comenius team in Palamós besalú peratallada girona

[comenius team in Palamós]
[
[
[ fishing
museum
]
st. joan de les abadesses
[
]
]
[
[
besalú
dali museum
stª. maria de ripoll
]
]
[
peratallada
]
girona
]
Teachers’ welcome
to the Comenius Program:
Good morning and welcome to the
institute of Palamós to all of you
who are with us this week to participate in the activities of the Comenius Program. Particularly and in a
very special way to the teachers of
the institutes of Alcanena (Portugal), Boras (Sweden), Buzau and
Craiova (Romania), Kaunas (Lithuania) and Riga (Latvia) that take part
in the project “MY RIVER, MY LIFE.
“It allows us to learn, through the
water of our rivers, the culture,
vegetation and history of the participating countries. I also want to
welcome all the people who have
accepted from the first moment and
with a great interest to be involved
in different talks and visits and offering us all their support, especially
the City council of Palamós.
I think that to take part in a Multi-
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[ welcome ]
lateral Comenius program is more
than producing some material on
the topic we have chosen. We
can learn by ourselves the reality,
which is directly linked mainly with
the education of the participating
countries and the everyday of this
neighborhood more or less distant
from all over Europe. The human
warmth has been always present in
all the stays when visiting a partnership country and this is a very
interesting aspect.
I hope that this week will be very
useful in terms of work and even
more of human relationships between people. I also hope that it will
allow you to know about the reality
of Catalonia so as you will have the
curiosity to learn more and come
back again.
a profitable in our home and that
the objectives could be achieved.
I wish as a director of the institute
and on behalf of all the teachers
that the activities we have prepared
are of your interest. I also wish you
Thank you very much.
Welcome to our school, that will be
yours for this week, and have a very
nice stay with us.
Lluïsa Teixidor Marimon
Principal of INSTITUT PALAMÓS
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History: The first inhabitants
PALAMÓS ...
4|
Human settlement in the current term is
found in the dolmen of Montagut at the
top of the Montagut hill , where we know
about the human presence, without
specifying the exact date between 2100
and 1500 BC. The first documented
site is the Iberian Castle, a settlement
that was formed at the beginning of the
sixth century BC, discovered in 1935 by
the Museum curator, Luis Barceló Ox. It
was excavated in the 40s by Dr.. Pericot
and Michael Oliva. The materials found
show that it is one of the most important
pre-Roman indigenous villages in the
north-eastern Catalonia. In the Castle
area, it has been found some lead in
Iberian epigraphy one of the longest in
Catalonia. The occupation of the settlement was possibly from the early seventh century BC to the first century AD.
The Romanization, which began with the
landing of the Roman consul Cato at the
coast of Roses, in 195 BC, also left traces and some are still remaining today
at the hill of St. Stephen of Mar. At the
Roman Villa, there is a large villa called
the Palace, which belongs to the imperial
periods. We lose the track of the living
community up to the dates where there
was life in the castle, Vila-romà, around
the X-XI century. Perhaps a short time
later, there is the castle of Sant Esteve
de Mar, linked to the beginnings of the
population and so Palamós entered into
the history.
La Carta Pobla (“Town Charter”)
“1279” December 3, everyone knows
that I, Astruc Ravaia, the mayor of Mr.
Pere, King of Aragon by the grace of
God, the part of the king and his (...)
and I grant perpetually all each of you,
men and women present and future
inhabitants of the Royal Port of Palamós
... “ (extract from Palamós Town Charter,
1279)
The territory of the town of Palamós was
bought in 1277 by King Pere II, as of
[
the castle of St. Stephen of Mar, whose
remnants remain on the eastern slope of
the beach of La Fosca. He was moved by
the desire to possess a strategic north of
Barcelona, and thus to replace Torroella,
blinded by the progression of the alluvial
lands of the River Ter. Two years later,
the king granted a charter franchise and
all those who inhabit this village called
Palamós.
Palamós was born then as a fortress,
and acquired a fully urban character by
the nineteenth century. From the sea
came very soon some dangers. The violent raids, such as those suffered by the
forces of the Turkish pirate Barbarossa
in 1543, and the pressure to support the
continued presence of troops of different flags could not afford more a slow
economic and population growth.
The port
The first pier was built in the fifteenth
century, and had to be rebuilt and
upgraded several times, until the late
nineteenth century, the bourgeoisie
linked to the cork industry and maritime
trade, forced the design of a new infrastructure capable of providing a shelter
for the ships and coastal steamers and
also to facilitate the loading and unloading. Linked to the burgeoning industry of
cork, the port received and distributed
all production, first icebergs, after plugs,
both locally and in the region.
The stone for the construction of the
port was not far away. It was open a
gap in the stone promontory by the Mill
area to the tip of the costs that enters
the sea. From this major operation is
kept the memory of the foundation stone
which was laid on the day of the Festival of 1902. The port has always been
the work of fishermen. The tax counts
give news at the eighteenth century the
number of “llaguts” to fish. The fishing
was besides his character collector and
primary in nature an involving manufacturing industry and the marketing
of the fish- salting and also the coral.
The main fishing included the blue fish,
palamós
]
mostly sardines and anchovies that were
exported to Barcelona.
From the port sailed large vessels
seeking luck in the trade with America.
Students from Palamós went to the pilot
school in Arenys the Mar to search the
knowledge and the necessary skills to
cross the Atlantic. Two families were the
stars of the local ship owners in the maritime activity: Matas and Ribera. Frigates
as Palamós, Catalonia or Palamós Villa
carried building materials to Cuba while
they came back with coffee, Scotch pine,
etc.. The Ribera family had the first
steam Mercedes, which was responsible
of the route Barcelona- Palamós- Roses.
The Port evokes us a lot of French,
Turkish, English or Italian sailor stories.
It explains the origin of the town and
points the evolution. Since the seventies,
the size of the tourist port drives a new
and fruitful brand to a new economic
activity. The port continues to be the
scene of the failures and successes, the
challenges that the future of the maritime sector and the entire community
must face.
drop by drop | 5
WHO ARE WE?
The Fish Place wants to contribute to
knowledge, sustainability and gastronomy of sea products, by enhance and
by teaching about those undervalued
species, but with a high culinary and
gastronomic properties.
The main goals are:
• Promote the fresh fish cuisine as a
staple of Mediterranean diet.
• Develop knowledge of the fishing
world to enhance the profession of
fisherman
• Encourage healthy consumption
habits
• Be a reflection, debate and knowledge forum on an international
scale for fish catching and cooking
studies.
• Contribute to achieve a sustainable
management of natural resources
• Spreading the process from capture
to consumption of fish
• Fighting childhood obesity
• Provide the specific requirements
to assess historically, socially and
economically the Port of Palamós.
• Promoting local food related to consumption of fish
• Offering a sensory experience for all
users
6|
FISHING INTERPRETATION CENTRE
Fishing is one of Palamós leading industries. Invoices over 10 million Euros per
year, employing directly or indirectly
more than 500 people: fishermen, fishmongers, administrative staff and ancillary industries. The fishing fleet consists
on trawling boats, circling, long lining
and “tresmalls” net, called “armelladers”.
Historically, fishermen have played a key
role in shaping social and cultural life in
town, and fishing is now an essential and
defining element of Palamós identity.
Located at the Fish Place’s entrance the
Fishing Interpretation Centre’s aims is to
provide keys to understand the Palamós
fishing sector and fish auctions, unique
process by which fishermen sell their
catches.
The most important elements of fishing
world such as the auction and auctioned
species, kinds of fishing systems, seabed
where fish is found, the way fishermen
are collectively organized in guilds and
confraternities, are explained through
an audio-visual, exhibition panels and
always together with a guide: so as to
make visitors aware of all about fishing,
people related to it and the sea products.
FISH WORKSHOP
The way we cook fish in Catalonia is the
result of a first quality raw material’s
development according to the tradition
and learning transmitted by our fishermen. Is a place of culinary teaching and
demonstrations, which values are spread
food, nutritional and sensory quality of
fish products.
We deal with several topics related to
fishing world, cooking and gastronomy,
through a rigorous and informative tour:
• Types of fish and its nutritional
values
• Past and present of fish consumption
• Keys to buy fish at the market
• Fish in Catalonia and the world
• Ingredients and utensils used for
cooking fish
• Cooking and preparation techniques
The end of the visit is to taste different
traditional and innovative fish “tapas”,
cooked with economic and healthy spices
typical from the Mediterranean area.
TASTING WORKSHOP
Tasting workshop offers training and
learning courses which makes users
discovers fish’s quality, diversity and
cooking potential, turning the experience
to fill your senses.
