COSTA BRAVA AND GIRONA PYRENEES EN Culture and Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees Culture identity * and identity www.costabrava.org *Where the land speaks of roots, festivals and genius Culture and identity Contents 5 Contents 6 INTRODUCTION 55 SALVADOR DALÍ 11 ROOTS AND ANCESTORS 61 TRADITIONAL AND POPULAR FESTIVALS 19 ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE 65 FESTIVALS 27 CASTLES AND FORTRESSES 69 MEMBERS OF THE CULTURE AND IDENTITY MARKETING CLUB 31 MEDIAEVAL VILLAGES 102 MAP 35 THE JEWISH LEGACY 104 MAP KEY 39 MODERNISM AND THE INDIANOS 47 SCENES OF MEMORY 51 CRAFTSMANSHIP AND INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE Culture and identity Introduction 6 The Costa Brava The Mediterranean is the most patient of sculptors; of this relationship is clear to see in much of the its tumbling waves have been shaping the Costa Stretching 200 local culture. A distinctive cuisine has also emerged Brava with wisdom and perseverance since the dawn kilometres, it is from the land and sea based on local produce, a of time. To see the tenacity of its swell, one only has cuisine that has stood the test of time and has been to travel along this coastline from north to south, scattered with secluded reinvented thanks to the genius of chefs such as the from Portbou to Blanes. beaches and sheer Roca brothers or Ferran Adrià. Stretching 200 kilometres, it is scattered with secluded Today, visitors can attend prestigious musical beaches and sheer cliffs, from the Albera mountain cliffs, from the Albera festivals, enjoy the essence of popular traditions, range and the Cap de Creus headland with its crashing mountain range and the discover historical cities and charming villages, or surf. Land and sea playfully intertwine and merge visit museums, monuments and archaeological sites together, forming a symbiosis that has contributed Cap de Creus headland that trace the history of humanity from prehistoric to the brilliance of the area, inspiring writers, poets, times to the Industrial Revolution. musicians and artists throughout history. with its crashing surf. If you are keen to embark on this voyage of discovery, Man has enjoyed a close relationship with this climb aboard with us and enjoy the rolling swell of coastline since ancient times. The Iberians, Greeks this intense and eternal Mediterranean, a source of and Romans learned to exploit this close bond with wonderful ancient stories and the inspiration for the the sea. For thousands of years, fishing, agriculture most extraordinary artistic creations. and trade brought wealth to the area, and the legacy Culture and identity Introduction 8 The Girona Pyrenees If the Mediterranean is the cradle, the Pyrenees Just like the trees that grow there, the Pyrenees constitute the spinal column of the region. Although spread their roots. Scattered throughout the area are All sorts of options are the Pyrenees today form an administrative border with small towns in which the traditional architecture and available to mountain France, there was a time when a common land was peaceful way of life of the Pyrenees are preserved, forged on both sides of the mountain range. making this an ideal setting for mountain tourism. This lovers in a land shaped becomes clear to visitors as soon as they set off along It was at the foot of these mountains where the the paths and roads that lead there, admiring the by volcanoes, valleys, history of Catalonia was written and where the first wonderful scenery of an area where outdoor activities Catalan counties were formed to control feudal lands. peaks, snow and can be enjoyed together with cultural heritage, This mountainous territory has produced legends of gastronomy, shopping and traditional celebrations maids, knights, vassals and pilgrimages. It was also hospitable towns. that have been declared festivals of national interest. here where the most beautiful monasteries of the All sorts of options are available to mountain lovers in Romanesque period were built and where some a land shaped by volcanoes, valleys, peaks, snow and of the most important manuscripts in Europe were hospitable towns. produced, read by kings and popes. That very human instinct to seek out paradise has At the turn of the 20th century only the well-to-do not disappeared; on the contrary, it is possible for could afford the luxury of a stay in the Pyrenees. everybody to enjoy it and appreciate the beauty and Leaving the industrial cities behind them, the importance of the heritage preserved in the Girona bourgeoisie travelled to the mountains, a paradise of Pyrenees. To discover it, all you have to do is embark fresh air, pleasant strolls, modernist second homes and on the path that starts here. water cures in spas. Culture and identity Roots and ancestors 11 Discover the first cultures that settled in the area