The name Badalona comes from ancient Iberian wordBaitolo according to the legend of several bronze coins of the end of the 2nd century BC found in the city.[3] This word was the origin of theLatin nameBaetulo that was as the Romans named the new city they founded off the coast of present Badalona. The oldest mention of the name Baetulo is fromDe Chorographia ofPomponius Mela (43–44 AD),[4] who use the same name for theBesòs river (namedBissaucio during the Middle Ages).[5] Following the Roman era, during theHigh Middle Ages the nameBaetulo evolved toBitulona, which was the most common name but not the only one, because it is found in the Latin written documents other versions asBedelona,Bitilona,Betulona,Bedalona and evenVitulona.[6] The current name is documented already in 997 and by the 14th century was the most used and generalized.[7]
The oldest traces of settlement date from theNeolithic (about 3500–2500 BC). Archaeological finds consisting of carved stone and flint tools have been discovered in the Seriol hill and Manresà areas along with tombs with grave goods in the quarters of Sistrells and Llefià. Deposits from theBronze andIron Age have been found in old brickyards (dated about 1800–1500 BC) and in themasies ofCan Butinyà andCan Mora in theCanyet quarter (1500–1100 BC).[8]
Before the Roman settlement of Hispania, the territory of Badalona was populated by Iberians who lived on the Boscà hill (198 metres above the sea level), from where it is possible to see the coastline. The settlement dates to at least the 4th century BC but was totally abandoned by the 1st century AD due toRomanization.[9][10][11] Despite the presence of the Iberians, the city's origins are usually dated to around the year 100 BC, when the Romans founded a cityex novo on Rosés hill (26,8 metres) next to the coast. The Roman town plan was based on their common scheme of thecardo anddecumanus, occupying some 10 ha, with a line of walls. The Roman city was very dynamic, especially during the reign ofAugustus, with a specialised viniculture that produced wine for export all over the empire. From the 3rd century, the city went into decline and was almost depopulated as people fled to rusticvillae.[12] However, the few remains fromLate antiquity prove that Baetulo was never abandoned.[13]
The current city of Badalona was formed in the 10th century when a new urban nucleus was built over the old Roman city and around the old forum and temple, which was turned into achurch.[13] At the same time, a rural nucleus emerged outside the town walls. This rural-urban dichotomy would remain until the mid-18th century.
During the first half of the 19th century, Badalona remained an agricultural and fishing centre. However, this changed in 1848 with the construction of the railway connecting the cities ofMataró andBarcelona, which brought a station to the village.[16] This furthered the industrialization and economic development of Badalona and led to the progressive decline of the traditional economic sectors. Due to the arrival of new industries, Badalona also became an important centre of thelabour movement.[17] Thanks to this, the village began to attract newcomers, doubling its population from 5,733 (1851) to 10,485 (1857). By the end of the century Badalona had around 19.000 inhabitants.[18] The demographic growth gave rise to urban development with anensanche plan covering all along the coast fromSant Adrià toMontgat. In 1897, the city received the title of city from the queen regentMaria Christina of Austria.[16]
The city's demographic growth continued mostly uncontrolled in the first third of the 20th century. This entailed the construction of new neighbourhoods without urban infrastructure and poor connections to the city centre.[19] During thedictatorship of Primo de Rivera the city council tried to alleviate these problems by developing infrastructure, building a new school, market and slaughterhouse and expanding the sewage network; however, this was not enough.[20] During the Second Republic, Badalona was often in turmoil, as would be the case during the civil war, when the city was bombed due to its importance as an industrial centre.[21] After the end of the war, in 1940, the mayorFrederic Xifré was executed by the Francoists.[22]
Franco's dictatorship brought about the decline of Badalona's varied pre-war cultural life. The period was also marked by the arrival of immigrants, mainly from the south of Spain, which further accelerated the city's demographic growth, precipitating the emergence ofshanty towns with unhealthy conditions. The city's population increased from 92,200 in 1960 to 201,200 only fifteen years later.[23] During the mandate of mayorFelipe Antoja, the city received poor migrants from Barcelona who lived in shanties; with the creation of poor neighbourhoods, Badalona had some of the lowest-quality housing in the country. Urban expansion also disturbed historical buildings and archaeological sites.[24]