This workshop organizes activities for all
kind of publics, from family to professionals, in order to enjoy the experience
of cooking fish under best chef guidance
and mastery.
• Introductory courses in fish manipulation, cooking and tasting for
families, groups and schools.
• Courses topics: Fishermen’s cooking, Empordà’s cuisine, Grandmother’s kitchen, specialised and
advanced courses for hotel and
restaurant’s professionals.
• Talks, workshops and seminars on
nutrition, cooking and fish gastronomy.
• University lecture classroom.
• This Tasting Workshop is presented
as a design and implementation
platform for all different kinds of
initiatives which bring fish world
in society and preserve a part of
the Mediterranean cuisine and the
lifestyle.
SUQUET DE PEIX
(FISHERMAN STEW)
ARROSSEJAT
(VERMICELLI)
•
•
•
•
•
• 400 grm. vermicelli
To chop:
• 1 head garlic
• Parsley
• 100cl. tomato sauce
• 500grm. fish for soup
• 2 l. water
• Oil
• Salt
•
800 gram with fish (conger/eel)
4 garlic clove
Parsley
50grm. Hazelnut
200grm. Clean and chopped tomatoes
Mineral Water
Chop the garlic clove, parsley and hazelnuts and cook them for 2 minutes in a
pan with some olive oil.
Add the tomatoes and let it cook for
about 10 minutes. Add some water.
Once it is hot add the fish and let it cook
for about 5 minutes.
Put some oil in a pan and cook the
chopped ingredients for 5 minutes. Add
some water and the fish and let it cook
for 30 minutes, strain it. In a pan put
the vermicelli and cook it until it gets
brown. Add the fish broth, add some salt
to taste and let it cook for 16 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it
stand for 2 minutes. Add “all i oli” before
eating.
Cooks:
Joan Cuadrat i Ramon Boquera
www. espaidelpeix.org
[email protected]
From: http://www.espaidelpeix.org/
Tel. 972312333
drop by drop | 7
FISHING MUSEUM
OF PALAMÓS
OBJECTIVES : TASTE OF THE SEA
At Palamos work man show at sea becomes the eye of the visitor: afternoon
arrival of the boats in the harbor and
unloading fish box has a unique color
and movement.
In Palamos, but the world does not end
on the dock fishing, but has continued in
the Fishing Museum, unique in its kind in
the Mediterranean. This center presents
the past, present and future of fisheries,
through its permanent exhibition and
a series of activities related to the sea
made the Costa Brava.
The Fishing Museum to contribute, as a
quality cultural development, economic
and social community. Work for foothold on territory and help bring about
changes and thoughts towards fisheries
and maritime heritage favoring society.
The objectives that should help forward
these proposals revolve around the
areas of conservation, research, dissemination and interpretation of the
Museum:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
8|
Ensure the conservation, protection
and preservation of the collections
belonging to the Museum’s collection
and maritime fishing heritage of the
Costa Brava.
Promote research on fisheries and
maritime done.
Provide consultation and study
background.
Consider an expository discourse,
which through fishing and maritime
heritage, will contribute to raising
awareness towards sustainability.
Give the keys to interpreting reality,
economic, social and cultural development of the maritime sector.
Becoming a dialogue between seafarers and the rest of society.
Accentuate lal maritime vocation of
Palamos
Be a leader, a key element of the
communities along the coast of
Girona.
Show our maritime past
Consider the problems and challenges the sector is facing.
PERMANENT MUSEUM
OF FISHING
Through an audiovisual introduction
of five areas, visitors will discover the
world of fishing in our region. The key
to the museum’s permanent exhibition
of Fisheries is finding the origins of the
world and live active, as can be seen in
the fishing harbor of Palamos.
The project has been in the museum’s
architecture firm, Various Architects
Freixes Dani, a company that has international recognition in the realization of
museums and exhibitions. Dani Freixes
has been awarded the National Design
Award in 2001.
00. PROLOGUE. Audiovisual
Thanks to an eight-minute video the
visitor realizes that the last fish dish is
a technique, a knowledge, an effort to
share a long history.
01. WHAT FISHING
The species that are caught are only part
of the vast biodiversity of the Mediterranean, all the species living there. The
man has learned through the years
where you live and what are the habits
of the species most appreciated.
02. HOW AND FROM WHERE FISHING
The sea, as the surface of the earth is
not flat, it is full of elevations and depressions. No fishing anywhere, but the
sea is great fishing spots are very specific. The men have known and identified
as “fisheries”. To go fishing, you need a
floor space that also functions as a reference: the port.
03. WHO’S WHO IN THE WORLD FISHING
In this area are all professions and
trades assistants with fishing and its
evolution over time: shipwright and
Calafate, the sailing master, the mechanic, the cobbler, the lamb, the remendadores, companies salting, fish marketing
and fishermen.
04. AS FISHING FISHING AND HOW
The adaptation of humans to the environment has evolved systems of fishing,
we see from the most rudimentary to
the most sophisticated.
05. THE FUTURE
After knowing the past and present of
this area fisheries we will reflect on what
their future scenarios
[
fishing museum
]
drop by drop | 9
THE GIANTS OF
THE CITY
10 |
The giants of Palamós represent the
marriage formed by the king Pere II of
Catalonia, called the Big, and his wife
Constança of Sicily. They make us go
back to the 13th century, when the king
Pere of the Crown catalano- aragonesa
chose Palamós as a royal port due to its
privileged geographic situation. In the
year 1279 the king Pere dictates Astruc
Ravaia the royal major and gave also
a document that awarded all a series
of privileges and freedom to all those
that wanted to establish in Palamós.
This document is called the Letter of
the Town and is the parchment that has
the giant in the hand that represents
the king Pere. The original document is
preserved in the Municipal File Service of
Palamós.
Along its history Palamós has known
three couples of giants that we commonly know as the ancient giants, the
old giants and the new giants.
The ancient “giants” or “the grandparents”
The first graphic document we have of
the giants of Palamós is a picture of the
inauguration of the Small Train in 1887,
a documentary sample of the 125 years
of giant tradition in the town that was
celebrated in 2012. These first giants
were bought in Barcelona. He, Pere the
Big, dressed as a warrior with a mediaeval dressing of diplomatic and with the
band crossed to the breast. She Constança of Sicily, dressed in in the same
way and according to the period.
This couple went with four dwarves. Two
since its origin and two more done in
1916 in honour to the première of the
restoration of the giants and of his new
dresses.
These giants were kept until the première of the next couple the 1951. Unfortunately we don’t have them today.
The old Giants
The year 1951 there was a new couple
of giants that lose their warrior character
and have a kinder and nobler face. They
highlight upon the reign of the marriage.
They went accompanied by four tadpoles
that the City council of Palamós has not
been able to recover.
The continuing use started spoiling them
until the point that in 1963 they had to
be restored and new dresses paid by
means of a popular collection.
In 1974 we had some new giants that
left the old couple into disuse. In 2004,
the City council of Palamós commissioned a copy of the old giants and their
dresses to Ramon Aumedes of the Workshop Sarandaca.
The heads of the original old giants are
preserved in the reserved room of the
Museum, in the Montaner house.
As we only preserved the heads of the
giants it was necessary to do the copy
of the bodies and dresses by means of
photographies. The Workshop Sarandaca
opted to do some bodies with fibre of
glass in order to obtain a greater manipulation.
These dresses were paid thanks to personal contributions of the people of the
village.
At present we can see them in the polyvalent room of the Library Lluís Barceló
and Bou.
Copy of the ancient Giants.
These Giants were used for the first time
the Day of 11th September 2004.
From : http://elmonperunforat.org/la-colla/elsgegants/
drop by drop | 11
PALAMÓS –
THE WRITER’S
REFUGE.
THE PALAMÓS OF
TRUMAN CAPOTE
Truman Capote was born in New Orleans
in 1924 and died in 1984 in Los Angeles. He arrived at Palamós on 26th April
1960, bringing with him everything he
needed to begin writing his novel In Cold
Blood, based on real events –the murder
of the Clutter family by two merciless
psychopaths in the small Kansas town of
Holcomb.
In Palamós, Capote was seeking the
tranquility he needed to write his masterpiece.
Capote’s secret paradise
Truman Capote and his partner Jack
Dunphy spent three long periods of time
in Palamós between 1960 and 1962,
in the middle of Franco’s dictatorship.
They would arrive in the spring and
then head off at the end of September
or in November to their Swiss getaway
in Vebier, where they spent the autumn
and winter.
Midway between the sun-baked Mediterranean and the Alpine plain, near
the snowy mass of Montblanc, Capote
produced a crime fiction masterpiece –In
Cold Blood. The novel revolutionized the
literally and journalistic world.
