Badalona

Badalona (/ˌbædəˈloʊnə/, Catalan pronunciation: [bəðəˈlonə]) is a municipality to the immediate north east of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. It is located on the left bank of the Besòs River and on the Mediterranean Sea, in the Barcelona metropolitan area. By population, it is the third largest city in Catalonia and the twenty-third in Spain. It became a city in 1897.

Badalona
Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms
Badalona
Location in the Province of Barcelona#Location in Catalonia#Location in Spain
Badalona
Badalona (Catalonia)
Badalona
Badalona (Spain)
Coordinates: 41°26′56″N 2°14′46″E
Country Spain
Autonomous community Catalonia
ProvinceBarcelona
ComarcaBarcelonès
Government
 • MayorXavier García Albiol (2020)[1] (PP)
Area
 • Total21.2 km2 (8.2 sq mi)
Elevation
12 m (39 ft)
Population
 (2018)[3]
 • Total217,741
 • Density10,000/km2 (27,000/sq mi)
DemonymsBadaloní; Badalonina (ca)
Badalonés; Badalonesa (es)
Postal code
08910-08918
Area code(s)(+34) 934
ClimateCsa
Websitebadalona.cat

Names

The name Badalona comes from ancient Iberian word Baitolo according the legend of several bronze coins of the end of the 2nd century BC found in the city.[4] This word was the origin of the Latin name Baetulo that was as the romans named the new city they founded off the coast of present Badalona. The oldest mention of the name Baetulo is from De Chorographia of Pomponius Mela (43-44 AD),[5] who use the same name for the Besòs river (named Bissaucio during the Middle Ages).[6] Following the roman era, during the High Middle Ages the name Baetulo evolved to Bitulona, which was the most common name but not the only one, because it is found in the Latin written documents other versions as Bedelona, Bitilona, Betulona, Bedalona and even Vitulona.[7] By the 15th century the current Catalan name was already in use.[8]

History

The old remains of settlement are dated of the middle-new Neolithic (about 3500-2500 BC). The archeological findis consist of carved stone and silex tools which were found in Seriol hill and Manresà area and tombs with grave goods in Sistrells and Llefià quarters. Have been found deposits of the bronze and iron age in old brickyards (dated about 1800-1500 BC) many years ago and in the masies of Can Butinyà and Can Mora in the Canyet quarter (1500-1100 BC).[9]

Before the settlement of the romans in Hispania the territory of Badalona was populated by Iberians whose settling over the Boscà hill (198 metres heigh above the sea level), from where it is possible to watch the coastal line. The settlement is first dated at least on the 4th century BC and was totally abandoned by the 1st century AD due the romanization.[10][11][12] Despite the presence of the Iberians, the origins of the city usually are date around the year 100 BC, when the romans founded a city ex novo on Rosés hill (26,8 metres) next to the coast. The Roman town's plan was based on their common scheme of the cardo and decumanus, occupying some 10 ha, with a line of walls. The roman city was very dynamic, especially during the reign of Augustus, with a especialised vineyard agriculture destined to produce wine to export all over the empire. From the 3rd century, the city started declining and was almost depopulated and people fled to rustic villae.[13] However, the few remains of the Late Antiquity prove that Baetulo was never abandoned.[14]

The current Badalona was formed in the 10th century, as a new urban nucleus built over the old Roman city and around the old forum and temple which was turned into a church.[14] At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This rural and urban dichotomy would remain until the mid-18th century.

Sant Jeroni de la Murtra Monastery, built in the 14th century, is where the Catholic Monarchs would spend their summers. This is also where they received Christopher Columbus after his first voyage to the Americas.

During the 19th century Badalona remained as an agricultural and fishing centre, however this changed since 1848 with the arrival of the railway connecting the cities of Mataró and Barcelona, whose line installed a station in the village.[15] This furthered the industrialization and economic development of Badalona and progressively made the traditional economic sectors decline. Because of the installation of industries, Badalona also became an important labour movement centre.[16] Thanks to this, the village became a people attraction pole that doubled its population from 5.733 (1851) to 10.485 (1857) inhabitants, and by the end of the century Badalona had around 19.000 inhabitants.[17] The demographic growth implied a new urbanistic development with an ensanche plan covering all along the coast from Sant Adrià to Montgat. In 1897, the city received the title of city from the queen regent Maria Christina of Austria.[15]

The first third of the 20th century the city continued growing demographically, usually without control that implied the creation of new neighbourhoods that hadn’t had urban infrastructures and were bad communicated with the centre of the city.[18] During the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera the city council tried to reduce the problems of the city doing public works and constructed a new school, market and slaughterhouse and expanded sewage network, however this was not enough.[19] During the years of the Second Republic the city was mainly in turmoil as well as during the civil war, when the city was bombed because it was an important industrial centre.[20] After the end of the war, in 1940 the mayor Frederic Xifré was executed by the francoists.[21]

