| Catalonia shares it's northern border with the | | | | The city of Barcelona became the capital as it |
| countries of Andorra and France in the | | | | was for future kings of Spain. A well ruled |
| mountainous Pyrenees. The Mediterranean Sea | | | | Barcelona expanded trade in the Mediterranean. |
| forms it eastern border with the coast running | | | | Its cloth industry flourished and it became a |
| south west down as far as the region of Valencia. | | | | powerful centre of banking and commerce. |
| The eastern border is shared with the region of | | | | Around 1400 saw the peak in it's fortunes, decline |
| Aragon. Throughout history Catalonia has | | | | followed along with the rest of Catalonia. The |
| struggled for greater autonomy in it's relationship | | | | French occupied the city on three occasions in |
| with Spain. In attempts to gain full independent it | | | | 1640-52, 1715 and 1808-14. Catalan separatism |
| has on more than occasion revolted. Few | | | | centred on Barcelona and the city was the scene |
| Catalonians today aspire to have any real | | | | of many insurrections. It revolted against Philip IV |
| expectations of independence but the struggle for | | | | of Spain from 1640-52. It also became the |
| greater autonomy within Spain continues. | | | | Spanish centre of socialism and other radical |
| History - Greeks and Romans established trade | | | | political doctrines around 1900. Barcelona was the |
| along this part of the Mediterranean coast. In the | | | | capital of the region's autonomous government |
| middle ages Catalan art and literature flourished | | | | from 1932-39. During the civil war the Spanish |
| and the now established coastal trade saw | | | | Loyalist government sat in Barcelona until it fell to |
| merchants become very powerful rivalling those | | | | Franco's forces in early 1939. The region saw |
| of Venice and Genoa. In 1461 Catalonia rose up in | | | | demonstrations against Franco's dictatorship |
| protest at it's alliance with Aragon but the rebellion | | | | throughout the 1950's. Today Barcelona is Spain's |
| was crushed. The subsequent union of Aragon | | | | second largest city and the claims to be cultural |
| with Castile side lined Catalonia. Trade routes were | | | | centre of the country. It is the capital of the |
| moved, commercial income fell, famines and | | | | Catalonian region and more than one third of |
| plagues all contributed to it's decline. But the | | | | region's population reside there. Barcelona is also |
| Catalonian desire for independence continued. It | | | | Spain's largest port and its chief commercial |
| rose against Philip IV during the thirty year war of | | | | centre with international banking and finance |
| 1618-48 and followed that by taking the side of | | | | houses. It is a major industrial centre and |
| Archduke Charles in the War of the Spanish | | | | production includes aviation, chemicals, electrical |
| Succession against Philip V. It was a centre for | | | | equipment, foundries, locomotives, machinery, |
| socialist influence at the turn of the 19th Century. | | | | textiles and vehicles. The city itself is modern, |
| 1931 saw the Catalans establish a separate | | | | with wide avenues, bustling traffic and striking |
| government which went on to win autonomy | | | | new architecture. By contrast the well preserved |
| from the Spanish Cortes in 1932. Two years later | | | | old city, Roman walls can still be seen, is filled with |
| a revolution for complete independence failed, but | | | | narrow, winding streets and ancient structures, |
| in another 2 years autonomy was restored. In | | | | including a cathedral, many churches, the city hall |
| the Spanish civil war of 1936-39, Catalonia once | | | | and the Lonja or exchange. Barcelona is the site |
| again picked the wrong side and following Franco's | | | | of a reputed opera house, the Contemporary Art |
| victory over the republicans the region suffered | | | | Museum, the Fine Arts Museum of Catalonia and |
| badly and the cherished Catalan language was | | | | the Picasso Museum. In 1992 it hosted the |
| banned in public life. In 1978 it was restored and is | | | | summer Olympics. The remainder of the province |
| now an official language of the region along with | | | | of Barcelona is in the main hilly or mountainous. |
| Castilian or Spanish. It elected its first parliament | | | | But it also home to some highly fertile plains |
| as an autonomous region in 1980. By the | | | | where cereals grapes and olives are grown. The |
| mid-1990s Catalan nationalists had become a | | | | province also produces one third of Spain's wine. |
