Discover - Sabadell

Sabadell
Discover
Index
Mayor's introduction ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … ... … 5
History of Sabadell ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 7
The first settlers ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
From its origins to the industrial city ... … … … … … … … … … … …
1900-1979, the great period of growth and the crisis ... … … … …
The development towards a city of services ... … … … … … … … ..
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9
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Two great future projects ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … 10
The City of Music ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 10
Sant Pau de Riu-sec ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 11
Historical heritage ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 12
Historic sites in the City ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 13
Historic sites in the surrounding areas ... … … … … … … … … … … 22
The museums … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. 28
Sabadell History Museum … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .
Sabadell Art Museum… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .
The Miquel Crusafont Palaeontological Institute … … … … … … … .
Rural Life Museum (Caixa Sabadell Nature Area) … … … … … … … .
The Historical Archives of Sabadell … … … … … … … … … … … … …
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Sabadell is a city with an intense cultural life … … … … … .. 32
Celebrations in Sabadell … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..
Live arts in the city … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The Vapor Badia Library, more than a place to read … … … … … …
A wide range of activities for children … … … … … … … … … … … …
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The parks … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. 40
Catalunya Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Romeua Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..
Odessa Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Aigües Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .
The future Can Gambús Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
North Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..
The Vallès Central Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The Ripoll River Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The Sabadell Agrarian Park … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
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The sports facilities … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 48
La Bassa, Sabadell´s Recreation Park … … … … … … … … … … … … 49
Josep Molins Athletic Stadium … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 50
Projects for the future … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 51
Shops, markets and services … … … … … … … … … … … … … 42
Sabadell, a commercial city to stroll around in … … … … … … … …
The markets … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..
The itinerant markets … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..
The hotels … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ..
The restaurants … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .
Night life … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .
The fairs … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. ..
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Discover the Ripoll River and the surrounding area (Routes) … . 62
Welcome to Sabadell
General information about Sabadell
The municipality of Sabadell had a total area of 37.87 km2 and a population of
201,712 on the 1st of January, 2007.
The highest part of the city, to the northwest is 310 meters above sea level while
the lowest part, in the south east is 131 meters above sea level.
local festivals
Aplec de la Salut,
the Monday following the second Sunday in May.
Fiesta Major, (main Annual Festival)
from the first Friday in September to the following Monday.
how to get to Sabadell
• By train
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
There are two stations in Sabadell: Sabadell Estació and Sabadell Rambla, on
line S2 of the Vallès Metro.
Renfe
Sabadell has three Renfe stations: Sabadell Sud, Sabadell Centre and Sabadell
Nord, on the Renfe suburban line C4.
• By bus
Sabadell is connected to the inter-city lines from Barcelona and with 14 towns in
the area.
Information:
Sabadell Bus Station • C. de l'Estació, 67, tel. 93 727 92 92
• By private transport
Sabadell is situated 20 kilometers from Barcelona, 95 from Girona, 105 from
Tarragona and 170 from Lleida.
You get to the city on the C-58 motorway: there are two exits, Sabadell Sud and
Sabadell Centre.
From the Sabadell Centre exit you can also get to the north entrance to
Sabadell.
• By plane
Sabadell Airport • Ctra. de Bellaterra s/n, tel. 93 728 21 00
Air taxi and helicopter services. Private and business flights.
How to get around in Sabadell
• By public transport
Sabadell Town Buses (TUS) 13 lines connecting the whole of the city.
