Badalona

Badalona
Municipality

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Badalona
Badalona
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
Autonomous community  Catalonia
Province Barcelona
Comarca Barcelonès
Government
 • Mayor Àlex Pastor (2018)[1] (PSC)
Area[2]
 • Total 21.2 km2 (8.2 sq mi)
Elevation 12 m (39 ft)
Population (2014)[1]
 • Total 217,210
 • Density 10,000/km2 (27,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Badaloní; Badalonina (ca)
Badalonés; Badalonesa (es)
Postal code 08910-08918
Area code(s) (+34) 934
Climate Csa
Website badalona.cat

Badalona (Catalan pronunciation: [bəðəˈlonə]) is a municipality to the immediate north east of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. It is located on the left bank of the small Besòs River and on the Mediterranean Sea, in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

By population, it is the third largest city in Catalonia and the twenty-third in Spain. It became a city in 1897.

History

Badalona was founded by the Romans in the 3rd century BC, with the name of Baetulo, although human settlements in the area existed from 3500-2500 BC. The Iberians had fortified villages on the Melasas and Boscà hills since the 7th century BC. The Roman town's plan was based on their common scheme of the cardo and decumanus, occupying some 11 ha, with a line of walls measuring 413x261 m and having large defensive towers. In the 1st century BC it had some 15,000 inhabitants.

The current Badalona was formed in the 10th century, as a new urban nucleus built over and around the old Roman city. It comprised a group of houses built around the square and the church. At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This rural and urban dichotomy would remain until the mid-18th century.

Sant Jeroni de la Murtra Monastery, built in the 14th century, is where the Catholic Monarchs would spend their summers. This is also where they received Christopher Columbus after his first voyage to the Americas.

Badalona was one of the most important towns during the Spanish industrialization process, from the 19th century onwards.

Today, Badalona is in the middle of a process of major urban change which will provide one of the challenges for the 21st century.

Main sights

  • Monastery of Sant Jeroni de la Murtra (13th century)
  • Roman City
  • Roman Baths
  • The Venus of Badalona is a small Roman sculpture in white marble that symbolized the wealth of the city in Roman times.
  • La Rambla
  • Carrer del Mar
  • Pont del Petroli
  • Giants Anastasi i Maria.
  • Pavillard house, built by Joan Amigó i Barriga in 1906, considered the best modernist work in the city.
  • Teatre Zorrilla (19th century's theatre), reopened in 1999
  • Anís del Mono, a distillery in Modernist style
  • Casa de la Vila (Townhall)
  • Santa Maria's Church, in Neoclassicist style
  • Can Canyadó farmhouse (15th century)
  • Godmar Castle (11th century)
  • Maignon Market
  • Torner Market
  • Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona (Olympic Pavilion)
  • Màgic Badalona
  • Beaches
  • Summer nightlife
  • Badalona Museum

Climate

Climate data for Badalona
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 13.7
(56.7)		 14.1
(57.4)		 15.7
(60.3)		 17.4
(63.3)		 20.2
(68.4)		 23.7
(74.7)		 26.8
(80.2)		 27.9
(82.2)		 24.8
(76.6)		 21.5
(70.7)		 17.2
(63)		 14.4
(57.9)		 19.8
(67.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2)		 10.7
(51.3)		 12.5
(54.5)		 14.2
(57.6)		 17.4
(63.3)		 21.3
(70.3)		 24.3
(75.7)		 25.0
(77)		 21.8
(71.2)		 18.3
(64.9)		 13.7
(56.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 16.7
(62.1)
Average low °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1)		 7.2
(45)		 9.3
(48.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 14.6
(58.3)		 18.6
(65.5)		 21.7
(71.1)		 21.8
(71.2)		 18.8
(65.8)		 15.1
(59.2)		 10.3
(50.5)		 7.6
(45.7)		 13.6
(56.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 43.8
(1.724)		 36.3
(1.429)		 36.3
(1.429)		 41.8
(1.646)		 49.7
(1.957)		 37.2
(1.465)		 25.2
(0.992)		 49.3
(1.941)		 78.4
(3.087)		 80.9
(3.185)		 54.4
(2.142)		 41.2
(1.622)		 575
(22.64)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 7.8 7.3 7.5 8.7 7.6 4.4 3.8 4.8 7.0 6.7 6.5 4.0 76
Average relative humidity (%) 67 65 69 72 73 72 73 73 72 73 69 68 70
Source: MeteoBDN[3] (1981-2010, 2009-2017 for precipitation days and humidity)

Transportation

Badalona has a RENFE (train) station R1 from Barcelona to Mataró - Blanes, as well as a small harbour. There are also links to Barcelona via the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) metro (underground) and bus system, as well as the Trambesòs line.

Population

Badalona also has the second-largest Moroccan and Pakistani populations of Catalonia. Other significant communities include Maghrebis, Chinese, and Indians.

Largest groups of foreign residents
NationalityPopulation (2011)
 Morocco5,527
 Pakistan5,462
 China3,835
 Ecuador3,062
 Bolivia1,800
 India1,305
 Senegal1,222
 Dominican Republic1,000

[4]

Economy

The harbor is chiefly important for its fishing and boat-building trades, while in town there are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works, as well as the manufacture of woolen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy. The surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit.

The city is home to the historic distillery which produces Anís del Mono, a spirit made of herbs and anise, the most famous anisette in Europe.

Culture

Cremada del Dimoni
Plaça de la vila

In May, in 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 (Devil-Burning)--similar to the famous Valencian Falles.

Sport

The city's most important sport complex is the Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona (Municipal Sports Palace), which won the Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. The Palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, it is home of the basketball team from Badalona, Joventut Badalona, also known as la Penya. This place will also be the center of the Badalona Capital Europea del Bàsquet, which is intended to be a theme park celebrating basketball - with a basketball museum, shopping center, cinemas, basketball courts, a harbour, indoor karting and more activities.

Twin towns

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Ajuntament de Badalona". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. ↑ "El municipi en xifres: Badalona". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. ↑ "Climatologia". MeteoBDN.
  4. ↑ http://elcontrapuntbadaloni.com/2011/07/20/badalona-y-la-inmigracion-objetiva/

References

  • 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).
  • Badalona travel guide from Wikivoyage
  • Wikisource "Badalona". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.
  • Official site (in Catalan)
  • Government data pages (in Catalan)
  • Information from the Diputació de Barcelona (in Catalan)


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