Sant Joan Despí facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sant Joan Despí
Municipality
Torre de la Creu, or "the Egg House"
Flag Coat of arms
Sant Joan Despí Location in Province of Barcelona Show map of Province of Barcelona Sant Joan Despí Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Community	Catalonia
Province	Barcelona
Comarca	Baix Llobregat
Area
• Total	6.2 km2 (2.4 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	34,084
• Density	5,500/km2 (14,240/sq mi)

Sant Joan Despí is a city and town located in the Baix Llobregat area. This is part of the Barcelona province in Catalonia, Spain. It sits on the left side of the Llobregat river. The name "Sant Joan Despí" means "Saint John of the Pine."

Since 2006, this town has been home to the FC Barcelona training ground. This is called the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. It also has the club's Johan Cruyff Stadium, which opened in 2019. This stadium is where the women's team (FC Barcelona Femení) and younger teams like FC Barcelona Atlètic play.

Exploring Sant Joan Despí's Neighborhoods

Sant Joan Despí has about 31,438 people living in five main neighborhoods. It also has an area just for factories and businesses.

Barri Centre: The Old Heart of Town

The Barri Centre is the oldest part of Sant Joan Despí. It used to be called the "old town." This area is bordered by the railway, a main road (B-23 motorway), and the nearby town of Cornellà de Llobregat.

You can find many beautiful Art Deco buildings here. Many of them were designed by Josep Maria Jujol. He was the town's official architect starting in 1926. The oldest buildings in town are also here. These include the Esglèsia de Sant Joan Batista (Saint John the Baptist Church) and a small old chapel.

In the 1960s, this area had many small cottages. Wealthy people from Barcelona would spend their holidays there. Over time, many of these houses were replaced by taller, modern buildings. Green spaces also became concrete parks. Today, you can still see some of the old houses, but they are surrounded by newer buildings.

Les Planes: A Growing Community

Les Planes means "the plains." This neighborhood grew in the 1960s and 1970s. It was built to house people moving in from other parts of Spain. Many came from areas like Extremadura and Andalusia.

This area is separated from the Barri Centre by an industrial zone. It is also near a park called Parc Fontsanta. Les Planes has many tall buildings and narrow streets. Over the years, the town council has turned many of these narrow streets into pedestrian-only areas. This makes them safer and nicer for walking.

Pla del Vent/Torreblanca: Two Quarters Become One

This neighborhood is located across the B-23 motorway and east of the railway. It is closer to the towns of Sant Feliu de Llobregat and Sant Just Desvern. This area has two names because it was formed by joining two older neighborhoods.

Pla del Vent means "Wind Plane." It used to be a group of small houses along a road. Torreblanca means "White Tower." This part was built in the late 1980s next to the large and beautiful Torreblanca Park. The park gave the neighborhood its name. Later, new buildings connected these two areas, making them one district.

Residential Sant Joan (TV3): The TV Station Neighborhood

This neighborhood was built in the mid-1980s. It grew up after the main studios of the Catalan television station, TV3, were built nearby. That's why people often call this area the 'TV3' neighborhood.

It is a well-off area surrounded by a large green space. This green zone is called Fontsanta park. It connects this neighborhood with the industrial area and Les Planes.

Eixample: The New Extension

Eixample means "extension." This is a newer neighborhood that started being built in 1998. It was created as an extension of the Barri Centre towards the Llobregat river.

Polígon Fontsanta: The Industrial Hub

The Polígon Fontsanta is an industrial area. It is located right in the middle of Sant Joan Despí. For many years, this industrial zone was a big reason why people moved to the town. New neighborhoods were built around it, not just around the old town. Many famous companies had their factories here. These include Gallina Blanca, San Miguel, and Trinaranjus.

Getting Around Sant Joan Despí

Sant Joan Despí is well-connected to Barcelona city center. You can use several types of public transport to get around.

Bus

• TMB: Lines 63, 157, 78
• EMT-AMB: Lines L10, L46, L52
• Nitbus: Lines N12, N15 (these are night buses)

Train

• Renfe: Lines R1, R4

Tram

• Trambaix: Lines T1, T2, T3

How Many People Live Here?

Demography is the study of populations. It looks at how many people live in a place and how that number changes over time. Here's how the population of Sant Joan Despí has grown:

See also

In Spanish: Sant Joan Despí para niños