Mataró
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| Image:Sin bandera.svg | Image:Matero escut.gif |
| Province | Barcelona |
| Comarca | Maresme |
| Population (2005) | 116,698 |
| Area | 22.57 km² |
| Population density (2005) | 5170 /km² |
| Elevation | 28 m |
| Demonym | Mataroní, mataronina |
| Mayor | n/a |
| Image:Mataro Maresme.png Maresme | |
Mataró (Latin: Iluro) is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava.
Mataró dates back to Roman times when it was a village known as "Iluro" or "Illuro." The ruins of a first century BC Roman bath house (known locally as the Torre Llauder) were recently discovered and can be visited. The coastal N-II highway follows the same path as the original Roman road.
Mataró was declared a city by royal decree, even though at the time (nineteenth century) the population fell short of the requirement for city status.
The first railway in Spain was the Mataró – Barcelona line which opened on 1848-10-28, led by the Catalan businessman and Mataró native Miquel Biada. This line now forms part of the RENFE R1 suburban service between L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Maçanet-Massanes. Mataró is also connected with Barcelona and Girona by the C-32 autopista (freeway) and with Granollers by the C-60 autopista.
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[edit] Agriculture
The traditional vineyards were devastated by Phylloxera in the nineteenth century and only partially replanted, due to the growth of the tourist industry and the development of irrigation in the area. Potatoes were one of the first replacement crops to be introduced, especially the Royal Kidney variety, and Mataró obtained a Denominació d'Origen in 1932.[1] Trocadero lettuce and peas are also grown, mostly for export. The production of cut flowers is less important than in other towns of the Maresme. Irrigated land made up 9.13 km² of the 10.57 km² of agricultural land in the municipality in 1986 (47% of the municipal territory).
[edit] Architecture
Mataró is the birth place of noucentista architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch (1867–1956), who designed the ajuntament (town hall) and several other notable buildings in the town:
- Casa Coll i Regàs
- Casa Parera
- Casa Sisternes
- El Rengle
- La Beneficiència
[edit] Festivals, celebrations and events
Several major events are celebrated annually in Mataró. Some of them are also celebrated in the rest of Catalonia and others, which have a religious origin, are part of the folklore and traditions of Spain and some other countries. Among all of them the most popular ones are:
- The three wise men in Mataró: on the 6th of January is part of the celebrations of Christmas and therefore a bank holiday.
- Carnival in Mataró: celebrated immediately before Lent.
- Easter in Mataró: celebrated every year during one week on a movable date from the end of March to the very beginning of May
- Saint George in Mataró: celebrated on the 23rd of April. It is a big celebration although it is not a bank holiday.
- Saint Joan in Mataró: celebrated on the 24th of June
- The Santes: local festivity of the city celebrated at the end of June. It involves the recognition of Santa Juliana y Santa Semproniana
- The Tió: celebrated in Catalonia on Christmas’ Eve, the 24th December.
- Mataró also celebrates several fairs such as:Tres Tombs and Saint Ponç
- Among the festivals I would hightlight: Music of the world Festival"Cultural Crossroad" and International Dance Festival "Days of Dance"
[edit] Demography
| 1900 | 1930 | 1950 | 1970 | 1986 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19,704 | 28,034 | 31,640 | 73,129 | 100,021 | 116,698 |
[edit] References
- ^ Source: Catalan Wikipedia. This Denominació d'Origen is not currently (2006) protected at European Union level (see list).
- 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).
[edit] External links
- Official site (in Catalan)
- Mataro Internet television (www.mataro.tv)
- El Portal de la ciutat de Mataró (www.portalmataro.com)
- News of the city, Mataró, totmataro.cat
- Inmobiliaria especializada en la compra-venta y alquiler de pisos en mataró.
- Information from the Generalitat de Catalunya (in Catalan)
- Information from the Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya (in Catalan)
- Information from the Diputació de Barcelona (in Catalan)
- Municipal museum (virtual visit)
- PB Mataró i totes les penyes d'arreu del món (Mataró collector)
Municipalities of Maresme | |
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| Alella · Arenys de Mar · Arenys de Munt · Argentona · Cabrera de Mar · Cabrils · Caldes d'Estrac · Calella · Canet de Mar · Dosrius · Malgrat de Mar · El Masnou · Mataró · Montgat · Òrrius · Palafolls · Pineda de Mar · Premià de Dalt · Premià de Mar · Sant Andreu de Llavaneres · Sant Cebrià de Vallalta · Sant Iscle de Vallalta · Sant Pol de Mar · Sant Vicenç de Montalt · Santa Susanna · Teià · Tiana · Tordera · Vilassar de Dalt · Vilassar de Mar | Image:Flag of Catalonia.svg |
de:Mataró es:Mataró eu:Mataro fr:Mataró it:Mataró la:Iluro lt:Mataro lmo:Mataró nl:Mataró pl:Mataró pt:Mataró ty:Mataró ro:Mataró ru:Матаро sr:Матаро fi:Mataró tr:Mataró