A literary refuge
Truman Capote exiled himself in Europe
so that he could write In Cold Blood. He
12 |
was looking for a quiet place, far from
the partying in Manhattan, where he
could concentrate and keep up a good
rate of work. He chose Palamós on the
recommendation of the well-known US
novelist Robert Ruark.
Ruark had lived near the beach at Es
Monestrí since 1953. From there he
would write columns that were published in two hundred of US newspapers, often singing the praises of Costa
Brava’s charms and the peacefulness of
Palamós. He was buried in the cemetery
of Palamós, according to his written
instructions.
Yin and Yang
Truman Capote and Jack Dunphy became partners in 1948. Whilst Capote
was happy, sociable and extrovert, Dunphy was much more reserved. Dunphy
–ten years older than Capote- spurned
the dances, parties and gossip that were
so much to the liking of his companion.
Jack Dunphy was also a writer. The author of a number of novels and plays, he
never, however, received the success or
recognition his partner did.
Living alongside fishermen
In the spring of 1960, Palamós still had
the charm of a Mediterranean fishing village. In those days, the fishermen would
put their boats in the water and lay out
their fishing nets on the sand, either to
repair them, or so that the nets could
dry out in the sun on the beach at La
Catifa or Platja Gran beach.
Tourists began to be attracted to the
daily arrival of the fishing boats at the
quay and the subsequent auction at the
fish market. Capote bought fish there on
more than in one occasion.
Pure Palamós-dinning at Los Caracoles
Over a twenty-year period, from 1947
until 1966, Los Caracoles was one of the
most popular restaurants in Palamós.
Capote often had breakfast there. People
remember him drinking orange juice and
dressed in Bermuda shorts, a mambo
shirt (untucked) and wearing glasses.
His slightly eccentric behavior came as a
surprise to more than a few diners.
Los Caracoles was fashionable and a
trendy place, attracting the likes of
musicians Xavier Cugat and Abbie Lane;
actors and actresses Ava Gadner, Walter
Chiari, Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotton, Liz
Taylor and David Niven; and singers Lola
Flores and Carmen Sevilla.
The serenity of La Catifa
Every season, Capote and Dunphy would
spend a few months in a house situated
on La Catifa beach. The modest house,
comprising a living room that opened up
to the beach, was owned by the US diplomat John Y. Millar. A plaque now marks
the spot where the house used to be.
Capote was very happy with the time
they spent at the house. Soon after
moving in, he wrote to some friends:
-The house has its charm. It’s in a
fishing village, right next to the beach.
The water is a blue and clear as the eye
of a mermaid1
The almost invisible man
Capote’s presence in the Costa Brava
was not picked up by the media until the
local magazine Proa broke with the story
in 1961:
“TRUMAN CAPOTE. The famous American
novelist Truman Capote, currently the
country’s most popular writer, has also
[
fallen in love with Palamós. Last year he
spent several weeks at the beginning of
the summer in a house at La Catifa. (…)
With the arrival of winter, he went back
to Switzerland and returned to Palamós
last month. As it wasn’t possible for him
to stay in the same house, he has taken
a house near where his fellow-writer
Robert Ruark lives, in Calonge.” 2
Four-legged friends
Capote and Dunphy did not travel alone
to Europe. In 1960, they arrived in
Palamós in the company of a terrier
named Kelly, Bunky the bulldog and a
Siamese cat called Sister. Bunky and
Kelly died between Christmas and the
following spring.
To fill over the void, Capote bought a
bulldog puppy, which he called Charlie
J. Fatburger. It was a common sight to
see the two of them walking around
Palamós, when the writer was our running errands.
News Thread
Cervantes bookshop opened its doors
in Major street in 1955, selling books,
newspapers and stationery. At about 11
o’clock in the morning, Capote would
drop in to pick up The New York Times
and other US newspapers he had reserved.
In August 1962, whilst he was browsing
a newspaper on the counter, Capote read
about the death of his friend Marilyn
Monroe. Those present at the time still
remember Capote’s cry of grief when he
read the news.
Please, Mr Postman
Capote would often send postcards and
letter to friends, publishers and correspondents. He soon became known
truman capote
to the staff at the post office, as this
account by Capote of how he was given
on 16 August 1962 from detective Alvin
Dewey reveals:
-I was driving through the village
when the guy from the telegram office
shot out into the street like lightening,
waving his arms about as if he knew how
eager and happy I’d be to receive it1
Dewey’s telegram was informing him of
the date set for the execution of Dick
Hickcock and Perry Smith, those responsible for the tragic events recounted in
In Cold Blood.
Sardanas next to the sea
The sardanas (traditional Catalan
dances) that took place in the Sea Promenade fascinated tourists; so much that,
in 1960, tourism companies from other
coastal towns would charter coaches to
take people to watch.
The sardanas also captivated Capote.
The hotelier Josep Colomer recalls,
“He was a man who used to enjoy the
small things that happened in the village, such as the sardanas. He was
fascinated by the way people would join
hands, regardless of their social class or
circumstances. The seriousness of the
people and the music, along with the
instruments themselves, were unfamiliar
to him”5
The hosts of Palamós
On 26 April 1960, Capote and Dunphy
booked into the Hotel Trias, with their 25
suitcases and three pets. They booked
two rooms and stayed for two days
whilst they were getting the house ready
at La Catifa.
Josep Colomer and Anna Maria Kammüller, who ran the hotel, became their logistic support. Colomer explains, “When-
]
ever he had a problem, he’d come to
the hotel and we’d try to sort it out. In a
way we were a kind of refuge for him.”
Kammüller still remembers the author’s
“theatrical and spontaneous” entrances
at reception. “One day he came in carrying a wicker basket, very pleased with
his find. He said he was going to use it
to put coins in”.6
Neighbour of Robert Ruark
From 24 June 1961 until the end of
October, Capote and Dunphy lived at
Es Monestrí, very near the villa where
the writer Robert Ruark lived. In fact,
they moved into Alan Ritchie’s house.
(Ritchie, an Englishman, was Ruark’s
secretary). Josefina Blanch stayed on as
cook.
Capote was delighted with the house.
On 12th July 1961, he wrote to some
friends:
I’ve moved a house and I am now living
next to the beach. It’s very nice. The
address is simply: Palamós, Costa Brava,
Spain” 7
Cult Novel
In Cold Blood is about the murder of
four members of the Clutter family in the
small, quiet Kansas town of Holcomb.
Capote’s novel started a new artistic
genre –the non-fiction novel, where
the author applies journalistic reporting
techniques to a novel. Capote said,
For many years, I had been increasingly
attracted to journalism as an art form in
itself. This was for two reasons. Firstly, it
didn’t seem to me that in prose literature, or in general literature, anything
really innovative had happened for 20
years. Secondly, journalism as an art
form was practically virgin territory” 10
The book was published simultaneously
in 23 countries at the end of 1966.
drop by drop | 13
Welcome to the county town of Besalú,
one of the largest and best preserved
places of medieval Catalonia.
BESALÚ
Besalú is situated in the area of La Garrotxa at the point where two rivers, the
Fluvia and the Capellades meet. It´s
situated 150m above sea level and has a
surface area of 4,81 Km. Besalú gained
importance when it became the capital
of an independent country in 902, after
Guifré el Pilós death, and it continued up
until Bernat III died without inheritance.
After that, Besalú felt under Barcelona’s
count control.
Nowadays, most habitants live from
textile and plaster industries or from
many of the family run shops and small
shops within the village. In 1966 the vil-
14 |
lage was declared a monumental centre
giving protection to its historical buildings and preserving its beauty for the
local inhabitants and the many visitors it
receives each year.
Thanks to the invaluable heritage and
its excellent preservation, Besalú has
become one of the tourist destinations
of Spain. The extraordinary landscape
of this region called Garrotxa (Besalú)
is also one of the incentives enticing
the visitor. The monuments of the town
make a historic step that express hundreds of different cultures in the region.
Besalú is part of the network of Judeo
Spain, a route involving exclusive locations with a high value of the Jewish
memory on its way to the medieval age.
Its Jewish baths (Micvé) are the third
[
found throughout Europe …
Enjoy this rich history from the tourist
office in Besalú, which will inform you
about many tours and activities offered
by this Count Town.
Undoubtedly, the cultural heritage of Besalú is one of the main attractions of the
town. So preservation and restoration
has been a priority of the City Council
in recent decades. As a result, Besalú
has become an example of historic and
cultural preservation.