The dictatorship of Franco meant a decline of the many cultural life that Badalona had before the war. The period is was also marked with the new immigrants arrivals mainly from the south of Spain, which made the city grow demographically even more quickly than before, that supposed the emergence of shanties neighbourhood with unhealthy conditions. The city went having 92.200 inhabitants in 1960 to 201.200 only fifteen years later.[22] During the mandate of the mayor Felipe Antoja the city accepted the arrival of poor people from Barcelona who lived in shanties and the creation of poor-quality neighbourhoods that made Badalona one of the worst living places quality. The urbanistic policy also was not lenient with historical buildings or archaeological sites.[23]

Since the death of Franco, and especially from 1979, the city had a new social vitality with the organised neighbours’ movement that fought to get the lacking infrastructures of their neighbourhoods and the real estate speculation and obtained urban improvements.[24] In fact, Badalona held the first tolerated demonstration and without violence the January 29th of 1976.[25] From this moment the city also suffered an economic transformation from an industrial to a services centre.[15] In 1992 Badalona was sub-seat of the Olympic Games and was where were held the basket and boxing competitions.[26] Despite that Badalona is included in the Barcelona conurbation still have its own identity, especially in the centric neighbourhoods.[27]

Climate
Climate data for Badalona
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 13.7
(56.7)		 14.1
(57.4)		 15.7
(60.3)		 17.4
(63.3)		 20.2
(68.4)		 23.7
(74.7)		 26.8
(80.2)		 27.9
(82.2)		 24.8
(76.6)		 21.5
(70.7)		 17.2
(63.0)		 14.4
(57.9)		 19.8
(67.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 10.1
(50.2)		 10.7
(51.3)		 12.5
(54.5)		 14.2
(57.6)		 17.4
(63.3)		 21.3
(70.3)		 24.3
(75.7)		 25.0
(77.0)		 21.8
(71.2)		 18.3
(64.9)		 13.7
(56.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 16.7
(62.1)
Average low °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1)		 7.2
(45.0)		 9.3
(48.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 14.6
(58.3)		 18.6
(65.5)		 21.7
(71.1)		 21.8
(71.2)		 18.8
(65.8)		 15.1
(59.2)		 10.3
(50.5)		 7.6
(45.7)		 13.6
(56.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 43.8
(1.72)		 36.3
(1.43)		 36.3
(1.43)		 41.8
(1.65)		 49.7
(1.96)		 37.2
(1.46)		 25.2
(0.99)		 49.3
(1.94)		 78.4
(3.09)		 80.9
(3.19)		 54.4
(2.14)		 41.2
(1.62)		 575
(22.6)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 7.8 7.3 7.5 8.7 7.6 4.4 3.8 4.8 7.0 6.7 6.5 4.0 76
Average relative humidity (%) 67 65 69 72 73 72 73 73 72 73 69 68 70
Source: MeteoBDN[28] (1981-2010, 2009-2017 for precipitation days and humidity)

Administrative divisions

Badalona has 34 neighbourhoods and 6 districts.[29] Before the 20th century, the municipality was divided in 5 traditional quarters known as la Sagrera, Llefià, Sistrells, Canyet and Pomar. However, due the growth of the population during the 20th century, the city was administratively divided into more neighbourhoods and new districts grouping each one several of them.[30] The current division is dated of 1980, except for a modification in 2011 which reduced the districts from 8 to 6.[31][32] The districts and their neighbourhoods are as follows:

  • District 1: Canyadó, Casagemes, Centre, Coll i Pujol, Dalt de la Vila, Manresà and El Progrés.
  • District 2: Montigalà (western section), Nova Lloreda, Sant Crist de Can Cabanyes, Sistrells, La Pau and Puigfred.
  • District 3: Montigalà (eastern section), Canyet, Mas Ram, Bufalà, Pomar, Pomar de Dalt, Bonavista, Les Guixeres and Morera.
  • District 4: La Salut, Sant Antoni de Llefià, Sant Joan de Llefià, Sant Mori de Llefià.
  • District 5: Gorg, La Mora, Congrés, Can Claris and El Raval.
  • District 6: Artigues, El Remei and Sant Roc.

Transportation
Main article: Transport in Badalona

Badalona has a RENFE train station R1 from Barcelona to Mataró - Blanes, as well as a harbour. There are also links to Barcelona via the Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB) metro (underground) and bus system, as well as the Trambesòs line.

Population

Badalona has the second-largest Moroccan and Pakistani populations of Catalonia. Other significant communities include Maghrebis, Chinese, and Indians.[33]

Largest groups of foreign residents
NationalityPopulation (2011)
 Morocco5,527
 Pakistan5,462
 China3,835
 Ecuador3,062
 Bolivia1,800
 India1,305
 Senegal1,222
 Dominican Republic1,000

Economy

The economy of Badalona is mainly based on the service sector, although traditionally was an important industrial centre. The primary sector as agriculture and fishing were also remarkable. However, those activities declined throughout the 20th century. In 2017 Badalona’s GDP worth 4.122,9 million Euros,[34] of which 3.020 (79,9%) corresponds to services, 501,8 to industry (13,3%), to construction (6,9%) and a tiny part (less than 1%) to agriculture.[35]

The harbour is important for its fishing and boat-building trades, while in town there are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works, as well as the manufacture of woollen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy. The surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit. The city is home to the historic distillery which produces Anís del Mono, an anisette made of herbs and anise.