After the death of Franco, and especially from 1979, the city found a new social vitality through the organised neighbours’ movement, which fought to improve infrastructure in their neighbourhoods, to combat real estate speculation, and to obtain urban improvements.[25] On 29 January 1976, Badalona held the first protest to be tolerated without violence from the Spanish authorities in the post-Franco era.[26] The city has also gone through a transformation from an industrial to a service economy.[16] Badalona was a subsite of the1992 Olympic Games, hosting the basketball and boxing competitions.[27] Though Badalona is included in the Barcelona conurbation, it maintains its own identity, especially in the central neighbourhoods.[28]
Badalona has 34 neighbourhoods and 6 districts.[30] Before the 20th century, the municipality was divided in 5 traditional quarters known as la Sagrera, Llefià, Sistrells, Canyet and Pomar. However, due to the growth of the population during the 20th century, the city was administratively divided into more neighbourhoods and new districts grouping each one several of them.[31] The current division is dated of 1980, except for a modification in 2011 which reduced the districts from 8 to 6.[32][33] The districts and their neighbourhoods are as follows:
The economy of Badalona is mainly based on the service sector, although traditionally was an important industrial centre. The primary sector as agriculture and fishing were also remarkable. However, those activities declined throughout the 20th century. In 2017 Badalona's GDP worth 4.122,9 million Euros,[35] of which 3.020 (79,9%) corresponds to services, 501,8 to industry (13,3%), to construction (6,9%) and a tiny part (less than 1%) to agriculture.[36]
About the primary sector, in the one hand since 2004, agriculture in Badalona basically consists only of the vineyards of the masia of Can Coll,[37] and more recently, since 2019, vineyards haven been planted next to the monastery Sant Jeroni de la Murtra by a cooperative.[38] Both farms are in the neighbourhood of Canyet. Since 2012 Badalona is part ofAlella DO.[37] On the other hand, fishing is a residual sector, the lack of a port in the city until 2005 made the fishers going to work to other ports likeBarcelona,Vilanova i la Geltrú orBlanes.[39] The port, managed by Marina Badalona, is dedicated mainly tomarina, however it also has a fishing part and a fish market,[40] but there are few fishers nowadays.[16]
Industry was a key sector in Badalona for many years, since the arrival of the train in 1848. The old village grown and appeared a lot of factories from different sectors (chemical, metallurgical, food and liquors, etc.). All changed the last decades of the 20th century, many industries left the city because the contamination. Since then Badalona developed specific industrial zones as Les Guixeres, where the city council constructed the Badalona International Business Center, with the aim of improving the services, external projection, exchanges and competitiveness in the European and American market of the companies based in Badalona. The main sectors are microelectronics and robotics, followed by packaging and aerosols, textile machinery and industrials molds.[16]
In May, in occasion of the celebration ofSaint Anastasi, the patron saint of Badalona, activities and festivals are organized all around the city. The most important celebration takes place the day beforeSaint Anastasi Day when, at night, people gather at the maritime promenade to participate in the popular Cremada del Dimoni (Devil-Burning)--similar to the famous ValencianFalles. During these festivities, theBadalona giants are exhibited.[41]
Badalona is popular stop for tourists. The city has its own touristic route featuring the old town of Dalt de la Vila with stops in the Church of Santa Maria, the Old Tower and some medieval streets, besides some modernist houses. From there and following Costa street, it shows the Baix a Mar or Centre area, which concentrates a wide range of shops, restaurants, bars, and cafes.[42] Key tourist stops include:
The city's most important sport complex is thePalau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona (Municipal Sports Palace), which won the Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. The Palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992. Nowadays, it is home of the basketball team from Badalona,Joventut Badalona, also known as la Penya. This place will also be the centre of the Badalona Capital Europea del Bàsquet, which is intended to be a theme park celebrating basketball – with a basketball museum, shopping center, cinemas, basketball courts, a harbour, indoor karting and more activities.
^Generalitat de Catalunya."Turó d'en Boscà".Inventari del patrimoni arqueològic i paleontològic de Catalunya. Retrieved28 July 2020.
^Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana."Turó d'en Boscà".Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana. Retrieved28 July 2020.
^Guitart Duran, Josep; Padrós Martí, Pepita (1987)."El poblat ibèric del turó d'en Boscà".Carrer dels Arbres. Revista anuari del Museu de Badalona.2 (3):28–33.
^Abras, Margarida; Carreras, Montserrat; Nieto, Maria Dolors (2003).Tots els carrers de Badalona. Badalona: Museum of Badalona. p. 311.ISBN84-88758-14-6.
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