17 interesting facts about Catalonia

17 interesting facts about Catalonia

We share the most interesting facts about Catalonia that we collected on our last trip to the Catalan Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are in the far northeast of Spain and serve as the border of Catalonia to southern France and Andorra. Catalonia is both an autonomous community within Spain and a historical principality that once extended to France.

A lot was reported on Catalonia's wish to break away from Spain and about its persistent striving for independence. We could write an entire article about political facts about Catalonia alone. But the news reports are wrong with the region. Catalonia is so much more than protest and politics.

Our visit to the Catalan Pyrenees included climbing on the climbing dough of Tossal de Miravet, hiking in the Aigüestortes National Park, Canyoning in intimidating Hell’s Canyon and eating through endless tapas plates.

During our day full of adventure (and fucking) we learned numerous interesting facts about Catalonia. Here we share the best of you.

interesting facts about Catalonia

1. Catalonia has a total population of around 7.5 million people, which corresponds to over 16 % of the total population of Spain. It occupies 6.3 % (32,114 km²) of the Spanish territory. (Source: The Guardian)

alt = “Interesting facts about the map of Catalonia”> dream time Catalonia plays a greater role in the Spanish economy than it suggests its size

1. Catalonia's economy worth 215.6 billion euros (191 billion pounds) is larger than that of most countries in the euro zone and generates more than a fifth of Spanish GDP, while its exports make up more than a quarter of the national total value. (Source: The Wächter)

In addition to Spanish and Occitan (Aranés),
2. Catalan is one of the three official languages ​​in Catalonia. (Source: Autonomy statute of Catalonia 2006)

3. Catalonia's laws require teachers, doctors and employees of the public service to use Catalan together with Spanish. (Source: BBC)

4. One of the strangest facts about Catalonia is the traditional Catalan celebration, which is known as a correfoc (fire run), in which performers disguise themselves as a devil, ignite fireworks, dance and to drum theatrical re -stories of the duel between good and evil. (Source: National Geographic)

alt = “Interesting facts about Catalonia Correfoc”> Dream time The traditional Catalan celebration, known as Correfoc (fire run)

1. Catalan is not only spoken in Catalonia. It is used in Valencia, on the Balearic Islands and in Aragon as a minority language. In addition, it is the only official language of Andorra and is spoken in the Roussillon region in France and the city of Alghero in Italy. (Source: Britannica)

2. The famous architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), known as the "God's architect", came from Catalonia. He is responsible for the Sagrada Família, the most visited Monument of Spain, which attracts around 2.8 million visitors every year. (Source: Lonely Planet)

3. Gaudís Kathedral Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is still being built. The construction started in 1882 and reached half -time in 2010. Completion is expected between 2026 and 2028, more than 140 years after the start of construction. (Source: The Guardian)

alt = "interesting facts about catalonia"> dream time The Sagrada Familia is still under construction

1. One of the more surprising facts about Catalonia is that, as many believe, Catalan is a dialect of Spanish. Instead, the language developed independently of the vulgar latin, a non -standardized form of Latin that is spoken in the Mediterranean. (Source: The Guardian)

2. The Franco dictatorship banned the use of Catalan in schools and in public administration between 1939 and 1975. (Source: The Guardian)

3. The Catalan Atlas was published in 1375. It should become one of the most important works in the cartography of the Middle Ages, since Catalan cartographers created cards that concentrated on the Mediterranean, which means that a large part of the inscription and decoration is the other way around. (Source: British Museum)

alt = "Interesting facts about the Atlas of Catalonia"> British Museum The Catalan Atlas is Mediterranean

1. One of my favorite facts about Catalonia is that the celebrated British author George Orwell voluntarily registered as a Republican soldier and fought nationalists in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. He wrote about his experiences in his memoirs from 1938, homage to Catalonia. (Source: British library)

2. Salvador Dalí, one of the most famous artists of all time, came from Catalonia. Born in 1904, he died in 1989 at the age of 84. (Source: New York Times)

3. In a tradition that dates back to the 18th century, the Catalans build human towers that are called Castells. In 2010, Castells were declared the intangible cultural heritage of humanity of UNESCO. (Source: National Geographic)

alt = "interesting facts about catalonia"> dream time catalans build human towers that are called castells

1. The Catalans celebrate the day of Saint Georg - La Diada de Sant Jordi - on April 23. It is common to exchange roses and books with loved ones, relatives and colleagues. Traditionally, men women give a rose and women men a book to celebrate the occasion. (Source: Huffington Post)

2. In 2010, Catalonia banned the bullfighting, the first such case in which tradition on the Spanish mainland was banned. (Source: The Telegraph)

3. The Sardana circle dance is a tradition in Catalonia. It was performed famous at the opening ceremony of the 1992 Olympics. (Source: La Times)

alt = "interesting facts about the Catalan dance"> Dream time The Catalan round dance Sardana

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