Esplugues de Llobregat


Esplugues de Llobregat is a municipality of the Barcelona metropolitan area. Formerly in the Barcelonès, since 1990 it has been part of the comarca of Baix Llobregat. During recent decades Esplugues has evolved from a predominantly industrial town to a more diverse service area, preserving, however, its cultural and historical identity.
It is known for its characteristic old quarter, the only one in the Baix Llobregat area with such evocative and romantic areas. The winding Carrer de Montserrat goes through the sprawling architectural complex built between 1968 and 2017 by sculptor Xavier Corberó. The mansion of Can Cortada was home to the Baron Maldà, author of Calaix de Sastre, the most representative work of Catalan literature of the late 18th century. Esplugues holds a remarkable natural area with parks and green spaces such as the Park of Solidarity, the Park of Torrents and the Can Vidalet Park. From the mountain of Sant Pere Màrtir, it is possible to enjoy a picturesque viewpoint of the entire town.
The German School of Barcelona and the American School of Barcelona are located in town and attract wealthy expatriate families. Due to its proximity to the Camp Nou stadium, many famous footballers reside in Esplugues, such as Gerard Piqué, Andrés Iniesta, and Dani Alves, as well as the motorcycle racer Sete Gibernau, the former World Number 1 tennis player Arantxa Sánchez, and other personalities in Spanish showbiz.
WWW esplugues.cat

City connection

Esplugues de Llobregat has an excellent road network, being connected to the highways B-20 and B-23, the N-340 road, and its location right across from the Avinguda Diagonal, the most important avenue in Barcelona. The city resides away from the Airport of Barcelona, it is away from the port of Barcelona, and away to the Catalan capital downtown.
It is linked to Barcelona through the following bus lines: 57, 63, 67, 68, 157, metropolitan buses, and T1, T2 and T3 Trambaix lines. The only metro station in the area is Can Vidalet, on the L5 line. Two other stops are under construction and will be opened in 2018.

History

At the summit of Sant Pere Màrtir mountain, remains of Iberian pottery have been found, although no structural remains have been discovered. Esplugues de Llobregat has been documented since the year 964, in a will that mentions houses, vineyards, and orchards but does not reference any population center. It was not until 1096 that a territorial delimitation was recorded, noting around ten houses and approximately fifty inhabitants.
No remains of the small church from that time have survived, but it is known that it was very small, Romanesque, and had a modest bell gable. Dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, it was consecrated in 1103 by Bishop Berenguer of Barcelona. In the 12th century, the most influential family was the Picalquers, who owned most of the land in the area, including the Castle of Picalquers. During the Middle Ages, Esplugues was organized around two centers: the "sagrera," which housed the church and several farmhouses, and the Raval area, where the castle and an old inn were located.
It was not until the 18th century, with the construction of the Royal Road, that the town center shifted towards this new route, causing the old Raval nucleus to lose prominence. Evidence of this transformation includes the construction of a new inn and the emergence of workers' houses on both sides of the road. By the 20th century, Esplugues transitioned from a village to a town, particularly from the 1950s onward, when its population grew from 5,000 inhabitants to 49,000 by 1990.
In recent decades, Esplugues has evolved from an industrial town into a service-oriented one, notable for its proximity to Barcelona. This has led to housing prices becoming, on average, among the highest in Spain.

Demography

The municipality has a population of 46,447.

Public Art

The municipality boasts numerous works of public art in its streets, squares, parks, and gardens. Can Vidalet Park features a Nymph by an unknown artist located in a small pond, as well as a Maternity by Eulàlia Fàbregas de Sentmenat and I Only Want to Become What I Am Not. Similarly, Solidaridad Park features the works Atrium Libertatis and Between Dream and Desire. Likewise, in the gardens of Ca n'Hospital, we find four sculptures by Eulàlia Fàbregas. Other gardens with sculptural presence are those of the Robert Brillas Cultural Centre: Woman with a Guitar and Commemoration of the Arrival of the Canigó Flame.
As for public roads, it is worth highlighting works such as: Montesa Prototype 1947-1970, Esplugas in the Lower Llobregat, Homage to Laureà Miró, To the Master, Plenitude, Argo, Commemoration of the Constitution and Soul. The town has several sculptures by Eulàlia Fàbregas de Sentmenat: apart from those already mentioned in the parks of Can Vidalet and Ca n'Hospital, there are Alba, Allegory and Female Nude. It is also worth highlighting the presence in several areas of the city of works by Xavier Corberó, an artist who settled in the city, where he had his home-studio and who bequeathed several works to the municipality: Samurai, Familia, Encuentro and the groups formed by La Ben Plantada, Jordi, José and Concepción and La Cinteta, Eulàlia and Doloretes.

Education

International schools in the municipality include:

Twin towns

Notable people