Berga (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈbeɾɣə]) is the capital of the comarca (county) of Berguedà, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is bordered by the municipalities of Cercs, Olvan, Avià, Capolat and Castellar del Riu.
Berga | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Berga Location in the Province of Barcelona  Berga Location in Catalonia  Berga Location in Spain | |
| Coordinates: 42°06′04″N 1°50′38″E / 42.10111°N 1.84389°E | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Community |  Catalonia |
| Province | Barcelona |
| Comarca | Berguedà |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ivan Sánchez (2021) (CUP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 22.6 km2 (8.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 704 m (2,310 ft) |
| Population (2018)[2] | |
• Total | 16,199 |
| • Density | 720/km2 (1,900/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Berguedà |
| Climate | Cfb |
| Website | ajberga |
History
editBerga derives its name from the Bergistani, an Iberian tribe which lived in the area before the Roman conquest. The Bergistani were first subdued by Hannibal in 218 BC. They rebelled twice against the Romans and were twice defeated; after their second uprising, much of the tribe was sold into slavery. Livy mentions their principal town, Castrum Bergium, which was probably the precursor of the present-day town of Berga.[3]
Berga was ruled by viscounts in the Early Middle Ages and had its own counts from 988.
Berga was sold to king Peter II of Aragon in 1199.
In May 2012, the town council passed a motion declaring King Juan Carlos 'persona non grata' following a series of scandals involving the royal family, most notably the king's recent elephant hunting trip to Africa in the middle of Spain's deepening recession.[4]
La Patum
editThe Patum de Berga, or simply La Patum, is a popular and traditional festival that is celebrated each year in the city. Locals dress as mystical and symbolic figures, and are accompanied either by the rhythm of a drum (the tabal, whose sound gives the festival its name) or band music.
Free Software Street
editOn July 3, 2010 the world's first Free Software Street was inaugurated in Berga, during a ceremony attended by Richard Stallman.[5]
Sister cities
edit
Notable people
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "El municipi en xifres: Berga". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
- ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
- ^ Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana vol. III, p. 466. Edicions 62. Barcelona, 1971
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Berga inaugura el primer carrer del món dedicat al programari lliure" (in Catalan). 324. 14 July 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ^ Vänorter Archived August 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
External links
edit- Official website
- Government data pages (in Catalan)