Information centre: c. de la Borriana, 33. tel. 93 727 00 90
• By bicycle
Sabadell has 24 kilometers of urban bicycle lanes and 19 kilometers of bicycle
lanes on the city outskirts.
telephone numbers and websites of interest
Sabadell City Council • 93 745 31 00 • www.sabadell.cat
Sabadell Citizens Information Centre 010 • 93 745 31 10
Sabadell Tourist Information Centre • 93 745 31 66
Sabadell Youth Information Centre • 93 745 33 01
Public transport
Sabadell Town Buses (TUS) • 93 710 79 51 • www.tus.es
Sabadell Bus Station • 93 727 92 92
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) • 93 205 15 15 • www.fgc.net
Renfe. Customer Services, Suburban Lines • 902 24 02 02 • www.renfe.es
Sabadell Airport • 93 728 21 00 • www.aena.es
Sabadell Radio Taxi Association • 93 727 48 48
Catalunya Radio Taxi • 93 716 62 62
Sabadell and Sant Quirze Radio Taxi 033 • 902 433 033
Sabadell Hospital, Corporació Parc Taulí • 93 723 10 10 • www.tauli.cat
Ambulances 061
Municipal Police 092 • 93 745 32 61
National Police 091
Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police Force) 088
Fire Brigade 93 726 00 80
In this brochure you'll find tourist, social and cultural
information about our city produced and designed both
for visitors who wish to find out something about
Sabadell and also for those citizens
already living here who are interested
in delving deeper into Sabadell's historical and cultural heritage.
Sabadell
Our streets, especially in the heart of the city, still preserve the traces the industrial Sabadell of the 19th century with the numerous textile factories or the town
houses of the bourgeoisie now converted into museums
or libraries. The city also has a wide selection of green
spaces like Catalunya Park, North Park or the Ripoll
River Park. It's also a vibrant city with an intense cultural life and a great variety of shops and restaurants.
In the following pages you'll find references to the most significant historical and cultural sights and attractions of Sabadell, from the Casa Duran to
the Despatx Lluch, as examples of Modernism, passing by the recently restored Teatre Principal. The imposing Torre de l'Aigua, the former city water
deposit or the lofty Sant Fèlix Bell Tower are also important city landmarks.
You'll also find information about the most popular celebrations held in
Sabadell like the Fiesta Major, the Aplec de la Salut and or the Horse Fair to
name but a few. And we've also included news about the latest great projects
now underway such as the City of Music and the new business park of Sant
Pau de Riu-sec, both set to become new features of attraction for the city.
Sabadell is, nowadays, committed to increasing its industrial activities
with the urbanization of about 660,000 square metres of industrial land.
This land earmarked for new industrial developments will be located in
the areas of Sant Pau de Riu-sec, Can Gambús, Can Roqueta and near the
airport. At the same time the city is also promoting projects aimed at
developing new technologies and a knowledge-based society.
For all the above reasons I invite you to come and discover Sabadell.
Explore its historical heritage and enjoy its cultural and commercial life!
Manuel Bustos
Mayor of Sabadell
5
History of Sabadell
The first settlers
The first settlements in the Sabadell area date from pre-historic times and have been thoroughly documented thanks to the
archaeological excavations carried out in the different sites since the beginning of the 20th century. The Museum of
Sabadell exhibits the different findings from these sites enabling us to track the earliest traces of Sabadell's history right up
to the Romanisation of the territory.
Sabadell from its origins to the industrial city
The city of Sabadell, as we now know it, originated in the mid 11th century. Around Saint Salvator's Chapel, where the parish
of Saint Felix (the Patron Saint of the city) is now situated, different buildings started springing up, linked with the setting
up of a weekly market which was held in the neighbouring square while the first flour mills were built on the River
Ripoll.
The Middle Ages was a period of great growth for the town of Sabadell, due to the commercial activity in the market
and the farming activities carried out in the fields and in the market gardens on the banks of the river.
In the 14th century a wall was built round the city with different gates opening to the most important roads, such as
the road to Barcelona or the one to Granollers. From this wall and the moat surrounding it, several sections have
been recovered which can still be seen in some present day buildings. At that time there were about 162 houses or
families in Sabadell.
At the end of the 15th century other markets appeared in the district and the activities of the Sabadell townspeople
began to diversify. Throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, dye works and wool works, the river cloth mills and
the ceramics industries all grew in importance. It
was the textile industry that laid the foundations
for Sabadell's great economic expansion in the 19th
century.
Factory owned by Joan Llonch & Bros. Sabadell, 1881.