The inherited wealth comes from the
many cultures that were developed at
one time or another in the history of
Besalú. From the Iberian settlement,
the first Roman conquests, at medieval
besalú
]
times the county development, the
consolidation of an important Jewish
community ... This evolution of history,
on its way to Besalú is reflected in every
corner that makes up the town.
programming throughout the year help
the town to be always alive. The Monastery of San Pedro, is often the scene of
musical programming, protected by its
exquisite acoustics.
Besalú becomes an essential cultural
tourism destination. Aware of this, the
town of Besalú works hard to offer visitors many facilities such as guided tours,
exhibitions and thematic markets, traditional cuisine, festivals ... The purpose of
these activities is to provide citizens and
tourists valuable cultural experiences.
Besalú has some associations such as
“Acunç” or “Friends of the Count Town of
Besalú” or the Venerable Congregation
of Our Lady of Sorrows of Besalú responsible for generating concerts, meetings
and fairs (Smith Fair or Iron artists)
and keep alive the own traditions. Civic
participation and volunteering is one of
the key elements for the development of
trade fairs and events generated in the
town.
In addition to the activities generated
by the historical content and heritage,
the cultural life of Besalú encourage the
artistic growth and development of the
town. The Library Ramon Vidal, or the
Trunk Theater, home to a wide variety of
drop by drop | 15
The Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll
is a Benedictine monastery, built in the
Romanesque style, located in the town
of Ripoll in Catalonia, Spain. Although
much of the present church was in 19th
century rebuilt, the sculptured portico is
a renowned work of Romanesque art.
Santa Maria de
Ripoll
History
The Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll
was founded in 888 by Count Wilfred the
Hairy (called Guifré el Pilós in Catalan)
who used it as a centre to bring about
the repopulation of the region after
conquering it. Wilfred’s son, Ridulph,
was educated there and was later abbot
of the monastery, as well as bishop of
Urgell. The monastery grew rapidly, and
was subsequently reconsecrated in 935,
977 and 1032, though the monks are
known to have been established there
permanently only from 1025 or 1032.
The monastery at Ripoll had several offshoots which included the abbeys of St.
Martin-du-Canigou (now in France) and
that of Santa Maria de Montserrat. The
monastery was also known for its collection of manuscripts which numbered 246
by the year 1046, and later included the
13th century Gesta comitum Barcinonensium, considered to be the first history
of Catalonia and written by the monks
themselves.
From 1070 to 1169 the monastery was
governed by the Abbey of St. Victor of
Marseille. Santa Maria de Ripoll was the
main religious center of Catalonia until
the 15th century, when it started to decline, beginning with the loss of control
over the Monastery of Montserrat in
1402. In 1428 it was severely damaged
by an earthquake, after which it was restored with the new parts in Gothic style.
The monastery became the family mau-
16 |
[
soleum for the Counts of Barcelona and
Counts of Besalú, and well as a great
center of learning, with a large library.
[1]
The library and much of the monastery’s
vast archives were destroyed by fire in
1835, after it had been secularized. In
1847 part of the cloister was demolished, followed by the 1856 by the abbey palace. It was rebuilt in 1886, under
the direction of architect Elias Rogent,
the basilica being consecrated in 1896.
Architecture
The original monastic church had a nave
and four aisles, roofed by barrel vaults.
The nave and aisle terminated in five
apses, later increased to seven when
apses were added to the transepts also.
The current church dates to Rogent’s
reconstruction in 1896, and although
maintaining features of the original
church, the present building has only
two aisles. The transept houses the
stª. maria de ripoll
tombs of the counts of Besalú and of
several counts of Barcelona, from Wilfred
the Hairy to Ramón Berenguer IV.
The cloister contains more of the original
structure than the church itself, the first
floor having been built between 1180
and the early 15th century. The second
floor dates to the 15th and 16th century.
It is formed, on each side, by thirteen
semicircular arches supported by small
pairs of columns with carved Corinthianlike capitals, sculpted by Pere Gregori
and Jordi de Déu. Each one of the latter
has a different decoration, inspired by
mythological themes or by daily life.
The portal, although damaged by fires
and restored in modern times, is a notable example of Catalan Romanesque
sculpture. The frontal section features
a relief from the mid-13th century (stylistically similar to the tomb of Ramón
Berenguer III in the cloister), divided in
seven horizontal bands. The upper two
]
show God enthroned, near whom are
the symbols of the Four Evangelists; the
scene is completed by several angels in
adoration and the Twenty-four Elders.
The central bands are dedicated to the
story of David and Solomon (left) and
Moses (right). At the bottom are various
mythical animals commonly identified
with the visions of the prophet Daniel.
The portico is flanked by two statues,
nearly destroyed, of St. Peter and St.
Paul. Around them are various scenes,
including the stories of Cain and Abel,
that of Jonah and others.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/
drop by drop | 17
Sant Joan de les
Abadesses
Sant Joan de les Abadesses is a town
and municipality located in the southeast of the comarca of Ripollès, in the
province of Girona, Catalonia.
Geography and climate
The town is located along the upper
part of the River Ter, in the valley of the
same name, and enclosed by the Serra
Cavallera to the north and the mountain
of Sant Antoni to the south. It has an inland, continental climate, with abundant
precipitation and notable temperature
variability.
Most of the economy of Sant Joan de
les Abadesses is centered on industry
and manufacturing. However, there have
more recently been increases in tourism to the town, with a corresponding
increase in the service industry. Rural
areas of the municipality are largely occupied by farms, usually raising cows.
History
Ancient times
Human settlement in the valley around
Sant Joan de les Abadesses dates to
prehistoric times, and archeological
research has found evidence of settlements in the region from the Lower
Paleolithic era.
It seems that the area was not very
much Romanized, despite the fact that
a branch of the Via Augusta went up the
valley to the Coll d’Ares.
Middle Ages
The origins of the present town lie in the
founding of the Monastery of Sant Joan
de les Abadesses by Wilfred the Hairy in
887. This was one of the first nunneries
founded in Catalonia, and its first abbess was Emma of Barcelona, daughter
of Wilfred. The Benedictine community
grew in wealth and importance throughout the 10th century. However, in 1017,
the nuns, accused of violating the rules
by which they were supposed to be
living, were expelled in a bull by Pope
Benedict VIII.
18 |
This expulsion initiated a period of instability that lasted until the re-establishment of canons of the order of Saint Augustine in the 12th century and with the
patronage of Ramon Berenguer III. The
new Augustinian monks largely rebuilt
the monastery, including new churches
for the monastery itself and the parish of
Saint Pol. New cultural importance and
splendor was brought to the monastery
in this period, as evidenced by its extensive archive of troubadour songs from
this era.
Around the monastery, the town of Sant
Joan was founded. Initially, the laypeople
lived around the Church of Sant Pol, in
the neighborhood today known as El
Raval. But the town’s growing population
necessitated the construction of a walled
town (the Vila Vella) on land that had
been known as El Vinyal. This part of the
town was home to numerous medieval
guilds.
As time passed, power in the town shifted from religious to secular. The town
became a Carlist capital, and suffered
the consequences of wars with nearby
France, as well as industrialization and
social change.
Contemporary era
In the mid-19th century, coal mining was
begun in Ogassa, precipitating the construction of a railroad from Sant Joan to
Barcelona. The railroad was finished on
October 17, 1880. This accelerated the
town’s growth and industrialization. Like
other towns along the Ter River, numerous factories and industrial colonies were
built to take advantage of hydrological
power from the river. A native citizen
of the town introduced concrete to the
Iberian Peninsula, and the town itself
pioneered concrete manufacturing.
During the Spanish Civil War of the
1930s, the town renamed itself Puig-Alt
de Ter (High-Hill of the Ter). And as Republican forces retreated in defeat, many
passed through the town on their way to
the French border. However, Republican
soldiers destroyed bridges and the train
station as they passed, to cover their retreat. After the war, the town recovered
and diversified its industries.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sant_Joan_de_les_
Abadesses
[
st. joan de les abadesses
]
drop by drop | 19
Along the 208km length of the river Ter
there are nine industrial colonies.
The industrial colonies were one of the
characteristic features of the industrial
revolution in Catalonia.
THE INDUSTRIAL
COLONIES ALONG
THE RIVER TER
Almost all the textile colonies were built
next to a river to take advantage of
water power. At the beginning, when the
colonies began to work, working conditions were extremely harsh and the owners were limited to providing housing,
school, church...
Later, in the late nineteenth century, the
owners adopted a different attitude and
provided other services relating to hygiene, supplies, recreation and culture,
and often large houses for the owners.
But it was not until the twentieth century
20 |
that workers lived with less tensions and
gratitude towards their owners.
