Olot

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Olot parish
Sant Esteve Church in Olot
Sant Esteve Church in Olot
coat of arms Map of Spain
Coat of arms of Olot
Olot (Spain)
Finland road sign 311 (1994-2020) .svg
Basic data
Autonomous Community : Catalonia
Province : Girona
Comarca : Garrotxa
Coordinates 42 ° 11 ′  N , 2 ° 29 ′  E Coordinates: 42 ° 11 ′  N , 2 ° 29 ′  E
Height : 443  msnm
Area : 29.12 km²
Residents : 35,228 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density : 1,209.75 inhabitants / km²
Municipality number  ( INE ): 17114
administration
Official language : Castilian , Catalan
Mayor : Josep Maria Corominas ( CiU )
Website : www.olot.cat
Location of the municipality
Localització d'Olot.png

Olot is a city in the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees and capital of the Comarca Garrotxa , countryside and administrative district in the Catalan province of Girona , Spain .

geography

Panoramic picture of Olot (the volcanic cone of Montsacopa can be seen half right in the background.)

Olot lies in a plain of the Garrotxa volcanic landscape, which is surrounded by the mountain ranges of Sant Valentí in the north, the Aiguanegra in the east, the plateau of Batet in the south, the Marboleny in the southwest and the Sant Valentí de la Pinya in the west. This plain is intersected by the Fluvià river and the small river of Riudaura . The volcanic landscape is the reason for the popularity of the place and its surroundings: The Catalan government declared this probably the most important volcanic landscape of the Iberian Peninsula in 1982 on an area of ​​119 km² to the nature reserve Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa . The most famous volcanoes are the Santa Margarida (with a chapel in the volcanic crater) and the Croscat , some of the extinct volcanoes are located directly in the urban area of ​​Olot (the Montolivet , the Montsacopa , the Garrinada and the Bisaroques ). The geological features of the Croscat are particularly clear: an eruption made this volcano in the shape of a conic section exposed its own stratification.

The Fageda d'en Jordà , a huge beech forest in the vicinity of the city, which is completely unusual for the Mediterranean vegetation, also attracts many visitors (especially those from within Spain) and is integrated into the nature reserve. Forests with marshland, the Boscos de la Moixina, complete the rich variety of forms in the landscape around Olot .

Population development

year 1718 1787 1860 1900 1930 1960 1981 1991 1996 2001 2004 2010
Residents 2,627 9,146 10,262 7,938 11,615 17.185 24,892 26,713 27,482 28,060 30,304 33,589

history

Santa Maria del Tura d'Olot, the Black Madonna and patron saint of Olot in the church of the same name
The Croscat volcano between Olot and Santa Pau
The Romanesque church of La Trinitat de Batet , in Olot, Batet district
The Fluvià in Olot at the dam in the San Roc district
Entrance to the Hospital de Sant Jaume

The origin and meaning of the place name are not clearly clarified. The first mention of the place dates back to 872 AD. In a document, the Frankish King Charles the Bald grants the monastery of Sant Aniol d'Aguja the agricultural use of the area of ​​the Parroquia de Sant Esteve d'Olot , which lies between the River Fluvià and the small river of Riudaura. This permit was granted as part of the reorganization of the area after the Franks had recaptured the entire area around Girona. The fact that the abbots of Sant Aniol d'Aguja applied for the agricultural use rights of the areas around Olot suggests that there was an active and productive population in this area. In the same document the “old” church of Santa Maria is mentioned. This church probably stood where the large church of Santa Maria del Tura today stands, which is dedicated to the city patroness of Olot. In 977 the parish of Sant Esteve d'Olot is mentioned for the first time . However, this document is mainly about the establishment of the parish of Sant Pere in Besalú . Only in 1116 is the parish mentioned explicitly on the occasion of the inauguration of the new church.