Photo: Vives i Martí / AHS
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During those centuries, from the 16th to the 18th century, the
town suffered a series of misfortunes, wars and plagues with
the resulting diminished population, but also managed to
achieve some important social advances. The increasingly
important role played by the City Council and the construction
of a public school in Catalonia are examples of this.
During the 19th century, a series of events took place which
gave the city the appearance which we know so well today.
Sabadell was called the “Manchester of Catalonia” because of
the importance of its textile industry, based on wool and also
due to the great concentration of factories. This economic
expansion contributed to the active cultural and artistic life of
the city.
Sabadell Main Square, 1881. Photo: Vives i Martí / AHS
Throughout this century the city's population grew from some
2,200 inhabitants to reach a total of 23,000. This demographic
increase was due mainly to the arrival of immigrants searching
for employment.
During this century, a number of events took place that strengthened the industrial nature of Sabadell. The first steam
engine was installed in a textile factory (1838) and an association called the Sabadell Society of Friends of Agriculture and
Industry was founded. This association was concerned with providing a water supply for industrial requirements and the
population. Two financial institutions were set up during the second half of the century: the savings bank, la Caixa d'Estalvis
de Sabadell (1859) and Banc Sabadell (1881). In 1877, Sabadell acquired the status of a city.
1
2
1. Archeological Remains. View of the cavity of one of the kilns used for firing pottery at the excavations of the
Roman Villa at la Salut. Photographer unknown/ AHS
2. Mill. Torrella Mill, 1881. Photo: Vives i Martí / AHS
3. Looms. Weave Room with looms at the Juli Puncernau factory, subsequently owned by Llorens i Torra. Sabadell,
1920s. Photo: Francesc Casañas Riera/AHS.
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3
1900-1979, large-scale growth and crisis
The 20th century is the period of greatest growth of the city. Sabadell experienced a strong boost in industry, especially in the textile
and metallurgical sectors and modernized its economy with the development of services. This burst of industrial activity was
accompanied by a significant urban expansion. It was in the 50s and 60s that most of the suburbs surrounding the city appeared.
The economic crisis in the seventies affected numerous firms and led to many of them being closed down. With the recovery of
democracy in 1979, the need for a new model for the city was proposed.
North Station, Sabadell 1910.
Postcard. Photographer unknown / AHS
Development towards a city of services
The tertiarisation of Sabadell's economy has meant that the main service sector activities have increased their number of
workers.
The Eix Macià has become a services centre grouping together a wide range of shopping and business facilities. This change
in the urban development of the historical centre of the city has led to its economic revival.
9
Two great future projects
The City of Music, a leading centre for musical training and composition
This is the most ambitious project of the Eix Macià Cultural Complex, which currently welcomes activities related to all artistic
disciplines, and is situated between Catalunya Park and Plaça d'Espanya. The City of Music seeks to become a leading international centre for training in music as well as musical production and creation.
The new complex seeks to become the new
headquarters for the most important musical
centres in Sabadell which have already been
operating for years –centres such as the School of
Music, the Music Conservatoire or the School of
Opera. It also aims to support and give greater
promotion to all music related activities that take
place in Sabadell.
The City of Music plans to set up a permanent
dance company that hopes to recover dancers
who have left the country and are working for
internationally renowned companies and will also
include the new City of Sabadell Orchestra which
will replace the current Vallès Symphonic
Orchestra (OSV).
However, as well as the artistic activities, the
Centre will also give music classes designed both
for the general public and also for future music
professionals. They will receive classes from the
future Higher School of Singing which is run by
the Higher School of Music of Catalonia (ESMUC).
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Sant Pau de Riu-sec, a strategic industrial park in a metropolitan area
Situated in a strategically favourable position to the south west of
Sabadell, Sant Pau de Riu-sec will provide the greatest offer of land
for industrial and tertiary activities in the urban area of Barcelona
with a surface area of 156 hectares. This is, in fact, the great city
project with which Sabadell intends to achieve a balance between
firms of high added value and a consolidated industrial network in
order to remain faithful to its origins. This macro-project is just one
of a group of activities which will enable Sabadell to make available
over the coming years more than a million square metres of
industrial land.
