Sabadell

Sabadell Water Tower.

Sabadell is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Barcelona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia (Spain). It is currently co-capital of the Vallés Occidental region, together with Tarrasa. It is the fifth municipality in Catalonia by population, with 216,520 inhabitants (INE 2020).

The city was a pioneer in the Industrial Revolution in Catalonia within the textile sector and in the middle of the XIX century it became the the most important wool city in Spain; in fact, it was known by the name of "Catalan Manchester" in the second half of the XIX century. you can see numerous chimneys and steam, many of them converted into places of social services such as libraries or youth areas. This textile heritage has left a marked industrial character in the city. Over the last decades, Sabadell has been diversifying around the service sector.

Toponymy

There are various theories about the origin of the name of Sabadell. The first two are the most popular:

• From «bar» (“cebolla”), as it appears drawn on the city’s shield.
• The day of the week when the market was held: on Saturday, "dissabte" in Catalan, "sabbatum" in Latin ("sabbatellum" is its diminutive).
• The creation of a hostel by a neighbour from Collsabadell (Eastern Valley). This hostel subsequently gave rise to the inhabited core.
• The name comes from the church of San Salvador. Salvadorell a Salvadell and Sabadell).
• From the Latin vadum or badallum (washed) through the slope to cross the river Ripoll.
• From the Latin expression ipso uadell, taken from a document where we speak of the area of Sant Julià d'Altura.
• Formerly Sabadell hosted many shoemakers (“zapato” in Catalan is “sabata»).

In Spanish, the place name is pronounced as [saβaˈðel]. In the Ortografía of the RAE, nouns that end in -ll are pronounced as if it were a single -l. In Catalan it is pronounced [səβəˈðeʎ]. Its inhabitants are known as Sabadellenses (in Catalan sabadellencs/sabadellenques).

Symbols

The heraldic shield that represents the city was officially approved in 1993 with the following coat of arms:

Flooded spit in the right angles: at the first, of silver, an onion ripped from siple, and at the second, of gold, four sticks of gules. To the bell a city wall crown.

Official Journal of the Generality of Catalonia no. 1704 of 5 February 1993

The onion is the traditional speaking signal, since 1560, referring to the name of the city, and it is also an allusion to the humble origins of the population, with its agricultural market (although nowadays Sabadell is an important industrial and services). The four suits of Aragon remind us that the city belonged to the Crown of Aragon; in fact, it was sold by Roger Bernardo III de Foix in 1366 to Eleanor of Sicily, wife of Pedro IV of Aragon. The king sold it again, this time to the city of Barcelona, and it returned to the Crown definitively in 1473.

The flag of Sabadell is made up of two stripes, one white over one green (crossed by another yellow stripe). It was designed to order in 1928.

Geography

Extension of the municipal term in the province of Barcelona

Sabadell is located in the center of the Vallés Occidental region, next to the Ripoll river. It limits to the north with the municipality of Castellar del Vallés and Senmanat, to the west with Tarrasa and San Quirico de Tarrasa, to the east with Polinyá and Santa Perpetua de Moguda, and to the south with Barberá del Vallés, Badía del Vallés and Sardañola del Vallés.

Northwest: Tarrasa	North: Castellar del Vallés	Northeast: Senmanat
West: Tarrasa		This: Polinyá
Southwest: San Quirce del Vallés and Sardañola del Vallés	South: Badía del Vallés and Barberá del Vallés	Sureste: Santa Perpetua de Moguda

Climate

Regarding the climates of Catalonia, it forms part of the Central Pre-coastal Mediterranean climate subgroup. Summers are quite hot and humid, with prevailing easterly winds, and winters are mild. Sabadell's location in the pre-coastal valleys causes episodes of fog to occur in anticyclonic situations, especially in areas close to the Ripoll river.

The average precipitation is 611 mm per year, with autumn and spring being the rainiest periods historically in stormy situations. During the winter, weak rainfall is common, the product of Atlantic fronts and retrograde situations with Mediterranean storms that give episodes of rain with generous amounts and without great intensities, with a lot of wind. The driest months, June, July and December, are not extremely dry, so the rains in these months are not uncommon.