For a short time, Olot was ruled by the monastery of Sant Aniol d'Aguja. It passed into the rule of the Counts of Besalú . They later passed it on to the Abbey of Santa Maria de Ripoll . In conjunction with two other donations to this abbey, this contiguous area emerged as the geographical and political center of the Garrotxa . The Pabordia d'Olot was created, which represented the entirety of the goods dependent on the abbey in this area. The lands of the three listed donations formed the actual area of ​​the city until 1973, when Batet was incorporated into Olot.

In order to manage the goods effectively, the abbot of Ripoll used a network of mayors and governors to protect his interests. These servants lived in Olot, such as B. the Lord Mayor of Olot in the Can Deu mansion on Plaça Palau. The mayor for the area of ​​the parish of Sant Esteve resided in the house of La Rovira . In Sant Esteve, in contrast to Olot, the mayor function was inherited within a family. Another measure to make the administration more effective were the settlement permits issued by the Ripollens abbot Bernat de Peramola on August 10, 1206 for an area of ​​the municipality of Sant Esteve d'Olot delimited by the Fluvià river. The resulting settlement activity enabled the emergence of a dense population center in the Olot plain, which corresponds exactly to the current city center of Olot. Its border ran from the Plaça de Palau (the main square of the city until 1427) over the bridge of Santa Magdalena, along the street Valls Nous to the church of Santa Maria and finally again over the street Valls Vells to the Plaça de Palau. In order to better secure and control the city, the abbot Ramon Desbac ordered the construction of a city wall. The walling had already begun - albeit ineffectively and in a poorly organized manner.

The promotion of this densely populated settlement core in a sparsely populated area resulted in a social differentiation of the population into two groups: local citizens who lived within the wall, enjoyed great freedom at the time and concentrated almost all trade and handicraft activities on themselves Opposite farmers who had moved in, who ran the goods that were dependent on Ripoll Abbey and who suffered from an ever-increasing tax burden. The town's artisans and traders had also created an institution that was supposed to protect or enforce their interests in relation to Ripoll Abbey. This so-called "University of Olot" is, so to speak, the embryo of today's town hall. The abbot initially tried to limit the power of this institution. The "university", however, fought for more and more freedom and built up a financial cushion.

During the Middle Ages, Olot was the bone of contention in various legal disputes between the Ripoll Abbey and the Aragonese crown . The latter was very interested in the control of the economically flourishing city. At the same time, the "University" of Olot was interested in breaking away from the abbey. The Ripoll Monastery was able to decide these processes in its favor, Olot and the surrounding area remained under his rule.

In the 15th century, three events in particular marked the history of Olot, which also caused the sharpest demographic collapse in the history of the city: the two earthquakes of 1427 and 1428 and the rebellion of the serfs that culminated in the Catalan civil war.

The earthquake almost completely destroyed the city and the surrounding area and forced the population to be temporarily housed in huts. In this situation the discussion arose whether the destroyed city should be rebuilt or a new Olot should be built in front of the gates. The second option prevailed. For the new building of the city the citizens chose the feudal property of a charitable organization. They opened up the area mentioned in a well-organized network with five longitudinal and nine perpendicular cross streets, which were centered around the market square and integrated the parish of Sant Esteve including its church buildings into the urban area. With the reconstruction on the feudal property of the "Pia Almonia", the citizens tried to completely withdraw from the suzerainty of the monastery of Ripoll, while the abbot did everything to keep the Olotins in his domain. Finally, King Alfonso V, the magnanimous King of Aragon, approved the new building on the land of the "Pia Almonia", but at the same time imposed on the city the obligation to swear allegiance to the abbot of Ripoll, as the landlord of the area, and to swear his feudal rights to respect.

The Vila Nova (New City) was built in the style of the emerging Renaissance. The Vila Vella (Old Town) waited to be rebuilt until the end of the 15th century. After this was done, the area of ​​the city had practically doubled by the 16th century, which was reflected in a significant increase in population.

