L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

For other uses, see L'Hospitalet (disambiguation).
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Municipality

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat city centre

Flag
Coat of arms
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 41°21′35″N 2°6′00″E / 41.35972°N 2.10000°E / 41.35972; 2.10000Coordinates: 41°21′35″N 2°6′00″E / 41.35972°N 2.10000°E / 41.35972; 2.10000
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Catalonia
Province Barcelona
Comarca Barcelonès
Founded 12th century
Government
 • Type Mayor–council
 • Body L'Hospitalet City Council
 • Mayor Núria Marin Martínez (2015)[1] (PSC)
Area[2]
 • City 12.4 km2 (4.8 sq mi)
Elevation (AMSL) 8 m (26 ft)
Population (2015)
 • City 252,171
 • Density 20,000/km2 (53,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s) hospitalenc, -ca  (ca)
hospitalense  (es)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 0890x
Dialing code +34 (E) 93 (B)
INE code 08 1017
City budget (2014) €200 million
Official language Catalan and Spanish
Main festitivity ?
Patron saint Saint Eulalia
Website l-h.cat

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Catalan pronunciation: [luspitəˈlɛd də ʎuβɾəˈɣat] or [lɔspitəˈlɛd də ʎɔβɾəˈɣat]), often shortened to L'Hospitalet, is a municipality to the immediate southwest of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain.

By population, it is the second largest in Catalonia and the sixteenth in Spain. By population density, is notable for being one of the most densely populated cities in the European Union.

History and toponymy

The first records of the settlement date to the Neolithic era with artefacts showing human habitation in the Llobregat river area. Roman artefacts have been found dating to the 2nd century BC such as a funeral decoration representing the head of Medusa, now in the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia. However it is not until the 10th century that written references to Provençana (the city's original name) appear. The current name originates from the Catalan language and derives from a hostel next to the Church of Saint Eulalia of Provençana (Santa Eulàlia de Provençana) used by pilgrims in the Middle Ages. The city retained the character of a village until the 19th century when the first textile factories were built causing a population boom. The 1960s and 1970s saw a second population boom, caused by immigration from poorer regions of Spain: however this was not matched by construction of the necessary amenities and it was only in the 1990s that public investment resulted in additional schools, leisure facilities and housing.

The Swedish painter and former anarchist, later convert to Islam, 'Abd al-Hādī 'Aqīlī, formerly known as Ivan Aguéli, died there, being killed by a train, in 1917.

Demographics

1900 1930 1950 1970 1986 2006
4948 37,650 71,580 241,978 279,779 261,310

Only an exiguous minority of the city's residential population is autochthonous to Catalonia and over 22% of the city's inhabitants were born outside of Spain, (mainly in Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Morocco). However the city has a large number of permanent or non-permanent residents from other countries of the European Union. Its population in the 2006 census consisted of 78% born in Spain (52% in Catalonia) and broke down as follows:

Population of L'Hospitalet
by place of origin (2006)
AreaPopulation
Spain207,930
The Americas35,628
Africa7,935
Asia5,375
Europe (non-EU)2,428
European Union2,004
Oceania10
Total261,310

Geography

L'Hospitalet's surface is of Area: 12.49 km². The area on which the city is constructed may be divided in two different geological areas. One of them follows the coast typology and is called La Marina, similarly to two coast areas of neighbouring Barcelona's Zona Franca: La Marina del Prat Vermell and La Marina de Port. The latter half of L'Hospitalet is called El Samontà, which consists of hills and a more elevated area.

Economy

Spanair head office in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

The city's reputation is largely still that of a depressed suburb,[3] drawing on its proletarian origins and its reliance on Barcelona. However, its economy has improved recently, as can be seen from the city's new skyline and relocation of companies to the city's new financial centre. Urban regeneration and construction have taken place during the 2000s, as well as ongoing work on improving public transportation in the second municipality of the Barcelona metropolitan area. The former airline Spanair's headquarters were located in L'Hospitalet.[4][5] Former major Celestino Corbacho has campaigned to improve the city's infrastructures from his position in the Ministry of Work.

Skyscrapers

Administrative units

District I

El Centre
Casino del Centre

El Centre is the historical centre of the city, the oldest neighbourhood, where the City Council is, as well as the centre of activities such as La Farga and many of the cultural buildings, such as the History Museum, the Can Sumarro library, the cultural centre Barradas or the Sala Alexandre Cirici. It borders the district of Sanfeliu and Can Serra to the north, Bellvitge to the south, Sant Josep to the east, and the city of Cornellà de Llobregat to the west.

Sant Josep

Sant Josep remains framed by the square that is formed by the avenue of the Fabregada and that of Isabella The Catholic (Isabel la Catòlica) to the west, the Torrent Gornal to the east, the railroad on the north side Carrilet to the south. In this area, all the industrial activities that Hospitalet had through the ages left their mark: from the flour mills and the distilleries, up to the different energetic exploitation of the waterfalls of the Canal de la Infanta or the ceramic, textile, metallurgical and chemical industries. In fact, Sant Josep was originally an industrial suburb, but the subsequent disappearance of many factories, as well as the population increase, have given it a residential character.

Sanfeliu

Civic life in this quarter centres on the avenue of the Cirerers and the Communities Square (Plaça de les Comunitats). This public space is the scene of the greatest holiday celebrations, such as the festival of Sant Joan, the Carnival, and many other popular events. The cultural centre is also at the heart of many of the activities.

District II

Collblanc

This ward has a marked commercial character, centred near the Collblanc Metro stop. The Market Square (Plaça del Mercat) and the surroundings are the main centre of cultural life.

La Torrassa

Its origins has been linked to Collblanc. Today, the Spanish Square (Plaça Espanyola) and the new park of La Torrassa are the at heart of this neighbourhood and is where the holiday celebrations at the beginning of every summer are largest.

District III

Santa Eulàlia
Rotonda

Its origins are dated back to Medieval times thanks to the presence of the Santa Eulàlia de Provençana hermitage (dated in the 12th century thanks to an inscription in the façade). Also it was very important during the Industrial Revolution thanks to the presence of many industries in the quarter, such as Can Trinxet, L'Aprestadora or Can Pareto.

Gran Via Sud

It is the smallest quarter in the town.

District IV

La Florida
Les Planes

District V

Pubilla Casas
Can Serra

District VI

Handicraft beer of L'Hospitalet
Bellvitge

In 1964 the Inmobiliaria Ciudad Condal S.A. (ICC) company initiated the construction of this neighbourhood as it stands nowadays, beside the hermitage, on land which had been bought from local farmers. It was designed as a residential area to house the large number of immigrants who came to Catalonia from elsewhere in Spain — more than 126,000 people in 1964 — in search of work.

Gornal

District VII

Granvia l'Hospitalet

Transport

International relations

Twin towns and sister cities

L'Hospitalet is twinned with the following cities:

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "Ajuntament de l'Hospitalet de Llobregat". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
    2. ↑ "El municipi en xifres: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
    3. ↑ Lonely Planet Barcelona, p8, Damien Simonis
    4. ↑ L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (in Spanish), www.urbanity.es
    5. ↑ "Contacts." Spanair. Retrieved on 29 December 2009.
    6. ↑ "National Commission for Decentralized Cooperation". Délégation pour l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) (in French). Retrieved 2013-12-26.

    External links

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    		 Esplugues de Llobregat
    Cornellà de Llobregat Barcelona
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    El Prat de Llobregat
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