The historical records in terms of temperature are 43 °C in July 1982 and -12.6 °C in February 1956. Another notable episode is 42.6 °C on June 28, 2019. Regarding rains, the episodes of 1962 stand out, the worst floods in the history of the Iberian Peninsula.

Anthropogenic global warming has had notable effects on the local climate. Until 1982, the city had never documented 40 °C, a figure reached on several occasions later. Along with the phenomenon known as "island of heat", winter frosts have decreased to almost derisory numbers, and minimum temperatures have risen around 3 °C compared to the average for the period 1897-1979. days of observed snow, reducing from 6 days to less than 1, on an annual average. Rainy and stormy days are also reduced, observing fundamental changes in storm circulations both in spring and autumn. Yes, the averages of water fallen per day increase.

Average Sabadell climate parameters
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	8.00	9.10	10.90	1 p.m.	16.60	20.30	23.40	23.00	20.40	16.30	11.30 a.m.	8.30	15.1
Total precipitation (mm)	41.30	29.10	41.60	57.70	57.30	53.30	25.30	52.50	96.90	75.00	55.50	61.60	647.1
Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment. Precipitation data (1961-1979) and temperature (1961-1979)

Communications

Transport is managed by the company TUS (Not to be confused with Tus Santander) and has seventeen urban bus lines on weekdays:

On Sundays the previous sixteen lines do not run, but the following six lines run:

Special lines

In several major festivals (Of different years) two night bus lines were put into service:

• At Sabadell's major party of 2021 and 2022, a special shuttle line was put into service that joined the boat of the Catalonia park with La Font de Can Rull.

There are several intercity bus lines that leave or pass through it in the direction of other towns: (Castellar del Vallés, Tarrasa, Barcelona...) operated by Sarbus, from the Moventis group. The intercity lines with the most passengers:^{[citation required]}

• Line B1: Sabadell (Eje Macià)-Barberá del Vallés-Badía (Time frequency: 20 minutes wait) (laborables)
• Line B2: Sabadell (Axis Macià)-Barberá del Vallés-Sardañola del Vallés-Ripollet (Time frequency: 20 minutes wait)
• Line A1: Sabadell (Can Deu)-Barberá del Vallés-Barcelona (hour frequency: 30 minutes wait) (laborables)

Renfe's Cercanías railway line R4, with three stations (South, Center and North), which connects the city with Barcelona to the south and with Tarrasa and Manresa to the north. It is a line with a frequency of 15 minutes by train.

There is also another line of the Ferrocarriles de la Generalitat de Catalunya (S2), which connects the city with the Autonomous University and other towns such as Sant Cugat and Barcelona. Within the city it has a total of five stations (Can Feu-Gracia, Plaza Major, Cruz Alta, Sabadell Norte and Sabadell Parque del Norte).

Airport

Sabadell airport has a 1050x30 m runway. It is an airport for general aviation, basically small planes operate. This airport is home to the first flying club in Spain, the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell, with more than 1,000 members and more than 10,000 hours flown annually.

Roads

• C-58: highway that runs through Sabadell in the west and communicates it with Tarrasa and Barcelona. The West Round, or C-58C, communicates the highway to the north of Sabadell.
• N-150: National road that runs through Sabadell through the center of the municipality and communicates it with Tarrasa and C-17.
• BV-1248: local road that communicates Sabadell with Matadepera.
• B-124: communicates Sabadell with Castellar del Vallés, San Lorenzo Savall and Calders.
• C-1413a: crosses Sabadell to unite Caldas de Montbuy and Molins de Rey.
• B-140: local road connecting Sabadell with Mollet del Vallès.
• BV-1414: local road connecting Sabadell to San Cugat del Vallés through the UAB.

History

Church of San Felix

Prehistory

The first inhabitants of the Vallès region were farmers and ranchers who settled in the area 7,000 years ago. In fact, in the area of Can Roqueta, remains have been discovered that make Sabadell the most important settlement of peasants and shepherds from between 3,800 and 2,700 years ago.

Ancient Age

With the Romanization, the Iberian culture disappeared from the area, which was replaced by the Roman culture in just a century and a half. In Vallès, from the I century a. C., the first Roman settlements begin to appear, some on old existing Iberian establishments (such as La Salut).

