Balaguer

Balaguer (Catalan pronunciation: [bələˈɣe]) 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. The municipality includes an exclave to the east.

Balaguer
Church of St. Mary.
Flag
Coat of arms
Balaguer
Location in Spain
Balaguer
Balaguer (Catalonia)
Balaguer
Balaguer (Spain)
Coordinates: 41.790°N 0.805°E / 41.790; 0.805
Country Spain
Community Catalonia
ProvinceLleida
ComarcaLa Noguera
Government
  MayorJordi Ignasi Vidal Giné (2015)[1]
Area
  Total57.3 km2 (22.1 sq mi)
Elevation
233 m (764 ft)
Population
 (2018)[3]
  Total16,841
  Density290/km2 (760/sq mi)
DemonymsBalaguerí, balaguerina
ClimateCfa
Websitewww.balaguer.cat

Balaguer was conquered from the Moors by Ermengol VI of Urgell in 1106; he made it his new capital, and it remained so for subsequent counts of Urgell.

The town has a Gothic bridge, the "Pont de Sant Miquel", over the Segre river. This bridge was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War in the battle of "Cap de Pont" (bridgehead battle in 1938) and rebuilt after the war.

Another Gothic building is the Santa Maria Church, in the heights above the city, in line with a quite finely conserved wall dating to the 15th century AD.

The historic town is on the right bank of the Segre but, following the Spanish Civil War, construction began on a modern bridge, which initiated development of a modern extension of the town on the left bank.

General Franco's forces first entered Catalonia from Aragon in 1938 through Balaguer's bridgehead.

Notable natives

See also

References

  1. "Ajuntament de Balaguer". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. "El municipi en xifres: Balaguer". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  4. "Naked Josep Ivan Argelaga Is Pretending To Be A Dog All In The Name Of Art".


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