Vilafranca del Penedès

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Vilafranca del Penedès
Municipality
Vilafranca del Penedès
Vilafranca del Penedès
Coat of arms of Vilafranca del Penedès
Coat of arms
Location in Alt Penedès county
Location in Alt Penedès county
Vilafranca del Penedès is located in Catalonia
Vilafranca del Penedès
Vilafranca del Penedès
Vilafranca del Penedès is located in Spain
Vilafranca del Penedès
Vilafranca del Penedès
Coordinates: 41°20′53.75″N 1°41′34.60″E / 41.3482639°N 1.6929444°E / 41.3482639; 1.6929444
Sovereign state Spain
Community Catalonia
RegionPenedès
CountyAlt Penedès
ProvinceBarcelona
Government
 • MayorFrancisco Romero Gamarra (2023)[1] (PSC)
Area
[2]
 • Total19.6 km2 (7.6 sq mi)
Elevation
223 m (732 ft)
Population
 (2018)[3]
 • Total40,055
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,300/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Vilafranquí, vilafranquina
ClimateCsa
Websitevilafranca.cat

Vilafranca del Penedès (Catalan pronunciation:

Foix River, and on the main axis of communication from Barcelona to Tarragona and Valencia, served by a Rodalies Barcelona line 4 and by the AP-7 autopista as well as by the C-243 towards Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, and C-15 (formerly called C-244) roads to Vilanova i la Geltrú and Igualada
respectively.

History

The town was founded in the middle of the 12th century as a result of the decline of

vegueria in 1304. The Corts were held in the town in 1218 under King James I of Aragon, and again in 1358–59 and in 1367. King Peter III of Aragon died while staying at the royal palace in Vilafranca in 1285. Vilafranca is the birthplace of Raymond of Penyafort, O.P., a Catalonian Dominican (O.P.) friar born around 1175. St. Raymond compiled the Decretals of Gregory IX, a collection of canon law that remained the major corpus of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church until the 1917 and 1983 Codes of Canon Law. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Mercedarian Friars
.

Main sights

The

sacred art
, and a Museum dedicated to Wine (Vinseum).

Other notable monuments include the church of Sant Joan, the convent of Sant Francesc and a number of old merchants' houses such as the Palau del Fraret, Palau Macià, the Casal dels Gomà and the Casal del Marquès d'Alfarràs.

Economy

Vilafranca is a centre for the local wine industry, along with neighbouring Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. Other local industries include textiles, metallurgy, food processing and construction materials. It is also an important commercial centre.

Vilafranca is also the birthplace of the Penedesenca fowl, famous for their chocolate-coloured eggs.

Demography

Vilafranca del Penedès has grown steadily at the expense of the more rural areas of Alt Penedès, aided by its excellent transport links and by the strength of the local economy (particularly the wine industry).

Subdivisions

Four outlying villages are included within the municipality of Vilafranca del Penedès (populations as of 2005):

  • El Bordellet (9)
  • El Molí d'en Rovira (166)
  • Perepau (87)
  • Les Salines (85)

Motor racing history

Sitges Terramar
.

References

  1. Generalitat of Catalonia
    . Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. Statistical Institute of Catalonia
    . Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vilafranca_del_Penedès&oldid=1215341056"