The I century, with Augustus as emperor, was a time of economic prosperity and also a time of They founded some industrial, residential and cultivation complexes, most of them dedicated to the production of wine. Among the towns of Vallés, La Salut stands out, although Castellarnau and Can Feu have also been found nearby. In Vicarello's famous ex-votos there is a reference to a town or population with the name Arragonem. Traditionally, the birth of the city of Sabadell has been associated with the Arragonem (Arraona) mansion, despite the fact that no archaeological evidence proves it, the toponymy of the site and the historiographical tradition place this Roman fundus in the current Parque de la Salud. Arragonem was a stopping place for the provisioning of the cavalries and the travelers who traveled along the Via Augusta.

Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, the population center was located on the right bank of the Ripoll river, with some first buildings built next to the chapel of San Salvador (current church of San Félix), documented since 1076. Next to the The first flour mills were also built on the river. The first references to a market near Sant Salvador date from 1069. The first time the name of Sabadell appears is in 1050, when a road between Sabadell and San Cugat del Vallés is mentioned.

In the XIV century, Sabadell became a royal town, obtaining privileges that revitalized the social and economic life. In 1369, in Sabadell there were 162 fires. During this time houses were counted by fires. The city was surrounded by walls, moats and gates.

Already in the XV century, Sabadell suffered a demographic decline, going from 800 inhabitants to about 500, who were concentrated in the current historic center, an important crossroads. At this time the border with the municipality of Tarrasa reached Calle de los Valles. In addition to agricultural and commercial activities, industry was also developed in Sabadell. Next to the Ripoll river, the first rag mills were built.

Modern Age

Between the 16th and XVIII, Sabadell begins to grow beyond the walls. From an area of 37,900 m² in the XVI century, it reached 78,272 m² in the XVIII.

The most important textile industry during the 16th centuries, XVII and XVIII was the wool, followed (at a great distance) by the of linen weaving. In 1559 the Gremi de Paraires (later called the Gremi de Fabricants) was created to establish the rules of the trade and promote the growth of textile activity. Throughout the 18th century Sabadell had other important industrial activities, such as pottery and stationery.

Contemporary Ages

19th century

During the XIX century, it became an industrial city, highlighting the installation of the first steam engine in a factory (1838) and the founding of the Society of Lovers of Agriculture and Industry of the City of Sabadell, which was concerned with the water supply for industry and the population, always a serious issue for Sabadell.

From the 2,000 inhabitants that there were at the beginning of the century, it rises to 23,294 (1900 census). The municipal term grows and expands from Les Valls street to the current Zamenhof roundabout and Vilarrubias street.

In terms of infrastructure, during the second half of the century the train line that connected it with Barcelona and Tarrasa arrived in the city, public lighting was installed in the streets of the center (first gas and later electric). and the first sewers were built.

Central offices of Banco Sabadell in Plaza Catalunya

Two financial institutions were born during the second half of the century: Caixa d'Estalvis de Sabadell (1859) and Banco Sabadell (1881), as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (1886), currently the economic entity -most representative business of the city and its area of influence. In the cultural field, it is worth noting the renovation of the Principal Theater (1866) and the foundation of the Academy of Fine Arts (1880).

In 1877, by royal decree of King Alfonso XII, the town of Sabadell obtained the title of city. At that time it had about 18,000 inhabitants, a number that will increase with immigration from the rest of Catalonia, Alicante, Murcia and Valencia. Economic activity is basically developed around the textile industry. The specialization in the production of wool fabrics transforms Sabadell into the first wool textile center in the State.

20th century

At the beginning of the XX century, it was the city of the textile industry par excellence, constituting the industrial engine in a poor territory For nature. The population multiplied by eight and the city experienced a great industrial boost, especially in textiles and metallurgy, its economy was also modernized with services. The great industrial activity caused a migratory avalanche during the decades of the 50s, 60s and early 70s, causing an urban expansion without order or concert from which new neighborhoods were born such as Ca n'Oriac and Torre- Romeu.