THE LIFE IN THE COLONIES
It was very hard at working time,
because they worked long hours and
on Saturday, too. If someone was late
to work you could be assigned the
most precarious work or if it occurred
frequently you could be laid off. Also if
someone was hurt with some machine
work and could not work he/she didn’t
receive any money. If a family wanted to
live with all the basic needs (food, clothing and housing), all its members from
the age of 10 had to work because their
salaries were very poor. Until this age
children went to school in the colony. In
1905 the weekly wages in most of the
colonies along the Ter were:
• The men were paid from 17 to 30
pesetas.
• Women 15 pesetas.
• Children 9 pesetas.
In everyday life people do not have
much free time except on Sunday, which
was the only day off, but they had to go
to church necessarily because the owners were very religious. If there was a
day they didn’t work they could get the
worst job or they could even be forced
to change their house for another worse
one, and if they miss their work for a
long time, they could be withdrawn
from the colony. The houses did not
have any shower or wash for themselves, but they were added later.
The Industrial colonies textile facilities
were designed as a self-sufficient town,
with houses for the workers, church,
school, grocery stores, ballroom, etc..
ELIONOR
Eleanor was fourteen years old and three
hours
when she started working.
These things are
recorded in her blood forever.
She was still wearing braids
and said: << Yes, good afternoon sir >>
and <<good afternoon >>.
People loved her,
Eleanor was so tender,
and she was always singing while
she was running the broom.
Over the years, however, within the factory
everything was disappearing through
the gray windows,
and shortly afterwards Eleanor should
not
be able to tell where the crying desire or
that irrepressible
feeling of loneliness came
The women said that what happened
to her was solved by marrying and having children.
Eleanor, according to the wise
predicting women
grew up, married and had children.
The major of her children was a girl,
she was just fourteen and three hours
when she started working.
She was still wearing braids
and said: << Yes sir >> and <<good
afternoon >>
Miquel Martí i Pol
Lidia Cruset & Esther Escorihuela
INS PALAMÓS
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1
5
4
GIRONA
1.- THE HOUSES OVER THE ONYAR
RIVER
The view of the houses over the river
Onyar from the bridges crossing the
river is one of the most characteristic images of the city of Girona. These
houses were built at the end of the
middle Ages, backing onto the city walls
which enclosed the old town and the
borough of the Mercadal.
3.- RAMPARTS WALK
The walk along the top of the city walls
from Plaça Catalunya to the monastery
of Sant Domènec offers an unusual view
of the rooftops, buildings and courtyards
of the old part of the city.
4.- CONVENT OF SANT DOMENEC/ UNIVERSITY OF GIRONA
From 13th- 17th century. The church ,
2.- RAMBLA DE LA LLIBERTAT
This is one of the most popular streets
and commercial areas of the city. It was
used as a Marketplace in medieval times,
and has become a traditional meeting
point –place and promenade for the
people of Girona.
22 |
with a single nave, was one of the first
Gothic buildings erected in Catalonia. It
has undergone many adaptations along
the time. It is now the Arts Faculty of the
University of Girona.
5.- CATHEDRAL
It is from 11th -18th century. At present
the Cathedral is the result of different
styles. In the Romanesque building
( consecrated in 1038) it still remain
the cloister and the part of the tower.
The nave has a width of 22,8 meters.
The façade of the Cathedral is considered the most beautiful baroque work
of the Catalan architecture. Inside the
Cathedral we can admire numerous
Works of art: the silver altarpiece and
baldachin ( 14th C.), Gothic sepulchers
and baroque altarpieces. The Chapter
Museum displays the famous Tapestry
of the creation (11th C.), an illuminated
manuscript called Beatus ( 10th C.)
[
2
7
6
6.- THE JEWISH QUARTER
by the temperature of the water of the
From the 9th -15th centuries. In me-
baths, the cold water room being the
dieval times , the narrow streets of
most interesting for its rustic annular
the area of la Força street were highly
vault and its central dome resting on
influential. It was the heart of the Jew-
slender columns.
ish community. The life of the aljama
revolved around the synagogue, which
was located in different places over the
years. Nowadays the Centre Bonastruch
ça Porta displays elements of the old
Jewish quarter.
7.- ARAB BATHS
A Romanesque buildings from the 12th
C. Resembling the Roman Thermal or
public baths, with elements of Muslim
origin. It has three rooms differentiated
]
girona
3
9
8
8.- FORMER COLLEGIATE OF SANT FELIU
This church, from 12th-16th C. is the
most traditional one in Girona. It incorporates various architectural styles: a
Romanesque interior structure (13th)
a Gothic nave ( 14th- 16yh C.) and
a Baroque western façade ( 17thC).
Inside the church we can admire the
paleo – Christian sarcophagi (3rd-4th C.)
imported from Italy, and Reclining Christ
(1350), a masterpiece of the Catalan
Gothic sculpture
9.- THE CHURCH OF SAINT NICOLAU
From the12th C. it is a Lombard Romanesque church with a single nave and
with tree apses and an octagonal dome.
It displays a paleo- Christian funeral
remaining from the 4th C.
Blanca Lloveras
INSTITUT
PALAMÓS
drop by drop | 23
The Dalí
Theatre-Museum:
The World’s
largest surrealist
object
From that moment, the building was reduced to its peripheral support structure.
The ceiling of the auditorium had fallen
down, of the boxes only the access corridors remained, and of the stage only the
proscenium arch and the lateral storerooms survived. The vestibule and the
foyer were the only parts that remained
more or less intact. Nevertheless, the
basic structure of the theatre survived,
presenting the town of Figueres with a
phantasmagorical ruin.
Inaugurated in 1974, the Dalí TheatreMuseum was built upon the remains of
the former Figueres theatre. It contains
the broadest range of works spanning the artistic career of Salvador Dalí
(1904-1989), from his earliest artistic
experiences and his surrealist creations
down to the works of the last years of
his life.
In 1961 the mayor of Figueres proposed
to Salvador Dalí the creation of a museum dedicated to his work. The painter
was captivated by the ghostly enchantment of the theatre, and, with the intention of maintaining the structure of the
building, chose it as the site of the future
Dalí Theatre-Museum:
The Dalí Theatre-Museum has to be
seen as a whole, as the great work of
Salvador Dalí, for everything in it was
conceived and designed by the artist in
order to offer visitors a real experience
of getting inside his captivating and
unique world.
Origins and creation
The Dalí Theatre-Museum of Figueres
offers a unique experience of being able
to observe, live and enjoy the work and
thought of a genius. As Dalí himself explained: “It’s obvious that other worlds
exist, that’s certain; but, as I’ve already
said on many other occasions, these
other worlds are inside ours, they reside
in the earth and precisely at the centre
of the dome of the Dalí Museum, which
contains the new, unsuspected and hallucinatory world of Surrealism.”
Salvador Dalí decided, early in the
1960’s, to construct his museum inside
the ruins of the old Municipal Theatre of
Figueres. Currently, the Director of the
Theatre-Museum is Dalí’s friend, collaborator and fellow painter Antoni Pitxot
i Soler, who is also a Trustee and the
Second Vice-President.
The building of the Municipal Theatre
of Figueres, was constructed between
1849 and 1850 but it was destroyed by
a fire at the end of the Spanish Civil War
in1939.
24 |
“Where, if not in my own town, should
the most extravagant and solid of my
work endure, where if not here? The
Municipal Theatre, or what remained of
it, struck me as very appropriate, and
for three reasons: first, because I am an
eminently theatrical painter; second, because the theatre stands right opposite
the church where I was baptized; and
third, because it was precisely in the hall
of the vestibule of the theatre where I
gave my first exhibition of painting.”
The idea of bringing together his work in
the old theatre of Figueres excited Dalí,
and he dedicated himself to the task for
over a decade, collaborating in it and
designing the smallest details, until it
became a reality with the official inauguration of the Dalí Theatre-Museum on
28th September 1974. One of the most
visible elements of the museum is the
transparent grid structure in the form of
a geodesic dome crowning the Building. The dome has become not only the
emblem of the Theatre-Museum but also
a symbol for the town of Figueres itself.
The museum today
The different collections managed by the
Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation include all
kinds of works of art: painting, drawing,
sculpture, engraving, installation, hologram, stereoscopy, photography, etc.,
up to a quantity of some 4,000 pieces.
Of these, some 1,500 are on show in the
Dalí Theatre-Museum of Figueres.
Special mention must also be made of
the series of works created by the artist
with the express aim of being exhibited
permanently in the museum, works
which range from paintings and sculptures to complex monumental installations. Notable in this group are the Mae
West room, the Palace of the Wind room,
the Monument to Francesc Pujols and
the Rainy Cadillac.
