer - José Antonio HermidaJosé Antonio HermidaJosé Antonio Hermida Ramos is a Spanish cyclist specializing in competitive mountain biking. He won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece after having finished in fourth place in the 2000 Summer Olympics.-Career highlights:20002001José Antonio Hermida Ramos is a Spanish...
(born 1978), World Champion Cross Country Mountain bike 2010