Water tower (the most emblematic building of Sabadell and considered symbol of the city)

Emblematic buildings such as the modernist Hotel Suís (1902), Despatx Lluch (1908), Caixa d'Estalvis de Sabadell (1915), Torre de l'Aigua (1918) and the Central Market (1930), were built during the first half of the century.

In 1943 the Provincial Council elected by majority its mayor José María Marcet Coll for the position of attorney in Cortes in the I Legislature of the Spanish Cortes (1943-1946), representing the municipalities of this province.

The end of the Franco dictatorship is a period of great turbulence in Sabadell. Entities, neighborhood movements and political and union groups are involved in favor of democracy (PSUC, CCOO, UGT, USO, etc.). The economic crisis of the 1970s affects numerous companies in the city, which end up closing. After the municipal elections of 1979, a new city model was proposed.

Part of the Macià axis and lake of the park of Catalonia. At the bottom of the Millenium Tower

Between 1980 and 1999 the City Council, headed by its charismatic mayor Antoni Farrés, had the great challenge of urbanizing the city and creating public facilities. The uncontrollable growth of recent years had generated neighborhoods that did not have the necessary urban infrastructure (lighting, sewers, street paving, etc.).

The appearance of the municipality has evolved from the prestigious chimneys of factories like Vapor Llong, to ultra-modern buildings, like the Millennium Tower. Two new public parks were inaugurated in 1992: Parque Cataluña, one kilometer long by 500 m wide, and Taulí park.

The tertiarization of the economy causes the main activities of the service sector to increase in number of workers. The three main activities are retail trade, financial institutions and wholesale trade. The Macià Axis (urban road that connects Plaça de Cataluña with Plaça de la Concordia) has become a service center that brings together the commercial and business offer. The urban change in the historic center of the city has led to its economic reactivation in a certain sense, allowing the transition from the old industrial and worker center to this new economy of the tertiary sector.

The city incorporates the newly created neighborhood: Can Llong, and begins the recovery of the Ripoll river environment with the creation of a river park.

Sabadell was in the XIX and XX a city dedicated to textile production. One of the most important families in the history of Sabadell has been the Turull family and many more families that have dedicated themselves to textiles.

21st century

Sabadell intends to take on the challenges of the future with a series of projects that refer to new information and communication technologies. Gran Vía Digital, aims to encourage the installation of companies linked to new technologies; the health park will be a macro center for training and research in medicine and pharmacy; the City of Music will offer the city new facilities, such as a space to host congresses, a new theatre, a new music school and a new hotel.

Sabadell is a city without ring roads, which affects mobility, since a large part of the traffic has to pass through internal roads. It is possible that the construction of the projected Ronda Oest and Ronda del Ripoll could alleviate this situation, as well as the improvement of the deficient railway network that could be used to balance the traffic problem.

The evolution of the city improves at times since the XX century. Illustrious people have been met and buildings have been built with their names, such as Doctor Crusafont, the name given to a museum and paleontological laboratory. It is in this museum where the remains of the new species of primate known by the name of Pau were analyzed.

Demographics

In 2017 the municipality —which has an area of 37.53 km²— counts, according to the municipal register for 2017 of the INE, with 209,931 inhabitants and a density of 5,593.69 inhabitants/km².

Graphic of demographic evolution of Sabadell between 1842 and 2017

Rule population (1842-1897, except 1857 and 1860, which is a de facto population) according to population censuses of the nineteenth century.Population of law (1900-1991) or registered resident population (2001 and 2011) according to INE population censuses. Population according to the 2017 municipal plan of the INE.

Population by districts

Source: Idescat 2019

Administration and politics

Municipal government

The current mayoress, Marta Farrés Falgueras, belongs to the Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (PSC-PSOE).

City of Sabadell

Territorial organization

The seven districts of Sabadell

The city is divided into seven districts. Each district has one or more sectors, which in turn are made up of one or more neighborhoods.