Culture
Cremada del Dimoni
Plaça de la vila

In May, in occasion of the celebration of Saint Anastasi, the patron saint of Badalona, activities and festivals are organized all around the city. The most important celebration takes place the day before Saint Anastasi Day when, at night, people gather at the maritime promenade to participate in the popular Cremada del Dimoni (Devil-Burning)--similar to the famous Valencian Falles.

Sport

The city's most important sport complex is the Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona (Municipal Sports Palace), which won the Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. The Palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, it is home of the basketball team from Badalona, Joventut Badalona, also known as la Penya. This place will also be the centre of the Badalona Capital Europea del Bàsquet, which is intended to be a theme park celebrating basketball - with a basketball museum, shopping center, cinemas, basketball courts, a harbour, indoor karting and more activities.

Twin towns
gollark: Since they apparently are using 120GB SSDs, which are really cheap, if there's nothing blocking that, I think RAID1ing some would make sense.
gollark: It could probably be worked in during restarts.
gollark: Apparently Netflix have a thing to randomly crash production machines to ensure everything still works if they do.
gollark: In the case of RAID1ing SSDs, 120GB ones are probably cheap enough that it makes sense for this.
gollark: As I said, you obviously *want* high uptime, but sometimes the tradeoffs aren't worth it.

See also

Notes
  1. "Ajuntament de Badalona". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. "El municipi en xifres: Badalona". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  4. "Baitolo". Hesperia. Banco de datos de lenguas paleohispánicas. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  5. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 27.
  6. Negre Pastell, Pelai (1946). "Los nombres primitivos de los ríos Muga, Fluviá y Ter: contribución al estudio de la geografia antigua de Cataluña". Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Gironins. 1: 177–208.
  7. Richaud López, Inmaculada (2020). "El vicus Bitulone: redescobrint la Badalona altmedieval (segles X, XI i XII)" (PDF). Carrer dels Arbres. Revista anuari del Museu de Badalona. 4 (4): 45.
  8. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 74, 77.
  9. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 21.
  10. Generalitat de Catalunya. "Turó d'en Boscà". Inventari del patrimoni arqueològic i paleontològic de Catalunya. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  11. Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana. "Turó d'en Boscà". Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  12. Guitart Duran, Josep; Padrós Martí, Pepita (1987). "El poblat ibèric del turó d'en Boscà". Carrer dels Arbres. Revista anuari del Museu de Badalona. 2 (3): 28–33.
  13. Guitart Duran, Josep. "La ciutat romana de Baetulo (Badalona) Historia i urbanisme". Espais: revista del Departament de Política Territorial i Obres Públiques. 31: 50–56.
  14. Padrós Martí, Pepita; Nieto Sabater, Maria Dolors (2016). "Santa Maria de Badalona. L'església romànica i la població de Badalona a l'edat mitjana" (PDF). Carrer dels Arbres. Revista anuari del Museu de Badalona. 4 (1): 5–7.
  15. "Badalona". Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana.
  16. Albaladejo, Jordi; Zambrana, Joan (2003). Inicis d'un sindicalista llibertari: Joan Peiró a Badalona (PDF). Badalona: Edicions fet a mà.
  17. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 103-107.
  18. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 164-167.
  19. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 163.
  20. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 205.
  21. Albadalejo Blanco, Jordi (2009). "Frederic Xifré". Revista de Badalona (693).
  22. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 150-151.
  23. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 222-223.
  24. Baeza, Josep (1998). Associacionisme veïnal a Badalona. Badalona: Federació d'Associacions de Veïns de Badalona. p. 28.
  25. Muñoz, Sara (1 March 2016). "La primera 'mani' sense bufetades". El Punt Avui.
  26. Villarroya Font 1999, p. 173, 181.
  27. Bassas, Antoni (10 May 2015). "Badalona, tercera ciutat de Catalunya". Ara.
  28. "Climatologia". MeteoBDN.
  29. "Barris, districtes i codis postals". Badalona City Council. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  30. Abras, Margarida; Carreras, Montserrat; Nieto, Maria Dolors (2003). Tots els carrers de Badalona. Badalona: Museum of Badalona. p. 311. ISBN 84-88758-14-6.
  31. Santiago, Toni (11 July 2011). "El nou cartipàs municipal de l'Ajuntament pretén estalviar més de 2 milions d'euros". Badanotis. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  32. "García Albiol pensa reduir el nombre de districtes de Badalona". La Xarxa de Comunicació Local. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  33. http://elcontrapuntbadaloni.com/2011/07/20/badalona-y-la-inmigracion-objetiva/
  34. Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya (2018). "PIB. Badalona". Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  35. Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya (2017). "PIB. Gran sectors". Retrieved 28 July 2020.

References
  • Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 (Spanish). ISBN 84-87135-02-1 (Catalan).
  • Villarroya Font, Joan (Dir.) (1999). Història de Badalona. Badalona: Museum of Badalona. ISBN 84-88758-03-0.
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