| force in both the region's and the nation's politics. | | | | Much of the area's power is generated by |
| Catalonia comprises four provinces, Girona, | | | | hydroelectric plants built on the Ebro, Cinca and |
| Barcelona, Tarragona and Lleida, all are named | | | | Segre rivers. The coastline, stretching nearly 400 |
| after their capitals. | | | | kilometres has many good harbours and marinas, |
| Girona or Gerona in the north sits on the Onyar | | | | excellent fisheries and an buoyant tourist trade. |
| River. Dating from pre-Roman times, the old town | | | | West of Barcelona you will find the vineyards of |
| has preserved its medieval aspect. Girona was | | | | the Penedes area. Also the mountain of |
| ruled by the Moors from 714 to 797. During the | | | | Montserrat, on a clear day the peak at 1236m |
| Peninsular War of 1808-09 the town resisted the | | | | above sea level offers views of the Pyrenees to |
| Napoleon's French forces. Industries today include | | | | the north and to Mallorca in the Balearic Islands to |
| chemical production, machinery, paper making and | | | | the south east. |
| textiles. Outside the city and on the coat the | | | | Tarragona sits on the mouth of the river Francola |
| beaches and coves around Begur and Palafrugell | | | | on the Mediterranean. It was formally known as |
| and particularly attractive. Or take in a sunrise at | | | | Tarraco and in 218BC was captured by Roman |
| the Cap de Crues, Spain's most easterly point. | | | | forces. They built up is fortifications against attack |
| Just to the south is the enchanting whitewashed | | | | by the Carthaginians. The ruins of Roman walls |
| village of Cadaques built around a rocky bay. The | | | | and an aquaduct remain still. It fell to both the |
| artist Salvador Dali spent the holidays of his youth | | | | Visigoths and the Moors in the 5th and 8th |
| there and later lived in the nearby village of Port | | | | centuries respectively. The Christians recaptured it |
| Lligat. The barren shorelines, odd formations of | | | | in the 12th century but when it's trade was |
| rocks and desolate moonscapes so typical of his | | | | captured by either regions Barcelona or Valencia it |
| paintings can be seen in abundance throughout the | | | | fell into decline. In 1903 Carthusian monks settled |
| locality. The Teatre-Musea Dali is located in the | | | | in the city having been expelled from La Grande |
| town of Figueres and contains a great deal of the | | | | Chartreuse in France. Their famous liqueur is |
| artist's works. The Pyrenees, in the north of the | | | | produced here to this day. Today it is important |
| province, offer many opportunities for walking | | | | as both a commercial centre and port. Industries |
| and hiking, the Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes i | | | | include flour mills, an oil refinery and wine |
| Estany de Sant Maurici being one of the most | | | | production and export. Some of the countries |
| attractive areas. There are several ski stations | | | | finest wines are made nearby in the Priorat |
| operating throughout the winter months. | | | | region. |
| There is evidence of some settlement in the area | | | | Lleida lies on the river Segre. Formally known as |
| going back to the 15th century BC but Barcelona | | | | Llerda, Julius Ceasar defeated the generals of |
| is reputed to take it's name from the powerful | | | | Pompey here in 49 BC. The Moorish invasion from |
| Carthaginian family of Barca who founded the | | | | the south saw Lleida fall in 714. It was liberated by |
| basis for the city as we know it today. Under the | | | | Christian forces in 1149. By tradition a strategic, |
| Romans and Visigoths the city flourished. In the | | | | fortified city, Lleida became a key defence point |
| 8th century it fell to the Moors and in 801 it was | | | | for Barcelona in the Spanish civil war. It eventually |
| taken by Charlemagne, who included it in the | | | | fell to Franco's forces in the April of 1938 having |
| Spanish March. The March became independent | | | | withheld for nine long months. A castle, whose |
| under the leadership of the powerful counts of | | | | ramparts enclose a Romanesque cathedral, |
| Barcelona in the 9th and 10th centuries, They | | | | dominates the old section of the city. Lleida is the |
| won lands from the Moors to the south and | | | | centre of a fertile farm area and agriculture |
| acquired all of Catalonia. In 1137, following the | | | | predominates. There is little in the way of a |
| marriage of Count Raymond Berengar IV to the | | | | manufacturing industry. |
| heiress of Aragon the two regions became united. | | | | |