Culture

Cultural activity in the city of Sabadell is varied. In the field of theater, the Joventut de la Farandula, the Center P. Sant Vicenç and the Teatre del Sol stand out. In the field of music, it has various choral entities such as L'orfeó de Sabadell, the Coral Belles Arts, the Lieder Camera choir founded and directed until very recently by Josep Vila, current director of the Orfeó Català, the Amics de l'Òpera de Sabadell directed by Mirna Lacambra, and the Sabadell Musicians Coordinator chaired by Jordi Mas de who organize events such as the Sabadell Festival, the traveling SAM festival, the music contest Fes-te sentir!!, Music Day or an exchange program with other cities. In the field of science, the Sabadell Astronomical Association stands out.

On the other hand, in cultural traditions there are the Castellers de Sabadell, nicknamed “saballuts”, and the Colla dels Bastoners de Sabadell, the city's bastonera group. Finally, it is worth noting the birth of Marc Ferrer, a neighbor from Sabadell, a pioneer in driving the new nouvelle vage that is growing in Barcelona.

Sports

In 1992 it was the Olympic venue for the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. The Nova Creu Alta football stadium in Sabadell was remodeled and adapted for the Olympic Games. Currently, after promotion to the Second Division and the pertinent modifications, it has a capacity for 11,981 spectators.

Original Shield of the Sabadell F.C

Sabadell has various teams in high-level sports competitions, such as football, the CE. Sabadell plays in the Spanish Smartbank (2A) league, and spent 14 seasons in the First Division, 39 in the Second Division, and even took part in one edition of the Fairs Cup (a competition that was partly replaced by the Europa League). and played in the final of the 1935 President's Cup.

In basketball, the city has the Club Esportiu Sant Nicolau as its main reference, its senior men's team playing in the EBA League and the women's team in the Catalonia Cup. UB Sabadell, which disappeared, played in the Adecco Plata League, the third level of the Spanish basketball league.

Other important sports entities in the city are the Sabadell Swimming Club (CNS), with more than 30,000 members, and the Sabadell Hiking Union (UES), with almost 3,000. Sabadell has obtained numerous titles in water polo. The women's team has been four times European champion and thirteen times champion of the Spanish league.

There is also a great athletic tradition with three athletics teams, the CNS, California Sports and Juventud Atlética Sabadell.

In 2014, the Sabadell Rugby Club was founded, the first rugby team in the city, which in 2021 qualified for the first time in its history to compete in the Catalan Division of Honor, the highest category at the regional level.

Local festivals

Aplec de la Salut, at the bottom you can see the sanctuary

• Aplec de la Salut: it is Monday after the second Sunday of May. The Aplec de la Salut is considered the second largest festival of Sabadell and is one of the oldest manifestations of the city, with more than 300 years of history. The place where the Sanctuary of the Salut is currently located welcomed, during the lower Middle Ages, the hermitage of Sant Iscle and Santa Victoria. The many plague epidemics that Sabadell suffered in the centuryXVII They forced this hermitage to take care of all the potential affected. A hermit of Sant Iscle allegedly found an image of the Virgin near the source of the river of Canyameres and that source was baptized as the Source of Health because the water that came out was attributed healing powers. The image was taken to the hermitage and consolidated as a pity of the Virgin of Health, to which the entire population entrusted to protect it from the plague. From there comes an ancient popular saying in Catalan that says: " Val més La Salut que tot Sabadell "(More Health than all Sabadell.) At the end of the centuryXVIIIthe Aplec was known by the name of “Plumana». Families went on foot to the hermitage to dance, play and share festive meals. During the second half of the centuryXIX, the Aplec was taking more prominence within the city's public calendar, coinciding with a refurbishment of the place. The old hermitage was almost in ruins and in 1972 the City Council proposed the demolition and construction of a new-floor temple. After various difficulties the building was built in 1879 by the architect Carles Gauran.

• Feast of Sabadell: weekend after the first Friday of September.
• Every neighborhood in Sabadell has its own big party.

Museums

Paleontological Institute
Doctor Miquel Crusafont

Gas Museum

Sabadell History Museum

Permanent exhibitions:

Sabadell Art Museum

Permanent exhibitions:

Instituto Paleontológico Dr. Miquel Crusafont

Dedicated to the research and dissemination of paleontological materials, especially fossil vertebrates. The Institute preserves the best collection of fossil mammals in the state and one of the most important in the world.

Gas Museum of the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation

It is the only one in Spain dedicated to the gas industry.

Twin cities

Notable people