Sant Joan de les Abadesses | |
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 Map showing location within Ripollès | |
  Sant Joan de les Abadesses Location in Catalonia Show map of Province of Girona Sant Joan de les Abadesses Sant Joan de les Abadesses (Spain) Show map of Spain | |
| Coordinates:42°14′10″N2°17′12″E / 42.23611°N 2.28667°E /42.23611; 2.28667 | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Community |  Catalonia |
| Province | Girona |
| Comarca | Ripollès |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ramon Roque Riu (2015)[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 53.7 km2 (20.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 773 m (2,536 ft) |
| Population (2024)[3] | |
• Total | 3,375 |
| • Density | 62.8/km2 (163/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Santjoaní, santjoanina |
| Postal code | 17860 |
| Website | santjoandelesabadesses |
Sant Joan de les Abadesses (Catalan pronunciation:[ˈsaɲʒuˈandələzəβəˈðɛsəs]) is a town andmunicipality located in the south-east of thecomarca ofRipollès, in theprovince ofGirona,Catalonia, Spain.
The town is located along the upper part of theRiver Ter, in the valley of the same name, and enclosed by theSerra Cavallera mountain range 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 cattle.
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 theLower Paleolithic era.[1]
It seems that the area was not very much Romanized, despite the fact that a branch of theVia Augusta went up the valley towards theCol d'Ares pass through thePyrenee Mountains.
The origins of the present town lie in the founding of theMonastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses byWilfred the Hairy in 887. This was one of the firstnunneries founded inCatalonia, and its first abbess wasEmma of Barcelona, daughter of Wilfred. TheBenedictine 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 abull byPopeBenedict VIII.[2]
This expulsion initiated a period of instability that lasted until the re-establishment of canons of the order ofSaint Augustine in the 12th century and with the patronage ofRamon Berenguer III. The new Augustinian monks largely rebuilt the monastery, including new churches for the monastery itself and theparish of Saint Pol. New cultural importance and splendor was brought to the monastery in this period, as evidenced by its extensive archive oftroubadour 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 numerousmedieval guilds.
As time passed, power in the town shifted from religious to secular. The town became aCarlist capital, and suffered the consequences of wars with nearby France, as well as industrialization and social change.
In the mid-19th century, coal mining began inOgassa, precipitating the construction of a railroad from Sant Joan toBarcelona. The railroad was finished on 17 October 1880.[3] This accelerated the town's growth and industrialization. Like other towns along the Ter River, numerousfactories andindustrial colonies were built to take advantage ofhydrological power from the river. A native citizen of the town introduced concrete to theIberian Peninsula, and the town itself pioneered concrete manufacturing[4].
During theSpanish Civil War of the 1930s, the town renamed itselfPuig-Alt de Ter (High-Hill of the Ter). As the forces ofRepublican Spain retreated towards the French border, many passed through the town. 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.
Places adjacent to Sant Joan de les Abadesses | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities ofRipollès | ||
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