Although the work exhibited is basically by Dalí, there are also works by
other artists who Dalí wanted to include:
Antoni Pitxot, Evarist Vallès, the private
collection of Salvador Dalí with works by
El Greco, Marià Fortuny, Modest Urgell,
Ernest Meissonier, Marcel Duchamp,
Gerard Dou, etc. Similarly, in different
galleries of the Theatre-Museum, works
can be found by Bouguereau, John de
Andrea, Wolf Vostell, Meifrén and Ernst
Fuchs, among others.
Since the death of Salvador Dalí, in
1989, one can also visit the crypt with
his grave, situated in the centre of the
museum; a space which was remodeled
in 1997 in order to exhibit there a collection of gold jewellery designed by the
artist.
The Dalí Theatre-Museum is just one
piece of the Dalí trilogy tour. The Portlligat Museum-House, the place in which
he usually lived and worked and the
Púbol Castle when after Gala’s death in
1982, he took it up residence, are the
ones to get the whole view of Dali’s life.
Jorfre Sebastian (INS PALAMOS)
From: http://www.salvador-dali.org
[
dali museum
]
drop by drop | 25
Natural Park of
Els Aiguamolls de
l’Empordà
The Natural Park of Els Aiguamolls de
L’Empordà (The Marshes of L’Empordà)
has an area of approximately 4,730
hectares, of which 825 hectares are
a strict natural reserve. The Park is
situated in the Alt Empordà region, and
consists of the following municipalities,
listed here in order of protected area:
Castelló d’Empúries (57.4%), Sant Pere
Pescador (12.8%), Palau-saverdera
(10.2%), Peralada (8.9%), Pau (4.7%),
Pedret i Marzà (2.6%), L’Escala (2.1%),
Roses (1.1%) and L’Armentera (0.2%).
The objective of the declaration of this
area as a natural park is two-fold: on the
one hand, to protect, improve and boost
the natural systems, and on the other, to
make conservation compatible with the
area’s economic
development.
AN AREA UNDER HEAVY HUMAN PRESSURE
The region of L’Alt Empordà has approximately 100,000 inhabitants. In some of
the Park’s municipalities, the population
can increase fourfold in summer. One
example of the pressure from humans
26 |
are the Natural Park’s beaches, which in
summer can be visited by some 23,000
people a day.
Over 80% of the Park’s area is private
property and within the Natural Park’s
limits is the most important
residential marina in Europe, Empuriabrava, with 30km of navigable canals.
the beach, between the
mouths of the rivers Muga and Fluvià.
The vegetation surrounding the lagoons,
consisting of low-growing
plants adapted to the salinity of the soil,
such as glasswort and rushes, is known
in the area as salsura,
which means preserved with salt.
A SPACE OF COEXISTENCE BETWEEN
WATER, EARTH, HUMANS AND NATURE
A mosaic of ecosystems that are interdependent but also very different:
Closes, peces and feixes
In L’Empordà, grassland meadows typical of this region are known as closes
(enclosed areas). They are
surrounded – enclosed – by drainage
channels, edged with riparian trees (elm,
ash, poplar, alder and others). They are
situated in the beds of the old lakes, and
therefore flood in times of heavy rain.
Other fields and pastures of this type,
long and narrow, enclosed by tamarisk
bushes, are given the name of peces or
feixes.
Sea
On the edges of the Natural Park is an
area of relatively calm, sandy-bottomed
marine waters. The
bay of Roses is sheltered even from
strong north winds. Nevertheless, the
east winds strike the coastal
edge of the Park with force.
Coastal beaches and sands
These are present around the whole
coastline of the Park, and are the only
remaining virgin beaches on the Costa
Brava. In fact, the extended southern
edge of territory included in the park,
following the beach, is intended to preserve a fully representative example of
this type of habitat.
Lagoons and salt-loving plant life
The salty coastal lagoons, known locally
as llaunes, are located directly behind
Freshwater lakes and marshes
These are the remains of the old lake at
Castelló, and the most emblematic is the
lake at Vilaüt. Its inland
location, far from the sea, means that
the water is entirely fresh, and the vegetation is especially adapted
to cope with immersion, flooding and
high humidity, depending on the depth
of the water. The Natural Park has promoted the recovery and creation of new
lakes, such as the lake in Cortalet or the
Europa lakes.
[ aiguamolls de l`empordà ]
Rivers, watercourses and irrigation channels
Besides the Muga and Fluvià rivers, the
Park’s two main rivers, in the marshes
there is also an extensive
network of waterways and irrigation
channels. The vegetation on their banks
is of obvious botanical and
faunal interest. The Strict Reserve of the
Isle of Caramany, covering 5.6 hectares,
situated in the river
Fluvià, has a riparian wood that is evolving entirely naturally.
Crops
These occupy a high percentage of the
Park’s area. From winter cereals (barley,
wheat) and alfalfa, there
has been a shift towards maize, sorghum, sunflowers and fruit trees. The
rice crop, recovered with the
creation of the Natural Park, is without
doubt the best suited to the marshy
nature of the land in the Baix
Empordà region.
Rough lands
Situated between the plain and the
neighbouring Serra de Verdera mountain
range, in the north east,
these occupy slightly sloping ground.
They are covered in non-irrigated crops
(such as vines), scrubland and pastures,
groves of cork oaks, Holm oaks and
other types of oak, and also groves of
pines in some areas such as La Torre del
Vent, the highest point in the Park.
Inhabited areas
The park has a good number of farms,
manors and country houses scattered
over the plain. They are often found
integrated into the landscape and offer
shelter to the wild flora and fauna.
HISTORICAL HERITAGE
The Aiguamolls de L’Empordà in the past
occupied almost all the plain of the bay
of Roses and the lower Ter valley. The
Montgrí massif was set away from the
waters, and when the Greeks settled
here, they did so on an island between
the former mouths of the rivers Fluvià and Ter, where they later founded
Empúries. The extensive marshland
gradually disappeared, due mainly to
the expansion of agriculture. The wide
Castelló Lake, with its three islands, and
the lakes of Siurana, Vilacolum, Riumors,
Bellcaire, Ullastret and Pals are now also
part of history.
The construction of tourist facilities was
another degradation factor. Extensive
areas disappeared and were turned into
housing developments. This would have
continued were it not for the campaign
that began in 1976 with the slogan
“The last marshes of L’Empordà, under
threat”, which aimed to raise public
awareness of the importance of the lakes
and their value as a nature reserve.
It was in 1983 that the Parliament of
Catalonia finally passed the Law declaring the the Aiguamolls de
L’Empordà a natural site of national
interest and strict nature rseserve, later
reclassified as a natural park.
The Nature Reserve only includes the
lakes of the Alt Empordà region; those
of the Baix Empordà region are included
in the PEIN (Plan for Areas of Natural
Interest).
HUMAN ACTIVITY
Human activity in the Park is an important force, due both to the tourist
industry that it brings and to
farming activities.
Since irrigation came into use here, the
crops grown in the Park have changed.
Cultivation was originally of winter crops,
and this has changed to maize, sorghum, sunflowers and fruit trees, which
are good wintering places for insectivorous birds and for thrushes, due to the
abundance of fruit on the ground.
The rice fields are undoubtedly the
cultivated land that is most beneficial
to water fowl. There are currently some
150 hectares of cultivated rice paddies,
for the most part cultivated without
pesticides, which are kept flooded even
outside the growing season in order to
encourage the presence of water fowl.
FAUNA
drop by drop | 27
The marshes are one of the natural areas of Catalonia with the largest variety
of animal species. Many birds use the
marshes as a shelter and rest area, and
there are over 300 species, many of
them protected and of great beauty. The
birds are the main faunal attraction of
the Park. Up to now, 329 species of bird
have been sighted, of which 82 species
nest here on a regular basis. Species associated with aquatic environments are
the most representative and the most
plentiful.
Among the most numerous nesting birds
we have the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), the moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), the blue-headed wagtail (Motacilla
flava) and the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus). In lower numbers,
there are also nests of the little grebe
(Tachybaptus ruficollis), the great bittern
(Botaurus stellaris), the little bittern
28 |
(Ixobrychus minutus), the purple heron
(Ardea purpurea), the gadwall (Anas
strepera), the marsh harrier (Circus
aeruginosus), the coot (Fulica atra), the
black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the Kentish plover (Charadrius
alexandrinus), the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), the roller (Coracias garrulus), the
lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos
minor), the moustached warbler (Acrocephalus melanopogon) and the great
reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus). The garganey (Anas querquedula), known locally as the roncaire (snoring duck), and the lesser grey shrike
(Lanius minor) - two of the Park’s most
emblematic species -last reared young
here in 1997 and 2001, respectively. The
white stork (Ciconia ciconia), which had
nested occasionally in the area, now has
a population of some 40 pairs, thanks to
the recovery project begun in 1987. The
purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio),
which had disappeared by the middle of
last century, has also been reintroduced.
