Valls Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Valls (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Valls

Municipality

Coat of arms

Location in Alt Camp county

Valls

Location in Catalonia

Valls

Location in Spain

Sovereign state

Spain

Community

Catalonia

Region

Camp de Tarragona

County

Alt Camp

Province

Tarragona

Area

• Total

55.3 km² (21.4 sq mi)

Elevation

215 m (705 ft)

Population

(2018)

• Total

24,156

• Density

436.8/km² (1,131.4/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

vallenc, -enca
(pl. vallencs, -enques)

Climate

Csa

Valls is a lively city in Catalonia, Spain. It is the main town of the Alt Camp area. In 2014, about 24,570 people lived there. Valls is famous for its special green onions called calçots and amazing human towers called castells. A famous composer, Robert Gerhard, was also born here.

Discover Valls: Location and Size
Valls Culture: Food and Human Towers
Famous People from Valls
Sports in Valls
Valls' Sister Cities
See also

Discover Valls: Location and Size

Valls is the capital of the comarca (a type of county) called Alt Camp. More than half of the people in this county live in Valls. The city is located next to the River Francolí. It is also close to other important cities like Reus and Tarragona. Tarragona is the capital of the province where Valls is located.

Valls Culture: Food and Human Towers

Colla Joves dels Xiquets de Valls building a human tower.

Enjoying a calçotada in Valls.

Valls is well-known for its unique food traditions. One of the most famous is the "calçotada." This is a special meal where people eat calçots. These are a large, sweet type of spring onion. They are cooked over a fire made from grapevines. People eat them hot with a delicious sauce.

The Calçotada Feast

After the calçots, the meal continues with grilled meats and sausages. These are cooked over the same hot coals. Local wines are often enjoyed with the food. Calçots are only available from December to May. Many people travel from far away, even from Barcelona, just to enjoy a calçotada. The calçots grown here have a special "PGI" (Protected Geographical Indication) status. This means they are recognized as a unique product from this area.

Human Towers: The Castells

Another amazing tradition in Valls is building "castells." These are tall human towers made by groups of people. Sometimes, these towers can be as high as ten people stacked on top of each other! Each layer of people is supported by the people below them. This tradition started in Valls with a dance called the Ball dels Valencians in 1712. It then spread to other towns in Catalonia, like Vilafranca del Penedès and Tarragona.

Casteller Museum of Catalonia

In January 2017, Valls City Council announced plans for a new museum. It is called the Casteller Museum of Catalonia. This museum will be all about the culture of castells. It is also known as "The Human Towers Experience." The project began in 2015 and has support from the Catalan government.

Famous People from Valls

Valls has been the home of many talented people.

Robert Gerhard (1896–1970) was a famous composer. He studied music in Paris, Vienna, and Berlin. He wrote many types of music, including symphonies and electronic music.
Jaume Huguet (1412–1492) was a well-known Gothic painter.
Narcís Oller (1846–1933) was a famous novelist.
Ignacio F. Iquino (1910–1994) was a film director, producer, actor, and cinematographer.
Pedro Lazaga (1918–1979) was a film director and screenwriter.
Xavier Tondo (1978–2011) was a professional cyclist.
Andrea Fuentes (1983) is an amazing synchronized swimmer. She has won four Olympic medals!
Aleix Vidal (1989) is a professional footballer.