The industries will be located in Sant Pau de Riu-sec, which is
concentrated in an area of land close to Badia del Vallès, and
will be linked to the economy of the country in order to
discourage the trend towards industrial relocation and will
respect the criteria of economic sustainability and the
environment.
And it is for this reason that this macro-project as well as
planning the creation of a business park will also include the
Riu-sec Network of Free Areas which will serve to recover green
areas of scenic interest. At the same time, road and rail
connections in the area are due to be improved in order to
facilitate connections, and to consolidate and increase the
already existing networks. Also the buildings of artistic or
historical interest such as the Sant Pau hermitage will be
restored.
As regards facilities for the future industrial park, The Riu Sec
water purifier plant is set to become the biggest in Europe once
the project for its expansion and the incorporation of high
technology-already underway is completed.
11
Historical heritage
Historic sites in the city
The urban heritage of Sabadell is spread out through the streets and squares
of the city. Listed below are the sights and buildings to look out for as you
walk through the busiest areas of the city. You'll be able to find them by
consulting the map of the historical centre given at the end of this guide.
Hotel Suís (1902) • C. de la Indústria, 59
The Hotel Suís, built by Juli Batllevell is one of the most emblematic
Modernist buildings in Sabadell. It has an eye catching façade beautifully
decorated with floral designs, colourful mosaics, reliefs, and forged metal
window and balcony railings.
Codina Steam Mill (1880) • C. de Blasco de Garay, 19
The chimney and two industrial warehouses in Carrer Blasco de
Garay have been preserved from this old manufacturing complex.
The Codina Steam Mill was one of the examples of the so-called
Power and Room System, which consisted of making a profit on the
investment involved in building premises equipped with a steam
engine by renting out the warehouses with motive force included.
Today one of the warehouses which still preserves some of the
axles of the old industrial warehouse is the headquarters of the
Municipal Housing Office the second one houses our City Hall
Education and Youth Services Centre.
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The Lluch Office (1908) • C. de la Indústria, 10
This Modernist building was designed by Juli Batllevell. The most attractive feature of
this building is the richly decorated façade where we can appreciate the stucco work,
the ceramic mosaics, the glazed tiles and the paintwork.
The Lluch office used to be the textile office where textiles manufactured by the
Lluch family were sold and commercialised. In fact, in Carrer Industria, the street
where the office was located, there were a number of textile offices and also the odd
steam mill as it was ideally located just beside the railway station, the arrival point
both for commercial salesmen and for the raw material.
The building has recently been refurbished and is now used as the Sabadell Citizens Information Centre.
The Duran House (XVI century) • C. del Pedregar, 7
The Duran House was built at the end of the XVI century. On the first floor, where the Duran family
used to reside, there are the family living quarters. Of special interest is the main hall with its
panelled ceilings and murals dating from the XVIII century, the library and the bedrooms with the
vivid pictorial decoration on the walls and ceilings. On this floor there is also a raised courtyard and
a chapel. On the ground floor which was devoted to activities related to agriculture and to dyeing
there is a large entrance hall, an open courtyard with a staircase and a magnificent wine cellar
equipped with barrels, a wine press and the vats where the grapes used to be pressed.
For information about visits, contact MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
Turull House-Factory (1819) • C. del Doctor Puig, 16
A house-factory is the name for the kind of building which is divided into working
and living areas. The Turull house-factory was originally built by Pau Turull i Font in
1819, but its present appearance as regards the interior of the building was the
result of major reforms undertaken in 1860 on the occasion of a visit from Queen
Isabel II; and the outside of the building is fruit of another refurbishment dating
from 1865 and carried out by the master builder Josep Lacueva. The austere
outside façade contrasts starkly with the splendour of the interior. Nowadays the
public rooms of the house can be visited: on the ground floor, there is a hall, the socalled Pompeian Room, the smoking room and the dining room where the original
tiles, wall paintings and panelled ceilings have all been preserved. On the first floor
visitors will find the sitting rooms, the bedrooms, the study and the chapel with the original decorations and period furniture
although some of these areas date more from the refurbishment made to the building in the sixties than from before. It is now
home to the city's Museum of Art.