In the Catalan civil war Primera Guerra dels Remences (First War of the Schollenknechte) from 1462–1464, the noble landlords and King John II faced each other. Johann II was able to pull the rebelling serfs to his side. The war and the social conflict over the serf peasants that triggered it severely affected the Garrotxa and its main town. Olot itself had been in the hands of the rebellious serfs since 1462 and was captured, looted and pillaged by the landlords in 1463 and 1464.

In the early 16th century, after wars and natural disasters were forgotten, Olot found its way back to normal urban development. The population is growing and the main buildings of the city, such as B. the main church of Sant Esteve need to be expanded. During this time, the L'Hospital de Sant Jaume (now an old people's home) and the Convent del Carme monastery were built , which is located between the Vila nova (new town) and the Vila vella (old town). This building complex consists of a late Gothic church and the monastery buildings in the Renaissance style, which is very rare in Catalonia.

The War of the Reaper (La Guerra dels Segadors) from 1640 to 1652, a terrible epidemic in 1650 that killed 2,000 in Olot alone, and the wars that followed with France brought new crises for the city from the middle of the 17th century . During the Spanish War of Succession (1701–1714), Olot sided with the Habsburgs . But it was occupied by the French field marshal Duke of Noailles (1650–1708). The city suffered tremendously from tax collections by the occupiers.

As a result of the decree Nueva Planta issued by the first Bourbon Philip V on the Spanish throne in 1616 , Olot was administratively subordinate to the district government (corregimento) in Vic . After the defeat of the Habsburg-oriented Catalans in the War of the Spanish Succession, this royal decree generally meant a far-reaching disempowerment of all Catalan cities and communities as well as the introduction of a rigid administration in the sense of absolutism. The district chief (corregidor) installed in Vic and his deputy for the districts of Olot and Camprodon were , like all his counterparts, directly responsible for the implementation of all directives of the royal administration coming from Madrid down to the municipal level. The Olot district included about another 70 villages. During this time the city went through a huge demographic and economic crisis. Of the 1200 households (fireplaces) in 1628, only 805 households remained in 1717.

The recovery resulted - as in many other parts of the country - as a result of the emerging industrialization. It is particularly evident in the reconstruction and enlargement of the two main churches, the construction of the hospice and the establishment of the drawing school in 1784. At that time, cotton was grown on a large scale in Olot near Font Moixina and made into calico and chintz (solid, printed Cotton fabrics, which were mainly marketed in the American colonies), a branch of industry that was a very important prerequisite for the textile industry that developed from this, as well as for art painting.

In 1794, during the great war, the so-called First Coalition War (1792–1797), forces from Olot stopped a French army in Capsacosta . In 1812 during the Spanish War of Independence , Olot was occupied by French troops for almost two years. During their retreat, the French destroyed the fortifications on the Montsacopa volcano.

After the return of Ferdinand VII (1784–1833) and after the Trienni Constitucional, there were heavy disputes between the liberals and the royalists. These were exacerbated by the successor problem on the Spanish throne and ultimately culminated in the Carlist Wars . The determined resistance of the city of Olot in 1835 against the attacking Carlist in the First Carlist War brought the city the Spanish title La Muy Leal ("The Most Loyal"). In 1874, during the third Carlist War, the city fell into the hands of the Carlist. Their military leader Francesc Savalls (1817–1885) built them into one of the most important Carlist strongholds in Catalonia. In 1875 Martinez de Campos came to Olot and conducted the legendary negotiations with Savalls in the Hostal de la Corda , which were to end the Carlist Wars.

