L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat or L'Hospitalet is a city to the immediate southwest of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, and the second largest in Catalonia by population. L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is notable for being one of the most densely populated cities not just in Spain but also in the European Union.

History and toponymy

The first records of the settlement date to the Neolithic era with artefacts showing human habitation in the Llobregat river area. Roman artefacts have been found dating to the 2nd century BC such as a funeral decoration representing the head of Medusa now in the archaeological museum of Barcelona. However it is not until the 10th century that written references to Provençana (the city's original name) appear. The current name originates from the Catalan language and derives from a hostel next to the Church 'Santa Eulalia de Provençana' used by pilgrims in the Middle Ages. The city retained the character of a village until the 19th century when the first textile factories were built causing a population boom. The 1960s and 1970s saw a second population boom, caused by immigration from poorer regions of Spain: however this was not matched by construction of the necessary amenities and it was only in the 1990s that public investment resulted in additional schools, leisure facilities and housing.

The Swedish painter and anarchist, Ivan Aguéli, died there, being killed by a train, in 1917.

Administrative Units

• District I
• El Centre

El Centre is the historical center of the city, the oldest neighbourhood, where the City Council is, as well as the center of activities such as La Farga and many of the cultural buildings, such as the History Museum, the Can Sumarro library, the cultural center Barradas or the Sala Alexandre Cirici. It borders the district of Sanfeliu and Can Serra to the north, Bellvitge to the south, Sant Josep to the east, and the city of Cornellà de Llobregat to the west.

• Sant Josep

Sant Josep remains framed by the square that is formed by the avenue of the Fabregada and that of Isabel la Catòlica to the west, the Torrent Gornal to the east, the railroad on the north side Carrilet to the south. In this area, all the industrial activities that Hospitalet had through the ages left their mark: from the flour mills and the distilleries, up to the different energetic exploitation of the waterfalls of the Canal de la Infanta or the ceramic, textile, metallurgical and chemical industries. In fact, Sant Josep was originally an industrial suburb, but the subsequent disappearance of many factories, as well as the population increase , have given it a residential character.

• Sanfeliu

Economy

Spanair has its head office in the Spanair Building in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat.

(c) wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Hospitalet_de_Llobregat