From specimens released in 1989 and
1991, the population has recovered and
currently stands at some 30-40 nesting
pairs.
During migration periods (February-June
and July-October), thousands of birds
use these marshes as a place of rest and
feeding, especially during the Spring and
when the north wind blows. During the
second two weeks of April and the first
days of May is when the largest number
of species can be seen. Among the most
representative migratory birds there are,
among others, the squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides), the glossy ibis (Plegadis
falcinellus ), the flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), the garganey (Anas querquedula), the osprey (Pandion haliaetus),
the redfooted falcon (Falco vespertinus),
[ aiguamolls de l`empordà ]
the little crake (Porzana parva), the collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola),
the marsh sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis),
the Adouin’s gull (Larus audouinii), the
white-winged tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) and the red-throated pipit (Anthus
cervinus). The wader group deserves a
special mention, as up to 32 different
species are seen regularly, some of the
most numerous being the littleringed
plover (Charadrius dubius), the little
stint (Calidris minuta), the ruff (Philomachus pugnax), the common redshank
(Tringa totanus) and the wood sandpiper
(Tringa glareola). In winter these marshes, like the Bay of Roses, are visited by
large numbers of birds coming from
Northern and Central Europe. The duck
group is one of the best-represented,
with a monthly presence of some 15,000
specimens. The most abundant species
are the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos),
the common teal (Anas crecca) and the
northern shoveler
(Anas clypeata). The cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), the grey heron (Ardea
cinerea), the coot (Fulica atra), the
lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), the common
snipe (Gallinago gallinago), the curlew
(Numenius arquata), the black-headed
gull (Larus ridibundus), the European
penduline tit (Remiz pendulinus) and
the reed bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
are also abundant. Among the water
fowl present in the Bay of Roses are the
black-throated diver (Gavia arctica), the
great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus), the Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), the sandwich tern
(Sterna sandvicensis) and the razorbill
(Alca torda).
The fish that are most abundant in the
area are the carp (Cyprinus carpio), the
thicklip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus),
the spotted flounder (Citharus macrolepidotus), the pumpkinseed sunfish
(Lepomis
gibbosus), the eel (Anguilla anguilla),
etc. Important for their rarity is the
presence of the fartet (Lebias ibera), a
small fish native to the Iberian peninsula, and the three-spined stickleback
(Gasterosteus aculeatus).
The population of reptiles and amphibians can be found all over the park,
mainly in the freshwater areas. Among
these are the painted frog (Discoglossus
pictus) in some freshwater lakes, the
marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus),
the Mediterranean terrapin (Mauremys
leprosa ), the psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus and P. Hispanicus),
the rare three-toed skink (Chalcides
drop by drop | 29
30 |
striatus) and the Western green lizard
(Lacerta bilineata). Four different species
of snake, and the slow worm (Anguis
fragilis) shelter on the riverbanks and in
the riverside woods.
The most typical mammal of the marshes, apart from the Southern water vole
(Arvicola sapidus), is the otter (Lutra
lutra), which until half a century ago was
seen frequently and has been reintroduced. In addition, there is the least
weasel (Mustela nivalis), the polecat
(Putorius putorius), in large numbers,
the badger (Meles meles), the red fox
(Vulpes vulpes), the common genet
(Genetta genetta) and the fallow deer
(Dama dama), reintroduced in 1987.
Small mammals such as the vole, the
mole, the shrew, the rat and the mouse
are spread over the park. The rabbit
(Oryctolagus cuniculus) is very abundant in certain parts of the park, unlike
the hare (Lepus capensis). The wild
boar (Sus scrofa) population has grown
a great deal and this is now one of the
species abundant in the Natural Park.
Bats are seen frequently in the marshes
(13 different species) and contribute to
the control of insects such as mosquitoes.
VEGETATION
The vegetation of the marshes has some
special characteristics that make it very
different from that of the surrounding
areas. This is very noticeable in the areas around the edges, where the water
and the salinity have an important part
to play. Rice crops are combined with
pasture land, valuable for biological and
scenic reasons.
The main types of vegetation we can see
in the marsh areas are:
Saline soil vegetation
In these areas a number of very specialised plants grow, usually of the
succulent variety, such as the glasswort
(Arthrocnemum) or the Mediterranean
saltbush (Atriplex halimus), or rushes
such as the marine rush (Juncus maritimus) or the salt meadow corngrass
(Spartina patens) and, in the months of
May and June, we can enjoy a spectacular show of seashore iris (Iris spuria).
Sand-growing vegetation
This is a type of vegetation that is highly
adapted to this inhospitable environment, such as the sand couch grass
(Agropyron junceum), which grows right
down to the sea, and the marram grass
(Ammophila
arenaria), which grows up in the dunes.
Marsh plants on the riverbanks, and in
irrigation channels and flooded meadows.
The sedimentation of the Fluvià and
Muga rivers is crossed by a collection
of drainage channels, which have their
own specific vegetation, dominated by
the reed beds and similar communities.
The plants most characteristic of this
habitat are the common reed (Phragmites australis), the bulrush (Typha
angustifolia and T. latifolia), the common
club-rush (Schoenoplectus lacustris), the
yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus), the water
plantain (Alisma plantagoaquatica), the
marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) and
the purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), among many others.
At certain times of the year, the mead-
[ aiguamolls de l`empordà ]
ows are flooded with freshwater, and in
this vegetation, also used as pasture for
cows and horses, we can find sedges
(Carex riparia and C. otrubae) and common spikerushes (Eleocharis palustris).
On the edges of the rivers or the irrigation channels grow the riparian woods.
These are a mixture of
willow (Salix alba), white poplar (Populus
alba), Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra),
alder (Alnus glutinosa), elm (Ulmus
minor), narrowleaf ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) and French tamarisk (Tamarix
gallica).
Waterlogged and lakeland vegetation of
the lakes and waterways
The sight of the water florid with floating
plants such as the brackish water crowfoot (Ranunculus baudotii) or underwater plants (Zannichellia, Potamogeton,
Najas, Chara…), together with the tiny
common duckweed (Lemna minor) or
the delicate starwort (Callitriche) that
cover the still water, is a curious and
pretty sight to see.
The Natural Park of Els Aiguamolls de
L’Empordà is surrounded by other areas
of historical, artistic or
natural interest, abundant on the Costa
Brava and in regions such as Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà. Here
is an outline of some of the most popular.
Castelló d’Empúries
A municipality situated at the mouth of
the river Muga, in the Bay of Roses. This
is a predominantly mediaeval village.
The gothic church of Saint Mary with its
parochial museum, Court and mediaeval
prison is highly recommended, as is the
La Farinera Ecomuseum.
Roses
Roses is worth visiting for its Citadel and
the megalithic route from there, which
leads to the Creu d’en
Cobertella dolmen, the largest megalithic
monument.
Sant Pere Pescador
The Reserva de Mig de Dos Rius (Between Two Rivers Reserve) is situated
here, as is the mouth of the Fluvià river
and Caramany Island.
Pau and Palau-saverdera
Megalithic routes.
Peralada
This palace castle, a veritable mosaic of
architectural styles, is to be found surrounded by a fascinating
landscape of vineyards. It is worth highlighting the Convent del Carme and the
Cloister of Sant Domènec.
L’Escala - Empúries
The remains of the Greek colony of Emporion and of the Roman city are found
at Empúries. These are
valuable pieces of evidence of the presence of the classical cultures in the Mediterranean. Also near this
area is the hamlet of Cinc Claus (Five
Keys).
Figueres
An important transport nucleus and the
birthplace of Dalí. Of significant importance are the Dali TheatreMuseum, the museums of Toys, of Technology and of the L’Empordà region, and
the Castle of Sant Ferran. drop by drop | 31
Peratallada
The town Peratallada is situated in the
hilly area of the Gavarres, in the plain
area of Baix Empodà and on the left of
the Grossa stream. The village has been
declared a historic-artistic and cultural
heritage of national interest and it is one
of the most important centers of Catalonia regarding the medieval architecture.
In an extraordinary appeal and beauty it
retains its old feudal aspect with narrow
winding streets, with numerous inlets
and outlets and which highlights the
fortified castle. It preserves its tower
keep, and palace (XII-XIV) , the walls
(XII-XIII) and the Church of St. Stephen
(Romance of the early thirteenth century). It also emphasizes the wide moat
that surrounds the town, dug into the
rock. The population is all based on the
sandstone, worked in various ways.