In 1907 Olot was given the title of "City". In the course of the territorial reform of 1936, Olot was designated the main town of the Garrotxa. This area includes the classic Garrotxa around Besalú and the area of ​​the upper Fluvià basin around Olot. The location of Olot in a plain surrounded by mountains on all sides always posed a problem with regard to the transport infrastructure. The small mountain roads led in a star shape from Olot over passes and high valleys into the surrounding area (e.g. to Vic over the Coll d'en Bas or via the Vall d'Hostoles to Girona ). From 1911 to 1971 there was a railway connection (El tren d'Olot) over the Vall d'Hostoles, which connected the cities of Olot and Girona. Today several high-performance federal roads lead in the direction of Vic, Figueres , Girona and Camprodon / Ripoll , which were made possible by new, complex bridges and tunnels.

Traditions and festivals

The giant figures of Olot
The figure Cap de Lligamosques (head of the flycatcher)
Swimming competition on the Fluvià on August 27, 2006
  • On Mondays from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the Firalet there is a weekly market with fresh food from the area and a large number of textile and clothing stalls. This market also takes place on public holidays such as B. instead of Easter Monday.
  • On April 23, Sant Jordi (St. George's Day, patron saint of Catalonia), the Day of Lovers and the Day of the Book is traditionally celebrated in Catalonia . In all Catalan cities, including Olot on the Firal, booksellers are selling their goods at special prices at street stalls. You buy books there for yourself or give your friends a book as a present. In addition, every man gives his wife a book and a red rose on this day. This Catalan tradition was picked up by UNESCO in World Book Day in 1995 .
  • On Corpus Christi and at the city festival in honor of the Black Madonna Santa Maria del Tura on September 8th, the giant couple from Olot moves through the city center several times in pageants and accompanied by a band.
  • Swimming competition on the Fluvià: Since 1953, the Olot Swimming Club has organized a large swimming competition on the last Sunday in August every year on the 800 and 1600 m distance for all ages and also for disabled people on the dammed part of the Fluvià. At the end of the competition, water games are carried out in which the participants u. a. try to catch two ducks in the water. The festival-like competition is traditionally supported by many local companies and the families living in this area of ​​the Fluvià.
  • Every year from the beginning of December until Epiphany (January 7th), the lively nativity scene “Mostra de Pessebres a Olot” (German: Presentation of the nativity scenes from Olot) is maintained in Olot and the surrounding area.

Els Gegants d'Olot

The two giant figures made of plaster of paris and paper mache are each around four meters high and are each carried through the city by a carrier that is not visible under the figure. The Gegantessa , the female giant, weighs 89 kilograms. It was created around 1893 by the Olotens sculptor Celestí Devesa i Pinadella . The model for this was the most beautiful woman in town at the time, a tobacco seller. The Gegant , the male giant, weighs 81 kilograms, was also created around 1893 by the well-known sculptor Miquel Blay . The tradition of the dancing giants in Olot is much older. The earliest mention is in connection with the celebrations for the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1692; this tradition is likely to go back much further into the past. Except for the time of the Carlist Wars , the giants danced regularly on Corpus Christi. From 1875 until today they danced every year at the big city festival with the exception of the civil war years from 1936 to 1938. The first generation of giants was replaced around 1893 by today's giants. These current figures won a gold medal and an honorary diploma as the best folklore figures in Catalonia at a folklore competition on September 28, 1902 in Barcelona, ​​as well as many other folklore awards. The giants are always accompanied by the “Cap de Lligamosques” , the “head of the flycatcher”. The original purpose of this figure was probably to pave the way for the giants through the wondering crowds. This head especially likes to push children to the side. During the dance breaks, when the porters of the giants take drinks served by local residents, the “flycatcher's head” is put to one side. It looks like he's been beheaded. Only, he doesn't bleed and especially doesn't even lose his smile at such an action. For the actual opening of the city festival, other figures, the "representatives" of the individual districts, take part in the giants' parade. These are: the eagle, the cat, the horses, the pig, the lamb, the rabbit, the goat, the rooster, the kite and the stubborn. These figures can be admired in the course of the year at the respective district festivals. However, it is best to take a look at this whole family together at the opening of the big city festival.

