La Jonquera | |
|---|---|
 Panorama of theRequesens Castle | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  La Jonquera Location in Catalonia Show map of Province of Girona La Jonquera La Jonquera (Spain) Show map of Spain | |
| Coordinates:42°25′11″N2°52′31″E / 42.41972°N 2.87528°E /42.41972; 2.87528 | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Community |  Catalonia |
| Province |  Girona |
| Comarca |  Alt Empordà |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Sònia Martínez Juli (2015)[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 56.9 km2 (22.0 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 110 m (360 ft) |
| Population (2018)[3] | |
• Total | 3,233 |
| • Density | 57/km2 (150/sq mi) |
| Demonyms | Jonquerenc, jonquerenca, jonquereño, jonquereña |
| Website | www |
La Jonquera (Catalan pronunciation:[ləʒuŋˈkeɾə]; Spanish:La Junquera)[4] is amunicipality in thecomarca ofl'Alt Empordà, inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated next to the border withNorthern Catalonia, nowadaysFrance, opposite the municipality ofLe Perthus.
The area has always been an important passage through thePyrenees. The contemporary AP-7 highway extends not far from the ancient Roman road, the Via Augusta. Nearby there is an altar erected by Pompey on the Coll de Panissars. The name comes precisely from the Roman mansion of Iuncaria, which is not located under the current population but several kilometers away, inFigueras.6
La Junquera was the scene of a conflict involving retreating Frenchcrusaders in 1285 that ended in their defeat.
From the 13th century until the end of themanorial regime, in the mid-19th century, it was the possession of the Rocabertí family. The Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) placed the new border between the Spanish and Frenchmonarchies in the Albera mountain range, a fact that marked the subsequent history of La Junquera.
List of toponyms inLa Jonquera (Topography: mountains, ranges, hills, places...; hydrography: rivers, fountains...; buildings: houses, farmhouses, churches, etc.).
It is located at the northern end of theAlt Empordà, on the border with thenorthern Catalan region ofVallespir through the Pertús Pass, the current border between theSpanish andFrench states. Crashed in theSierra de l'Albera.Cork oak forests predominate there.
The old town ofRequesens (to the east of the town) has been part of theAlbera Natural Site of National Interest since 1986.
TheN-II road and theAP-7 highway (access exit number 2) connect La Jonquera with the rest of the region andCatalonia, and give it access to one of the main international communication routes between theSpanish states andFrench.
La Jonquera (2,888 inhabitants in the village) has 4 civil parishes (poblaciones). The village ofEls Límits is situated on the French-Spanish border, contiguous to its Frenchtwin town,Le Perthus.
| Village | Population (2005) |
|---|---|
| Canadal | 9 |
| Els Límits | 115 |
| Requesens | 0 |
| Sant Julià | 4 |
The shield of La Jonquera is a cantoned shield, made of silver, a bundle of reeds made of chinople with a gold binding. The shield is crowned by a villa mural crown. The reeds are a traditional speaking element, related to the name of the town.
The shield was approved on 17 December 1990.
Castles declared cultural assets of national interest:
Romanesque hermitages:
Megalithic monuments:
The area around La Jonquera was seriously affected byfatal wildfires that devastated large swathes of forestry innorthern Catalonia in July 2012.[5]
| 1900 | 1930 | 1950 | 1970 | 1986 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1588 | 1273 | 1199 | 1964 | 2582 | 3075 |
Rainfed farming andcork handling were traditionally the most important economic activities. At present, the basis of the municipal economy is the activity derived from the Portús customs office - the name of the town of Pertús inEmporda, part of which (the Límits district) belongs toLa Jonquera.
The New York Times reported that one of Europe's largest brothels opened in La Jonquera in 2010, taking advantage ofEurope's open borders and "tax laws". Many of its clients reportedly come from France, whereprostitution was made illegal in April 2016. According to the paper, "Advocates and police officials say that most of the women are controlled by illegal networks — they are modern-day slaves."[6]
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