The name
The name Petra Cut or scissa is documented from the tenth century. Later,
the name appears with a few modifications referred either to the people or to
different celebrities from the Peratallada
32 |
lineage, which eventually became one of
the most important in the Baix Empordà
area.
The castle-palace
It is in medieval times when we have
the earliest writings on the town. Some
documents from the tenth century mention the names of Petra Cut and Petra
Scissa. Peratllada Castle, around which
remained the sheltered population, was
the center of the barony belonging to
that Peratallada lineage documented
since the eleventh century. It seems that
the castle existed in 1065, but some architectural structures seem to show that
there was a core strength from before.
The town is fortified nicely at the top of
a huge natural sandstone plinth rock, cut
artificially to give verticality. The rocky
knoll rises 4 or 5 meters above the surrounding terrain. At the top there is the
big castle, with
its characteristic tower Keep and the
magnificent palace, facing east and
overlooking the Castle Square. The wall
surrounding the master tower fits irregu-
[
larly and reaches the hill of considerable
height. We can also see the remains of
battlements that give a great attraction and mysticism to the construction.
The high keep, the hallmark of the town
is rectangular, the square is topped by
battlements and it had a door lintel and
a wooden intermediate floor. It was built
with rows of squared stones.
The walls
Peratallada was one of the best fortified
towns in Catalonia. The defensive system was composed of three enclosures
wall. The main campus had the castle in
the center and the other two were large
eaves or advanced northward and east.
The three walls with high towers and
paintings were protected by deep valleys
carved into the rock. This moat ignored
chronology and also arguably has some
points which are visible today with a
depth of 7 to 8 meters. In a drawing
from the Service of Cataloging Monuments of the Province of Barcelona we
find an ideal reconstruction of the walls.
We find the population divided into three
sectors, each of which has its own fortification. All three are closed, according to
this hypothesis and totally disconnected
one from the other. They are completely
encircled and each one with its own
walls, towers and valleys.
They only communicate through some
hypothetical bridges located around the
rampart.
The sectors with less damage are the
walls from the north and northwest.
They belong in the larger fragments to
the northern precinct and, in part, to the
grounds surrounding the main castlepalace. In the far north of the town
there is an extensive stretch parallel to
the road, with high walls and rectangular
towers, which open the Portal of the Virgin, the only well-preserved one in the
walls. If you want to get there you must
pass a bridge over the valley and at that
place you have a spectacular view and
also the best preserved part.
The medieval village
Peratallada has preserved its rural
peratallada
]
character while maintaining fidelity to its
architectural and urban origins. It can be
said that it has not expanded beyond the
perimeter walls. The town still retains its
medieval urban layout. The square, with
its particular porches and also a plot of
narrow alleys where you can find a set
of interesting architecture. The Walls
of the oldest houses still remain the
characteristics of the sixteenth century.
The traditional house Peratallada usually
coated with low stone vaults, and cellars
used for storage, while the upper floor is
dedicated to a living space. There may
be another kind of floor, an attic or a
barn or a wide yard – at the back side.
The Gastronomic and commercial offer
In addition to its historical and architectural attractions, the town is known
for its large range of craft and especial
cuisine. The streets of the center are
full of numerous and suggestive restaurants from all kinds, offering the perfect
complement to a visit to the village.
drop by drop | 33
“Water: the life of
my river”
PALAMÓS
(6 – 11 MAI 2013)
34 |
The third meeting of the project
“My river. My life “took place in Palamós,
Girona province, autonomous community of Catalonia in the northeastern of
Spain. Pedagogical high school’s team
from Buzau was represented by the following teachers: Mr. Coman Constantin
– director, Cristina Maican -deputy director, Mariana Dobre-teachers and Viorica
Raicu – project coordinator.
Welcome meeting took place at the
Public Institute of Palamós, starring Mr.
Josep Blasco, who is European Coordinator of the project. For all participants
was a great pleasure to discover on the
intended of the project, materials produced by teachers and students from the
schools involved in the project.
After organising the first Conference we participated at the first confer-
ence from the program, with the theme
“What European programms give us as
teachers”, presented by Merce Travé,
programs consultant in the Ministry of
education of Catalunya. So we had the
opportunity to find many similarities between European programmes and those
that we develop in our country.
The schedule of the day continued
with a presentation on “Social networks
and School” moderated by police officer
Marta Pon. Were submitted to different situations and actions of prevention
against the dangers to which we expose
on social networks, very similar to what
is done in our country.
The next appointment consisted
in the meeting with the Mayor of the
city .She wanted to welcome us and to
provide the town of Palamós as a city
with a great opening towards Europe,
by continuing involvement in European
projects, but also apperance of traditional fishing port-town by inviting us
to the Fisherman’s Museum for various
activities: exhibitions of photographs
and fishing tools,a documentary film
of the marine faunaa and gastronomy
workshop.
The next day schdule was just
as interesting: a trip to the place from
which springs the river Ter in the Pyrenees mountains, with stops in several
medieval villages for which the River was
over time not only a source of water,
but also a natural barrier against foreign
invasions: Besalú and Ripoll, Sant Joan
de les Abadesses, Setcases, Spain.
Wednesday, we returned at work
in the Institute of Palamos with the
,,Educational systems “ conference,
followed by a workshop with the theme
“ Similarities and differences between
the educational systems “. For a more
detailed comparison, we visited the
school and we talked with students and
teachers, we visited the classroom and
laboratories. So we discovered that there
is a close collaboration with cultural and
economical institutions from the community, in particular with Palamós Hospital, which organizes training courses and
practical activities for students.
Changing the topic registry, project’s participants, were invited to visit
the city from a different perspective,
as a favorite destination for the famous
novelist Truman Capote and his friends
from Holywood.
If the first trip was to follow up
the importance of the river Ter for residents of Girona followed the road heading to the spring, on Friday we went
in opposite direction to the effusion:
Figueres, Rosas, Empuriabrava, Natural
Park Aiguamolls, where we delighted our
eyes with the variety of landscapes,
plants and birds.
During the working meetings with
the coordinators of each schools have
been established activities to be achived
the objectives of the project already
established.
As each meeting, the week spent in
Palamós was an tremendous experience
at an international level, but also a rich
resource of information about culture
and civilization.
Team of Buzău- Romania
drop by drop | 35
LICEUL CU PROGRAM
SPORTIV”PETRACHE
TRISCU”
CRAIOVA- ROMANIA
“Water: THE LIFE OF MY RIVER…MY
LIFE”
PALAMOS 6 – 11 MAI 2013
36 |
The third multilateral Comenius project
meeting of Petrache Triscu Highschool
was held since 6 to 11 May 2013 in
Spain, Palamos.
Within this mobility only teachers took
part, the pupils not being involved.
The next teachers were present from
the project team: Adriana Gherghecoordinator,Danut Anghel, Catalin Brandusoiu and Maria Dumitru.
The first day activities were done in
school. The welcome wishes were
greeted by the headmaster of the school
and the international coordinator Josep
Blasco.
According to the schedule, the first
conference „What European programs
give us, as teachers” was followed by a
debate of the local police on the theme
“Social networks and school” in which
there were presented. actions against
the risks the children have on the different social networks. The dialogues
underlined the fact that these problems
are everywhere and all of us should be
involved in preventing these dangers
The city hall of Palamos was our next
shelter. A young and friendly woman
welcomed us in a fancy room with the
portraits of the Spanish kings, wall
pictures, the history of the city as an
European city, touristic and fishing point.
The next shelter was at the Museum of
the Fisher then at the Fish Stock and at
the market the day being ended with a
traditional fish dish.
The route toward the places where Ter
river starts, passes through some important cities Besalu, Ripoll, Girona but
also through medieval villages: Figueres,
Rosas, Empuriabrava, a small Venice
of Catalans are unforgettable. For a
total protection of the vegetation and
Wilderness the protection fences were
electrified. Thursday was a team work
day with conferences and workshops.
The educational system of each country
was presented there were conversations,
comparisons and the conclusions will
be presented in the no 3 of the project
magazine. (http://myrivermylife.wix.com/myrivermylife)
In the afternoon we visited some favorite places of the novel writer Truman
Capote that loved these sights
The next visits were established and the
materials to be done for the objectives
of the projects. The friday was dedicated
to the river and in the evening the diplomas were awarded.
The visit in Palamos was a succesfull one
the Spanish colleagues being great hosts
and we had a European experience sent
to the pupils and colleagues in school
The project team from Craiova-Romania
Adriana Gherghe-coordinator,
Danut Anghel,
Catalin Brandusoiu
Mihaela Berindeie
Maria Dumitru.