Mostra de Pessebres a Olot

At eight official and many other locations in the city, citizens, artists, art and special nursery schools form and design cribs in the run-up to Christmas, which are attended by almost every family in the city and by many school classes. Nativity scenes are offered at the following locations:

  • Sala Carbonera del Teatre (Olot Municipal Theater, 5 Passeig d'en Blay)
  • Capella de Sant Ferriol (Carrer Sant Ferriol)
  • Col.legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya (Chamber of Architects of Catalonia, Girona Section, Garrotxa-Rippolès, Pl.Clarà, 12)
  • Pati de l'antic hospital Sant Jaume (inner courtyard of the Sant Jaume Hospital, Carrer Sant Rafel, no house number)
  • Casa Museu Can Trincheria (“House Trincheria” museum, an old Catalan mansion owned by the city, Carrer Sant Esteve, 29)
  • Finestres de la biblioteca Marià Vayreda (shop window of the Marià Vayreda City Library, Carrer St. Esteve)
  • Claustres del Carme (Carmen Monastery, Carrer Pare Antoni Soler, 3)
  • Església de Sant Francesc (Church of Sant Francesc on the Montsacopa volcano)

Stylistically, the nativity scenes cover a range from naturalistic and handcrafted nativity scenes (including optimal lighting technology) in the Sant Ferriol chapel to a futuristic mobile nativity scene in the Chamber of Architects. Award-winning nativity scenes are exhibited in the Sala Carbonera of the city theater. In several villages in the area around Olot such as B. in Riudaura and Santa Pau the tradition of the "living nativity scenes" (Catalan: Pessebres vivents) is maintained during the Christmas season. At night, residents of the respective village depict scenes from the Christmas Eve taking into account the respective village and the nearby nature. Every year at Christmas, the play Els Pastorets dels Olot ("The Shepherds of Olot") with scenes from the Christmas story is performed in two small theaters of the City (L'Orfeó and Center Catòlic) listed.

Culture

The school of landscape painting of the same name originated from Olot and influenced Catalan art. Even today there are numerous artists and art galleries in Olot. In connection with its landscape painting school, Olot is addressed as the city with the world's highest density of painters (per square kilometer and per inhabitant). Many citizens of the city see the latest exhibitions on Sunday evenings while strolling through the galleries and support their artists by buying pictures.

Important cultural institutions are:

  • Garrotxa Museum (Museu Comarcal de la Garrotxa, Hospici, 8, 17800 Olot, temporary exhibitions on the 2nd, permanent exhibition on the 3rd floor of the building, information on the permanent exhibition in the section "Garrotxa Museum")
  • The Museum of Saints of Olot , which sheds light on the artistic and production-related aspects of making figures of saints.
  • Volcano Museum (Museu dels Volcans) in Olot, Parc Nou, House of Volcanoes, ground floor (Casa dels Volcans). The museum is a division of the Natural History Museum of the Garrotxa (Secció de Ciències Naturals Museu Comarcal Garrotxa, Av. Santa Coloma 43, Olot).
  • Information centers on the Garrotxa Volcanoes Natural Park of the Catalan Government (Center d'Informació Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa); In addition to various illustrative material, hiking maps of the area can also be purchased here. Olot, Parc Nou, House of the Volcanoes, 1st floor (Casa dels Volcans)
  • City library (Biblioteca Marià Vayreda, Carrer St. Esteve)

The architecture office RCR Arquitectes , winner of the Pritzker Prize 2017, is based in Olot. It was involved in various buildings in Olot and the region.

