|
GIRONA
Gerona, spelt as ‘Girona’- in Catalan, is located in the north eastern part of the AutonomousCommunity of Catalonia. It lies at a distance of just over an hour from the Capital city –Barcelona. Thecity of Girona also is the provincial capital of the region of Girona.
Girona enjoys a privileged position as itis located 30 km from the Costa Brava, and barely two hours from the Pyrenees, the two top tourist destinations in Catalonia. The city has a magnificent network of transport infrastructures that gives it access to the various routes of communication: AP-7 motorway, N-II trunk road, Girona-Costa Bravainternational airport, and plans for a high speed train connection.
Girona has also been called the ‘City of the Four Rivers’ as it is situated in the Ter valley, where the Ter, Guell, Onyar, and Galligants rivers meet. The region has a experiences variation in temperatures between -3°C in January and 36°C in July, and annual rain fall of around 800 mm. The city is 70 meters above sea level and has a mild continental climate.
Girona was established in the 1st Century BC by the Romans. They named it ‘Gerunda’ and established it as an important stopping point on the ‘Via Augusta’, linking Iberia with Rome. The strategic location of Girona resulted into many battles and struggles to gain control it. By the eighteenth century, Girona had been besieged on twenty-one occasions. The architectural styles of the many monuments and structures in the city reveal the influences of the Roman, Moorish and Jewish settlements. Some of the more remarkable names are- The Cathedral, The wall of ‘La Forca Vella’, ‘El Call’ – the best preserved ancient Jewish quarter in Spain, and the Arab baths.
The Onyar River forms a natural partition between the old and the new city. The city is stylishly contemporary, though fairly small in size. The distinctive trait of Girona is its quaint atmosphere and modest lifestyle. The city was recently voted the Spanish city with ‘the best quality of life’ in a survey carried out by the national newspaper, ‘El Pais’.
The tourist presence in the city is modest as compared to Malaga or Granada. Most bypass the city on their way to the Costa Brava. But, in recent years, there has been a steady rise in the number of people who pause to admire and relish the beauty of Girona.
The commercial center in the modern part is the Mercadal quarter where most of the business establishments are located. In the modern part of the city, several buildings carry the impressions of Rafael Maso; who was an architect, a poet and a politician, and a writer. Maso was born in Girona and his professional and cultural works were of key importance in the artistic and social life of the city. There are a large number of buildings designed or restored by Maso here. There are shopping malls and boutiques, and the prominent location is Carrer Santa Clara, a very busy shopping street in the new district.
|