Torà facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Torà
Municipality
Torà - View from l'Aguda
Torà Location in Spain
Country	Spain
Region	Catalonia
Province	Lleida
Region	Central Catalonia
Comarca	Solsonès
Area
• Total	93.3 km2 (36.0 sq mi)
Elevation	448 m (1,470 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	1,244
• Density	13.333/km2 (34.53/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	toranès/toranesa
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	25750
Area code(s)	34 (Spain) + 973 (Lleida)

Torà is a small town and a municipality in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Solsonès area, which is like a county, within the Province of Lleida.

The center of Torà still looks much like it did long ago. It has narrow, winding streets and buildings built close together. The town grew around an old castle or a fortified area called Thoranum castrum. A cool thing about this old, fortified design is that there are many special openings, called portals, that let streets pass through the town's defensive walls.

Torà is about 10 kilometers northeast of Guissona, a larger town. The area around Torà is quite hilly. The lowest part is 430 meters above sea level, and some hills go up to 850 meters. The town itself sits by the Riera de Llanera creek, close to where it meets the Llobregós River. In 1968, a nearby municipality called Llanera became part of Torà.

Areas and Neighborhoods in Torà

The municipality of Torà includes several smaller areas and neighborhoods:

• Cellers (in the southeast)
• Claret (in the southeast)
• Fontanet (in the center)
• Llanera (in the northeast)
• Sant Serni de Llanera (in the east)
• Torà (the main town, in the southwest)
• Vallferosa (in the north)

History of Torà

The Battle of Torà

A very important battle happened near Torà in the year 1003 AD. This battle was part of the Reconquista, a long period when Christian kingdoms in Spain fought to take back land from Muslim rule. In this battle, an alliance of Catalan counts fought against an army from the Caliphate of Córdoba.

Culture and Festivals

Festivals in Torà

Torà celebrates several fun festivals throughout the year:

• La festa major (The Main Festival): This big celebration happens on September 1st, which is the feast day of Sant Gil (Saint Giles). He is the patron saint of Torà. The festival usually lasts through the first weekend of September.
• La Festa del Brut i la Bruta (The He-brute and She-brute Festival): This is a lively street party that takes place the weekend before the annual Carnestoltes (carnival).
• La festa del Roser (Rosebush Festival): This festival is celebrated in May.
• Revetlles populars de barri (Neighborhood Street Parties): These are local outdoor parties that happen at the start of summer, right after la Revetlla de Sant Joan (St. John's Eve), which is around midsummer.

Main Sights in Torà

Town Buildings and Structures

• Plaça del Vall (Moat's Square): This is the main square in Torà.
• Plaça de la Font (Fountain's Square): Another important square in the town center.
• Font dels Dolors: A public fountain located about 200 meters from the town center.
• Casa de la Vila (The City Hall): This building used to be a hospital and is located in Plaça del Vall.
• Museu del Pa (Local Bread Museum): A museum dedicated to bread.
• Cementiri (The Town's Cemetery): The local burial ground.
• Aqüeducte dels Frares (Aqueduct of the Friars): An old aqueduct with rounded arches. About 120 meters of it still remain.
• Pont de les Merites de Torà (Ancient Stone Bridge): An old stone bridge with a round arch, found near the cemetery.
• Pontet del Diable (Devil's Little Bridge): Also called Pontet de la Sentiu. These are the remains of an aqueduct that was part of an old acequia (a community-managed water channel). It was started in 1366 and used until 1920.
• Pou del Gel (Ice Well): An old ice well, used to store ice before refrigerators existed.

Old Military Buildings

• Castell de l'Aguda (Castle of l'Aguda): These are the ruins of a castle in l'Aguda de Torà.
• Torre de Vallferosa (Watchtower of Vallferosa): A strong, fortified watchtower in Vallferosa that has been greatly repaired.
• Casa Castell de Llanera (Castle-House of Llanera): A fortified manor house in Llanera. It is very damaged now.

Romanesque Style Buildings

Romanesque architecture is an old style of building from the Middle Ages, known for its thick walls and round arches.

• Monestir de Sant Celdoni i Sant Ermenter de Cellers (Monastery): Located in Cellers, this monastery has three crossing apses (rounded ends of a church) and a crypt (an underground room).
• Església de Claret (Church of Claret): A church from the 12th century that has been changed a lot over time.
• Església de Sant Miquel (Church of Saint Michael): Found in Fontanet.
• Església de Santa Maria de Llanera (Church of Saint Mary of Llanera): Located in Llanera.
• Església de Sant Salvador (Church of Saint Salvador): In l'Aguda de Torà.

Jewish History in Torà

• Antic call jueu de Torà (The Former Jewish Quarter): This was the old neighborhood where Jewish people lived in Torà's town center. You can find it on Carrer Nou (New Street), with entrances through two portals: Portal Nou at Plaça del Pati (Courtyard's Square) and another portal at Plaça de l'Església (Church's Square).

Other Important Buildings

• Convent de Sant Anatoni de Pàdua (Convent of Saint Anthony of Padua): A convent built between 1697 and 1747.
• L'Hostal (The Hostal): An old inn that is still used today.
• Església de Santa Maria (Church of Saint Mary): Located in Vallferosa.

Gallery

• 

  A street in Torà.

• 

  Torà during Christmas.

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  The town's cemetery in Torà, seen from Avinguda de l'Aguda.

• 

  Ca na Núria (Núria's house) in Torà, near Avinguda del Cementiri and Camí del Pont de Marites.

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  The fortified watchtower of Torre de Vallferosa in Torà.

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  The main square, Plaça del Vall, during a market on Good Friday in 1983.

Getting to Torà

Torà is located along the county road C-1412.

• If you are coming from Balaguer, you would take road C-1313 towards La Seu d'Urgell until you reach Ponts. From there, you take road C-1412 towards Calaf.
• If you are coming from Cervera, you would use the national road N-141, and then switch to the local road LV-3003.

Population of Torà

The table above shows how the population of Torà has changed over many years. In 2018, the total population was 1,244 people.

See also

In Spanish: Torá (Lérida) para niños