Personalities

sons and daughters of the town

Personalities who worked in Olot

Head of the Olot Art Academy

Town twinning

literature

  • Ajuntament d'Olot (Municipality of Olot): Olot: can you imagine? City guide of Olot and La Garrotxa . 30 pages, n.d. (Reference: Dec. 2006 from the city's tourist office)
  • Salvador Comalat i Casalprim and Joan Oller i Guinó, Olot i el seu entorn: Textos de Joan Oller, Pròleg de Jordi Pujiula . 230 pages, editor Carme Simon (series: Llibres de Batet), Olot, 2006, ISBN 84-86626-40-4 (extensive illustrated book of Olot and the surrounding area. Catalan, English, Spanish)
  • Alexandre Cuéllar i Bassols (text) and Melció i Pujol Josep M. (photographs), Guia d'Olot i la Garrotxa . Alzamora Artgràfica, SA, 1988, ISBN 84-86377-47-1 (Guide to Olot and the Garrotxa, 254 pages, 176 color photographs, Catalan)
  • Danés i Torras, Joaquim: Llibre d'Olot . Barcelona 1960 (2nd edition), Catalan
  • Danés i Torras, Joaquim: Història d'Olot . 31 volumes, Olot (Edicions Municipals) 1977–2001, ISBN 84-400-2646-3 , Catalan
  • Grablosa, Ramon: Olot - Els homes i la ciutat (in the series: Ciutats i Paisatges). Barcelona (Editorial Selecta) 1969, Catalan
  • Carles Salmerón i Bosch, El tren d'Olot - Història del ferrocarril Olot-Girona (Vol. 1 in the series: Els trens de Catalunya), Barcelona 1984, ISBN 84-398-2678-8
  • Enciclopèdia Catalana, 1st edition, vol. 10, article "Olot", pages 736–740, Barcelona 1977, ISBN 84-85194-03-9 (for the 10th volume of the work)
  • Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2nd edition, vol. 16, article “Olot”, pages 364-367, Barcelona 1992 (5th reprint), ISBN 84-7739-014-2

Web links

Commons : Olot  - album with pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Olot  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
  2. ↑ cf. the Wiktionary article Olot .
  3. ↑ Near Montagut (de Fluvià); Today there is still a chapel from the former monastery.
  4. ↑ The Countess of Bas gave Sant Cristòfor de les Fonts - today the district of Les Fonts - and the Lords of El Coll gave the municipality of Sant Andreu.
  5. ↑ current: Mas Morató, Morató house, in Desemparats street, 103
  6. ↑ Full title: Nueva Planta de la Real Audiencia del Principiado de Cataluña
  7. ↑ Description of the effects of the Nueva Planta after: Carlos Collado Seidel: Small history of Catalonia, p. 101, Munich 2007 (Verlag CH Beck), ISBN 9783406547874
  8. ↑ See also the development of the city's population, which evidently passed a minimum around 1717 and rose steeply towards the end of the 18th century
  9. ↑ The Carlist were the supporters of the Spanish Prince Carlos (1788–1855), who did not recognize the female succession to the throne. They were unable to assert their claims to power in the bitter Carlist Wars of 1834/1840 and 1872–1876.
  10. ↑ One speaks in this context of La Muy Leal Ciudad de Olot (“The extremely loyal city of Olot”)
  11. ↑ Catalan name of the festival: Festes de la Mare de Déu del Tura after the patroness Olots
  12. ↑ See the subsection "Els Gegants d'Olot".
  13. ↑ Catalan: Club Natació Olot
  14. ↑ See the subsection Mostra de Pessebres a Olot.
  15. ↑ Miquel Blay i Fàbrega (* 1866 in Olot, † 1936 in Madrid )
  16. ↑ Description based on: Danés i Torras, Joaquim: Història d'Olot: Vol. XXVI, p. 170 ff. And Vol. XXVII, p. 17 ff.
  17. ↑ Information on specific performances refer to Christmas 2006.
  18. ^ M. Assumpcio Arnau i Prades, Joan Sala i Plana: L'art olotí en el XIX i XX . Series: Quaderns de la Revista de Girona , Girona 2013, ISBN 978-84-15808-03-9 , page 78 f., Chapter 32: Una Renovació Artística , there the reference to the "painter density"
  19. ↑ See also the Wikipedia article: Garrotxa Volcanoes Nature Reserve .