For information about visits, contact MAS. Tel. 93 725 71 44
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Enric Casassas College (1897) • C. de Llobet, 77
This building is the work of the architect, Juli Batllevell and can be
considered a Modernist construction but sober in style. The original façade
has been preserved and is noteworthy for its brickwork, its decorative
frieze tiles and the pointed arched windows with forged metal railings.
Also worthy of special attention is the panel of polychrome tiles occupying
a prominent position on the corner of the façade which was created by the
Sabadell ceramist, Marià Burguès.
The Font Nova Wash House (1892) • C. de les Paus, 35
The wash house we can see today was restored in 1997. The Modernist façade was
preserved and one of the two originally standing wash houses was rebuilt. Also rebuilt was the original roof which was designed to take advantage of the rain water
which is collected and runs directly into a sink.
The original project, dating from the end of the century was designed by the
architect Miquel Pascual i Tintorer. Nowadays, guided visits and workshops for
schools are provided. Inside the wash house, information panels have been installed
to explain the history of the wash houses and how they worked.
For information about visits, contact MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
The Sant Fèlix Bell Tower (XVIII century) • Racó del Campanar
This Baroque bell tower has an eight-sided floor plan and consists of four different sections, the first
three made of stone and the upper one made of fired brick. There are three bells, two of which are
liturgical and the third one tells the time; the decoration, executed by the artist, Joan Vila Cinca is
particularly beautiful. At the very top of the bell tower there is an angel that acts as a weathercock and
two time bells.
Inside, you can visit a small exhibition featuring the building, the bells, and the last clock that made
them work, built in 1903. And from the top of the bell tower, visitors can have a splendid view of the city
and its surroundings.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
15
The Sant Fèlix Church Apse (XV century)
The present day Chapel of the Santíssim is situated in the apse of the old
Gothic Church, Sant Fèlix beside the bell tower.
The church underwent many alterations and extensions until in 1909, during
the Tragic Week, it caught fire and had to be knocked down. The only part
which could be saved was the apse in the Gothic nave and the windows; now it
is the oldest building in the centre of Sabadell.
The Escaiola pottery kilns - Cal Ventura (XVIII century) • Via de Massagué, 5-7
Only the underground part of the group of workshops and pottery kilns
built by the Escaiola family on this site have been preserved. The kilns are
Moorish in style and were used to fire pottery for everyday use and for
auxiliary materials in construction work. From the nineteenth century
onwards moulded parts for ornamental architecture were also fired here.
Nowadays the workshop and the two outer kilns are open to the public.
Information panels have been installed to explain the history and how the
kilns worked.
Visits during shop opening times
For information about visits, contact MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
Central Market (1927-1930) • Pl. del Mercat, 1
Inaugurated in 1930, this is a noucentist building, designed by the
architect Josep Renom. It was recently restored and modernised
but the original typical characteristics have been preserved: the
spectacular metallic structure that can be seen from the inside
the building, and on the outside, the stained glass windows above
the entrances and the fruit filled goblets at the top of the stairs
are all Mediterranean style decorative elements that run all
through Renom's work.
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The Caixa Sabadell Modernist Heritage (1907-1915) • C. de Gràcia, 17
The head offices of the Caixa Sabadell and the Caixa Sabadell Charitable Trust are installed
in two emblematic buildings of Catalan Modernism which were designed by the architect
Jeroni Martorell. They were built between
1907 and 1915 in the centre of the city. The central building has an imposing
façade, with sculptures by Josep Llimona and ornate forged metal railings. Inside
the building, visitors will be amazed by the Turull Patio crowned with a magnificent
skylight of stained glass and the Modernist Hall with three naves separated by
pillars and parabolic arches. The building of the former Industrial School of Arts and
Crafts, which operated under the patronage of Caixa Sabadell, is more restrained in
style and is distinguished by a high cylindrical tower with a cone-shaped roof.
