Girona (Catalan: Girona, Spanish: Gerona, French: Gérone) is a city located in the northwest of Catalonia, Spain on the confluence of the rivers Ter and Onyar. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the Catalonian county Gironès. The population was ca. 74879 in 2001.
History
The first inhabitants in the region were Iberians. Later, the Romans built a citadel there, which was given the name Gerunda (hence, the Spanish name Gerona). The Visigoths ruled in Girona until it was conquered by the Moors. Finally, Charlemagne reconquered it in 785 and made it one of the fourteen original countships of Catalonia. Guifré I incorporated Girona to the county of Barcelona in 878. Alfonso I of Aragón declared Girona to be a city in the 11th century. The ancient county later became a duchy (1351) when the king Pedro III of Aragón gave the title of Duke to his first-born son, Juan. In 1414, King Fernando I in turn gave the title of Prince of Girona to his first-born son, Alfonso. The title is currently carried by Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias.
The 12th century saw a flourishing of the Jewish community of Girona, with one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in Europe. The Rabbi of Girona, Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi was appointed Great Rabbi of Catalonia. The history of the Jewish community of Girona ended in 1492, when the Catholic Kings expelled all the Jews from Spain. Today, the Jewish ghetto or Call is one of the best preserved in Europe and is a major tourist attraction. On the north side of the old city is the Montjuïc (or hill of the Jews in medieval Catalonian), where an important religious cemetery was located.
Girona suffered several sieges by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. Finally, Napoleon conquered the city in 1809, after 7 months of siege. The defensive city walls were demolished in the 19th century to allow for the expansion of the city.
In recent years, the remaining parts of the eastern city walls were reconstructed and now the Passeig de la Muralla forms a touristic walking route around the old city.
Education
The city is the home of the Universitat de Girona.
Airport
Girona Airport has grown hugely in recent years principally as a result of Ryanair choosing it as one of their European hubs. Holidaymakers and other travellers have a wide range of flights available from a number of destinations across Europe. Girona Airport is well situated for travellers going to the Costa Brava.
See also
External links
- City Council of Girona (Note that it is registered under the ccTLD of Gibraltar)
- History of the coat-of-arms of Girona
- Photographs of Girona and Catalonia
- Universitat de Girona
- Girona Airport