Roots and ancestors Culture and identity Roots and ancestors 13 From prehistory to the Iberians Tracing the history of the first inhabitants of this it is a dolmen built between 2700 and 2200 BC. And The Iberians were groups of indigenous peoples that area is easy and offers the possibility of discovering one of the area’s most popular vestiges of prehistoric inhabited the Iberian Peninsula before the arrival wonderful beauty spots, such as the Albera times is found in Romanyà de la Selva (municipal of the Greeks. The earliest vestiges that have been Massif. This magnificent natural setting contains district of Santa Cristina d’Aro). found related to their culture date back to the 6th some fascinating prehistoric remains: megalithic century BC, while the latest correspond to the period Venturing into the inland counties gives visitors monuments. Some five thousand years ago, the first of Romanisation (around the 2nd century BC). the chance to discover one of the most important settlers in these lands began the custom of burying settlements in Europe: the Serinyà Prehistoric Cave their dead in dolmens and erecting innumerable To visit Ullastret is to enter an oasis of calm, where Park. What makes them unique is that they were menhirs. Several routes have been created within a harmonious balance is struck between the typical inhabited both by Neanderthals (90,000-39,000 BP) the Albera Natural Site to help visitors discover Baix Empordà landscape and the complex of houses and by modern humans (39,000-16,000 BP). what human beings were capable of achieving five and streets trodden by the Iberians 2,500 years ago. thousand years ago. The only neolithic lake settlement on the Iberian The history of these Mediterranean lands is long and Peninsula is located in Banyoles (next to Serinyà). These huge stones can also be seen very close by, rich and there are vestiges from every period scattered Today the lake is a popular spot for leisure and sports in Darnius and Agullana, since the two towns are throughout the area. One example is Lloret de Mar, but 7,000 years ago it was the ideal environment starting points of the Salines-Bassegoda megalithic where archaeologists have unearthed the fortified for living, hunting and fishing. The site’s attractions route. This area is one of the best-kept secrets enclosure of Puig Castellet, the Turó Rodó Iberian include the typical Neolithic cabins that have been in the province of Girona. Halfway between Alt settlement and the Montbarbat complex, which is the reconstructed there, making it an ideal place for Empordà and Alta Garrotxa, with one foot in the largest of the three settlements and where there is still igniting a passion for ancient history among younger Mediterranean and the other in the Pyrenees, visitors much to be discovered. This is a highly recommended visitors, who are always looking for adventures and will discover wonderful landscapes. visit for discovering the rich heritage of this town in new experiences. the coastal part of La Selva region. Megalithic culture is scattered right along the Costa It was on the Empordà plain where the Iberians built Brava. For instance, in Baix Empordà, the so-called the most important urban complex that has been Cova d’en Daina (Daina Cave) is preserved. In reality, located in Catalonia to date: Ullastret. Culture and identity Roots and ancestors 14 The arrival of the Greeks and the Romans If there is one place that has to be on the list of The Empúries site also houses an excellent must-see visits for archaeology enthusiasts and lovers interpretation centre that helps visitors to Iberians, Greeks of classical culture, that place is Empúries. It is such understand its importance as a key element for the and Romans lived in a rich and extensive site that excavation works have development of what would end up being Catalonia. been going on there since 1908 with no end in sight. Apart from its archaeological importance, Empúries is Empúries and during Iberians, Greeks and Romans lived in Empúries and located in an incomparable setting right next to the Antiquity it was one of during Antiquity it was one of the main trading sea and offers visitors the chance to enjoy the most centres of this part of the western Mediterranean. charming beaches in this part of the Costa Brava, the main trading centres Furthermore, it is the only site on the Iberian taking a dip and soaking up the sun next to the quay of this part of the Peninsula that contains remains of both a Greek city where Greek ships used to dock 25 centuries ago. and a Roman city. The Greek city began as a trading western Mediterranean. colony called Empòrion, while the Roman city was initially a military camp set up during the Second Furthermore, it is the Punic War. only site on the Iberian Peninsula that contains remains of both a Greek city and a Roman city.