Regular visits on the last Sunday of every month at 12.00. Workshops and group visits
to the buildings can be arranged at agreed times. Tel. 696 406 767
The Teatre Principal (1866) • C. de Sant Pau, 6
The Teatre Principal was designed by the architect Francesc Daniel Molina and by Josep Antoni Obradors. It
reflects the style of an Italian theatre with a horseshoe stage and hall. It has stalls, two floors of boxes and a
third floor. The outside façade is austere but the inside is profusely decorated with paintings on the ceiling,
high relief and gilt work and columns. After undergoing recent refurbishment and modernization the theatre
now puts on a regular programme of music, drama and dance.
Sabadell City Hall (1871) • Pl. de Sant Roc, 1
The present City Hall building was originally built as a school by the Piarist Fathers
between 1871 and 1872. Shortly afterwards, it was bought by the City Council who moved
into the building in 1885. The most important alterations took place in 1900, when the
rear façade, looking on to Dr. Robert Square, was refurbished and the former school
playground was turned into a public square.
Recently two metal lampposts, faithful replicas of the street lights that used to illuminate
Sant Roc Square at the beginning of the XX century were installed at the entrance of the
building.
17
Buxeda Vell Steam Mill Engine Room (1906) • C. de Cervantes, 68
The engine room of the old factory and a small part of the plant have been preserved. In this
area the exhibition “From steam to electricity” has been set up with different information
panels and objects on display. In the machine room, visitors can view the last steam engine
installed in the factory, a semi-fixed WOLF (1908). Underground you can visit the chimney,
the coal cellar and other sections related to steam engines.
For information about visits, contact MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
The Chimneys (XIXth century)
The intense activity in the textile industry over the last two centuries has left its mark on the
urban landscape of Sabadell. The chimneys are part of this heritage surviving after a good
number of the factories and steam mills to which they originally belonged were knocked down.
In Sabadell, 45 chimneys in all have been preserved and practically all of them are protected
as historical heritage of the city. At the moment, nine of these chimneys have an identification plaque with a brief historical description of the steam mill or factory they were part of.
These chimneys which are situated in urbanized areas belonged to the steam mills Escapçat,
d'en Palà and Bonaventura Brutau, Cal Molins and Ca l'Estruch, and to the factories of
Francesc Sampere and brothers, Fitisa and Garriga Germans. The tallest chimney of those
mentioned above is the Ca l'Estruch chimney which is 43.5 metres high.
For information about visits, contact MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
The Piarist School (1885) and Sant Agustí Church (1932) • C. de l'Escola Pia, 80
The school building, designed by the architect Miquel Pascual i Tintorer, was
opened in 1885. The building still preserves its original structure. Of
particular interest are the decorative metal railings on the main gate
opening on to Carrer Escola Pia (1908) and the enamelled tile wainscoting
on the stairwell and the corridor.
Sant Agustí Church was inaugurated in 1932, and was designed by Bernardí
Martorell. The walls of the church are decorated with paintings by Joan Parés
and paintings, relief work and sculptures by Fàbregas, Rius and Juvanteny.
The stained glass windows were produced by the Barcelona firm, Granell.
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The Creu Alta Wash Houses (1913) • C. del Papa Pius XI, 165
The old wash house for the Creu Alta district in Sabadell was the work of
the architect Josep Renom and is an important example of industrial
architecture that adopted the principles of Modernism. It is an extremely
hermetic building, 611 square metres in size with a roof with sloping
gutters to catch the water and channel it into the interior of the building.
The outside walls are made of brick covered in stucco mortar and include
geometrical graffiti spirals, stucco work on the façade and panels above
the doors.
It has housed the Creu Alta library since 2006.
Cal Balsach (1942-1948) • Ctra. de Prats de Lluçanès, 2
The Fills de Pere Balsach factory was built between
1942 and 1948 on the piece of ground situated on the
road, carretera de Prats de Lluçanès, where the old
velodrome used to be. Cal Balsach became one of the
biggest and most important textile factories specialising
in woollen material for ladies in the 50s. The economic
crisis in th 70s led to the closure of the factory.
