Igualada

Igualada
Municipality
Coat airms
Igualada Location in Catalonie
Coordinates: 41°35′N 1°37′E / 41.583°N 1.617°E / 41.583; 1.617
Kintra	Spain
Commonty	Catalonia
Province	Barcelona
Comarca	Anoia
Govrenment
• Mayor	Marc Castells i Berzosa (Convergència i Unió)
Area
• Total	8.12 km2 (3.14 sq mi)
Elevation	313 m (1,027 ft)
Population  (2009)
• Total	38,918
• Density	4,800/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	08700
Area code(s)	Martorell
Website	Offeecial wabsteid

Igualada (Catalan pronunciation: [iɣwəˈɫaðə]) is a municipality o the province o Barcelona in Spain. It is locatit on the left bank o the Anoia river, an at the wastren end o the Igualada-Martorell-Barcelona railwey. Igualada is the caipital an central mercat o the Anoia comarca, a rich agricultural an wine-producin destrict. The population, as o 2009, is 38,918.

The ceety consists o a auld toun, oreeginatit in the 11t century, wi narrae an irregular streets, includin the remains o a fortress an ramparts, plus a new surroondin toun wi regular an spacious streets an mony feene hooses.

The ceety is 65 kilometre (40 mile) wast frae Barcelona an 20 kilometre (12 mile) wast frae the famous muntain an monastery o Montserrat.

Igualada hosts the European Balloon Festival, the lairgest hot air balloon festival in Spain an ane o the lairgest in Europe. It taks place ivery year, syne 1997, at the beginnin o Julie. The ceety hosts the Aerosport airshow which taks place ivery year in Apryl or Mey an aw.

The Igualada Leather Museum (Museu de la Pell d'Igualada) wis creatit in 1954 an wis the first laither museum in Spain, an the third in Europe. The collections are displayed in twa nearbi biggins in Igualada: the "Cal Boyer" biggin, a umwhile cotton textile factory frae the late 19t century, an the "Cal Granotes" biggin, a 18t-century tannery.

"Cal Granotes" displays twa floors o a teepical tannery: the grund floor, whaur the laither preparation an tannin wis done, an the upper floor, whaur the laither wis dree'd hangin frae bars.

In the early 18t century, the tannin wirkers frae Igualada decidit tae leave the enclosur o the medieval waws an established new industries alang a watter pipe or irrigation ditch namit "El Rec", awready mentioned in 12t century documents an previously uised bi mills. The ditch haes a lenth o 3049 metres an collects the Anoia river watter frae a lock.

The "Igualada Muleteer's Museum - Antoni Ros Collection" explains the evolution o transport uisin ainimals sic as mules, horse, oxen, an the different relationships that pavit the wey for the profeesion o muleteer. It is distributit intae three main thematic auries: profeesions, saidles an bridles, an cairiages.

The new Igualada Cemetery wis designed bi the airchitects Enric Miralles an Carme Pinós efter winnin a airchitectural competeetion in 1984. Constructit atween 1985 an 1994 as a replacement for the auld "Cemetery Vell", it haes acome widely regardit as ane o the maist poetic wirks o the 20t century Catalan airchitectur. Enric Miralles, who dee'd in year 2000 is buriet in ane o the tombs.

The Basilica o Santa Maria is the maist important historical biggin o Igualada. The first dounset o Igualada is datit aroond year 1000, in the location wur the current kirk lees the day, which wis at that time a crossin o 2 routes which wur linkin Barcelona wi Aragon, an north o Catalonie wi its sooth. Santa Maria kirk oreegin is frae the 11t century, but the current biggin is mainly frae the 17t century. Durin the Spaingie Ceevil War it wis convertit intae a mercat, an wis restored efter the war, unner the guidance o the airchitect Cèsar Martinell. In 1949 Santa Maria obtained the title o Minor Basilica grantit bi the Pape Pius XII.

The asil del Sant Crist is ane o the maist special biggins in Igualada an serves as a nourcin hame o elder fowk. Construction stairtit in year 1931 thanks tae a donation frae Magdalena, Dolors an Concepció Castells an feenished in 1941 efter the Spainyie Ceevil War. It wis designed bi Joan Rubió i Bellver, pupil o Antoni Gaudí, in late modernisme style, mixed wi influences frae the tradeetional Catalan airchitectur.

The local industries, mainly developit syne 1880, include the manufactur o cotton, linen, oo, ribbons, cloth, chocolate, saip, brandies, laither, cards an nails.

Igualada haes a lang tradeetion o tannin an textile industries. The competeetion frae law cost kintras which produce inexpensive textile products an the stricter environmental laws applee'd on tanneries hae haed a serious impact in the local economy. Despite that, thare are several well-kent textile companies that keep thair heidquairters in Igualada, includin Buff, Sita Murt an Punto Blanco.

Igualada is hame tae Ultramagic an aw, the anerly manufacturer o hot air balloons in Spain.

• Igualada is hame tae the Igualada Hoquei Club, foondit in 1950 an ane o the tap roller hockey clubs in Europe, haein wan the European Champions League o Rink Hockey 6 times an the Spaingie League 5 times.
• The local soccer team is CF Igualada, foondit in 1939 an currently playin at the Primera Catalana league.

Igualada is twinned wi:

• Lecco, Italy
• Guimarães, Portugal
• Alcántara, Spain
• Nueva Esperanza, Jiquilisco, El Salvador

• Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona:Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 (Spaingie). ISBN 84-87135-02-1 (Catalan).
•  This airticle incorporates text frae a publication nou in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "^{article name needed}". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. Cite has empty unkent parameters: |HIDE_PARAMETER15=, |HIDE_PARAMETER13=, |HIDE_PARAMETER14c=, |HIDE_PARAMETER14=, |HIDE_PARAMETER9=, |HIDE_PARAMETER3=, |HIDE_PARAMETER1=, |HIDE_PARAMETER4=, |HIDE_PARAMETER2=, |HIDE_PARAMETER8=, |HIDE_PARAMETER20=, |HIDE_PARAMETER5=, |HIDE_PARAMETER7=, |HIDE_PARAMETER10=, |separator=, |HIDE_PARAMETER14b=, |HIDE_PARAMETER6=, |HIDE_PARAMETER11=, and |HIDE_PARAMETER12= (help)CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

• Igualada tourism office Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine (in Inglis) (in French) (in Spaingie) (in Catalan)
• Igualada offeecial steid (in Catalan)
• Igualada Map Archived 2008-11-01 at the Wayback Machine
• Igualada statistics, frae Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya