Gironella facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gironella
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Gironella Location in Province of Barcelona Show map of Province of Barcelona Gironella Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Community	Catalonia
Province	Barcelona
Comarca	Berguedà
Area
• Total	6.8 km2 (2.6 sq mi)
Elevation	469 m (1,539 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	4,834
• Density	711/km2 (1,841/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Gironellenc, gironellenca

Gironella is a small town in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Berguedà area, on the left side of the Llobregat river. This town is south of Berga.

Gironella was traditionally known for making cotton and other fabrics. Today, tourism is also very important. You can see old "company towns" here. These were special neighborhoods where workers lived near the textile factories. They are now interesting historical sites. The town is easy to reach by the C-16 road. Gironella has many shops, cafes, and schools. It is an important center for smaller towns nearby, like Olvan and Casserres.

There is a famous traditional Catalan song called A Gironella. In this song, a young man is sad because his love has left him. He has to leave the town behind.

History of Gironella

Early Times

Scientists have not found many very old sites in Gironella itself. But they know that people lived in the wider Berguedà area a long time ago. They found signs of human life from the Stone Age. There are also many sites from the Iberian people.

During repairs of the old Santa Eulàlia church in Gironella, old pottery was found. Some pieces were made by local Iberian people. Others came from a workshop in Roses. These findings show that people lived in this area even before 300 BC.

A very old path used for carrying salt crossed Gironella. This path connected the salt mountain of Cardona to eastern Catalonia.

Medieval Period

During the Middle Ages, the population in the Berguedà area stayed quite steady. Big invasions by Germanic groups and Muslims did not change the area much.

Modern History

Gironella in the War of Spanish Succession

Gironella was once taken over by the Bourbon army. But on March 11, 1714, the town was freed. Troops led by the Marquis of Poal and Colonel Ermengol Amill attacked Gironella Castle. The Bourbon soldiers, about 30 of them, were captured. They were then taken to Cardona.

Population

Famous People from Gironella

• Vicenç Navarro
• Rossend Perelló (1912—1976), a Catalan writer

See also

In Spanish: Gironella para niños