The only alteration work made to the building was the
refurbishment of the central part of the old factory,
protecting the original structure of the building in order
to house the new Creu Alta civic and sports centre. The
total floor area measures 1,452 square metres.
19
Water Tower (1918) • Pl. de la Torre de l’Aigua
This is a raised water cistern constructed by the architect Lluís Homs, in order
to supply water to the city at the beginning of the XX century. Made of
concrete, this spectacular structure of pillars and spiral staircase has become
a city landmark. Inside the building, information panels have been installed
with descriptions of the history of the Water Tower and how it used to work. It
stopped operating in 1967.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
Can Rull Country House (XV century) • Av. de Lluís Companys, 81
The Can Rull country house is one of the historical, patriomonial buildings
recovered by the City Council to be converted into a new facility for the city.
The building preserves the original rural structure typical of a country house
which has undergone alterations over the years espcecially those linked to
the important wine growing industry of the XVII, XVIII and XIX centuries.
The cellars and the wine presses have been preserved as well as other
elements. In the main hall on the ceiling there is an impressive collection of
«socarrats», scorched ceramic work decorated with geometrical and
calligraphic patterns.
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Can Feu Castle (XIX-XX century) • C. de Colòmbia, 21
On the exact spot where Can Feu Castle now stands, there used to
be a country house and farm dating from the High Middle Ages,
the IX and X centuries, linked to the Sobarber family.
In the XII century the country house became a fortified house in
the centre of stretch of land which got smaller and smaller due to
pious donations made which first by the Sobarber family and then
by the Togores family mainly to the monasteries.
At some point during the XVI century there was a bad fire which
seriously damaged the main building and for this reason this
building has, since then, also been known as the Burnt Tower.
In the last quarter of the XVII century Pau de Feu i Soler bought
the property and at that moment established it as a farm.
In the XVIII century, Can Feu was the logisitics centre of numerous
properties belonging to the Feu family, for whom the country
house became a place for rest and entertainment.
At the end of the XIX century, Josep Nicolau, last of the Olzina
family from Riu-sec and descendent of the Feus, constructed the
building that has reached to this day.
In 2007 the Can Feu Castle was recovered for the city and now
belongs to the City Council. The building will be restored and a
future urban park of 63 hectares will be created around it.
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Historic sights in the outskirts
Around the surrounding district of Sabadell we can discover different points of historical and cultural interest. Some of
them tell us about our distant past and have been restored so that we can visit them; others date from more recent times
but are just as interesting to find out about.
The Sant Oleguer Ice Well
The Sant Oleguer ice well was built in the XVII century. It has a diameter of almost 9 metres
and is 7.5 meters deep. It is covered with a semi-spherical dome which gave access to the
well. It was restored in 1995 and a balcony was built to enable visitors to see inside the well.
Ice wells are semi-underground structures used for storing ice by taking advantage of the
thermic isolation of the subsoil. The ice was stored during the winter months and then was
taken out and sold during the summer.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
Sant Nicolau Chapel
The Chapel, which dates from some time between the X and
XI centuries, consists of a nave and an apse. This was the location of the first parish of Sant Feliu d'Arraona, a place of
worship for the local farmers until the XIV century when it
was transferred to the other side of the river to what is now
the centre of Sabadell.
