Maristes Valldemia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maristes Valldemia |
|
|---|---|
Maristes Valldemia school main building
|
|
| Location | |
|
161, La Riera St.
, Spain
|
|
| Information | |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Marist Brothers, Christianity |
| Denomination | Catholicism |
| Founded | 1855 |
| Faculty | 90 |
| Age | 3 to 18 |
| Number of students | 1200 (2007) |
| Language | Catalan, Spanish, English, French |
| Campus | Col·legi Valldemia (Mataró) |
The Maristes Valldemia school, also known as Col·legi Valldemia, is a Catholic school in Mataró, Catalonia, Spain. It is run by the Marist Brothers, a group dedicated to education. The school is named after the Virgin Mary of the Candle. It is owned by the Champagnat Foundation.
Contents
School History
How Valldemia Started
The Maristes Valldemia school began in 1855. Three people connected to the Piarist order, a religious group focused on education, founded it. These founders were Father Hermenegild Coll i Valldemia, Pelegrí Ferrer, and Ramon Cuspinera.
The school was first called "Colegio de Cataluña." It was built on the land of an old Catalan farmhouse called Can Miralpeix. The main goal was to offer a modern education that also taught Christian values. After 1858, it became known as "Col·legi de Valldemia."
Marist Brothers Take Over
In 1888, the school was given to the Marist Brothers to manage. They have been running it ever since. From 2012, the school's official name became "Maristes Valldemia."
The School Building
The main building of the school was designed by an architect named Jeroni Boada. Later, in 1911, another architect, Josep Goday i Casals, made improvements to it. Interestingly, Josep Goday was once a student at Valldemia himself. He also helped start the school's Alumni Association. The building is considered an important local cultural heritage site in Catalonia.
Early Achievements
The school quickly gained recognition for its quality education. In 1900, it received a gold medal at the famous Paris Exposition. This award showed how well the school was doing.
During the Spanish Civil War, which was a difficult time in Spain, the Valldemia school building was used as a hospital. It also served as a blood bank to help injured people.
Valldemia Today
Today, Maristes Valldemia is a large school with about 1200 students. These students range in age from 3 to 18 years old. Around 90 teachers work at the school, helping students learn and grow.
Notable Alumni
Many interesting people have studied at Maristes Valldemia. Here are a few:
- Josep Goday i Casals (1882 - 1936) - A famous Catalan architect known for his work in the Noucentisme style.
- Juan Pujol García (1912 – 1988) - A very important World War II double agent for the British. He was known by the code name "Garbo."
- Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia (1858 – 1931) - Another well-known Catalan architect.
- Antonio Vergara Fernández - A nuclear engineer who worked on the CERN's LHC project.
- Felip Vall i Verdaguer (1916-2012) - A Catalan painter. He created a mural inside the Valldemia school chapel. He also painted murals in the church of Sant Pere de les Puel·les in Barcelona.
