Alella

Parish of San Felix

Can Lleonart

Alella is a municipality in the El Maresme region. Belonging to the province of Barcelona in the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain. The town is located in a mountainous area, about 2 kilometers from the sea and about 18 kilometers from Barcelona.

History

The current municipality of Alella is documented for the first time in the year 975. The second historical citation is from 980 in which it is cited as Alela and Elella. It was always under the jurisdiction of the county of Barcelona although the rights were ceded on several occasions.

There were the lords of the House of Alella who owned various farmhouses and land, in addition to enjoying the usufruct of a third of the tithes of the parish. The first to enjoy these conditions were the Banyeres family, according to documents from the 13th century. From the fourteenth century and for more than two centuries, the rights went to the Desplà, a family lineage that gave some important names such as Joan Desplà, adviser to Martín el Humano.

The rights passed in 1528 to the Gralla family; at the end of the 16th century to the Montcada family until Joan B. de Mata acquired them in 1670. In the middle of the 19th century, the rights were bought by Gil Bonaventura Fabra. In 1889 the Marquesate of Alella was granted to his nephew, the industrialist Camilo Fabra.

Demographics

Church of San Felix.

• Alella demographic evolution from 1998 to 2006

Culture

The parish church is dedicated to San Félix de Gerona. It was built on top of a primitive Romanesque construction of which the first bodies of the bell tower with Lombard arcuations are still preserved. In the 15th century, a first extension was carried out, to which the presbytery corresponds. The façade corresponds to the second extension, carried out in 1611. It is in the Renaissance style. Antoni Gaudí carried out a project for the Santísimo chapel that was never developed. The original sketch is preserved in the parish archive.

The bells in the tower come from the old tower of Viceroy Amat and were made in Lima. Although various pieces of value were kept inside the temple, they disappeared in 1936. This is the case of an altarpiece from 1512 made by Pere Torrent. In the apse of the church there is a stela in memory of Gaudí who spent long stays in this town.

In the surroundings of Alella there are interesting farmhouses, some from the XIV century.

It celebrates its main festival on August 1, the day of Saint Felix. In September the grape harvest festival is celebrated with wine samples and popular activities. On the second Sunday of June, the aplec de l’arròs takes place, a day in which a gastronomic rice competition is held.

Buildings of interest

• Church of San Felix, Romanesque construction
• Cal Marquis, classic building
• Casa Alella or the Four Towers, eclectic building (sixteenth century)XIX)
• Pías or Cal Governor Schools, Neoclassical-Historicist Building (XIX century)
• Masía Can Magarola

Illustrious people

• Francisco Ferrer Guardia
• Fernando Fabra and Puig
• Marc Cucurella Susaeta

Economy

Alella's agriculture is mainly based on wine production. There is a significant production of wine, preferably white, with its own denomination of origin: Alella. The Cooperativa Alella Vinícola, founded in 1906, is the main producer and was one of the first cooperative wineries in Catalonia. The wine of the Alella Denomination of Origin (D.O. Alella) comes from the vineyards cultivated in the town of Alella itself, and also from the neighboring municipalities of Tiana, Montgat, El Masnou, Teiá, and others. Ornamental flowers are also cultivated, mainly roses and carnations. In recent years it has grown a lot as a residential center due to its proximity to Barcelona.

Municipal elections

• Results of the 2019 municipal elections.