In 1915, services in the Chapel were stopped due to the bad
condition of the building. In the 90s it was restored and adapted
for visits, with some information panels placed inside the Chapel.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
Municipal cemetery
The municipal cemetery situated on the Sant Nicolau Plain was opened in 1864 and since then has
continued to expand. It was relocated on the other side of the river for reasons of hygiene and lack
of space. The Church which is situated in the centre of the cemetery was designed by the architect
Miquel Pascual i Tintorer and was completed in 1891. The cemetery has a great many tombs and
mausoleums in a variety of artistic styles, some displaying the work of well known sculptors and
with a rich and varied symbology.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
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Sant Pau de Riu-sec
This was originally a Romanesque Church, which was altered for the last time in the XVIII century when
the rectory was added. The rectory is now used as a workshop for paper restoration. Archaeological
excavations and restoration work have revealed traces of the different periods of occupation of the
place (with documents dating from the 1st century BC) and the different stages of construction of the
Church since the XI century. These can be viewed inside the Church.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
The sanctuary of la Salut
The Salut Park is situated on the periphery of Sabadell and contains
several buildings of interest: the sanctuary dedicated to the Mare de Déu
de la Salut, the priest's house, a lodging house, the remains of the old
Romanic hermitage of Sant Iscle and Santa Victoria and the archeological
remains of a Roman villa.
The Sanctuary of la Salut
was built at the end of the
XIX century, although part of
it was damaged during the
Civil War and it was rebuilt
in the 1940s. On the inside
visitors can enjoy the murals
and the stained glass
windows by the Sabadell
painter Antoni Vila Arrufat.
Beneath the sanctuary and
round about it you will see
the remains of a Roman villa
which was partly excavated
at the beginning of the XX
century. Some of the items
found there can be seen in
the History Museum.
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La Salut Lodging House
La Salut Lodging House is located near the sanctuary of La
Salut. The building has been renovated and will become
the future Interpretation Centre for the Surrounding
Environment and for the Agro-forestal Area of the Levant.
The new centre aims to provide the public with information both about the natural environment and also about the
historical and archaeological heritage of this area.
The present project involves the preservation of the archaeological
remains found inside the building and also the re-creation of what will be
a new architectural attraction. The original appearance of the Lodging
House will be restored and the old hermitage will be revealed.
Sant Iscle and Santa Victoria hermitage
The Sant Iscle and Santa Victoria hermitage is just beside the Lodging House.
This 10th century building was constructed on top of the remains of a Roman villa. Inside the chapel,
we can still see remains of a Roman thermal swimming pool and a mosaic portraying the image of
Neptune paving the floor. The original mosaic has been on display in the History Museum since 1934.
There are also building remains from Roman times and other archaeological traces from the Middle
Ages to be seen in the outhouses of the Lodging House.
During the rehabilitation of the hermitage, walls and
other architectural remains from different construction
periods were exposed, basically dating from the XIII and
XIV centuries –the Gothic Period –and the XVIII century–
the Baroque period.
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Sant Julià d'Altura
The outward appearance of this Church is unmistakably Baroque and is the result of some important
alterations that were carried out in the XVII century: the presbytery, topped with a dome, and the upper part
of the bell tower, which is octagonal in shape, with pointed arched windows. However, in the outside walls
and inside the building, visitors can perceive traces left by previous stages: anthropomorphist graves that predate the first Roman construction from the XI century, other cemeteries from the XI to the XVII centuries, silos from the XII-XIII
centuries and the different stages in the alterations made to the building which took place between the XIII and XIV centuries.
We can get to Sant Julià d'Altura, on foot or by bicycle by going along the new path which runs beside the Matadepera road near
the woods. The path starts in the Can Deu district and is 1.8 km long.
Togores Hermitage (Can Pagès Vell)
This hermitage was built on the remains of an old Roman construction. The oldest piece
of documented information dates from the year 986. The apse is eight-sided and the
hermitage is joined to the farmhouse by an arch. In the spring a celebration is held there
and it is opened to the public for visits.
Sant Vicenç de Jonqueres
Sant Vicenç de Jonqueres is composed of the church building, the rectory joined on to
the west side and cemetery on the east side. The whole structure retains different
features from the Romanesque, the Gothic, the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Since its restoration in 1992, the former church has been handed over to an organisation
of cultural interest: the Mountain Information Service. The rectory is managed by some
tenant farmers and the ground floor is used as a furniture restoration workshop.
For information about visits, contact the MHS. Tel. 93 727 85 55
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The Ripoll River Park Mills
The oldest known surviving mills in the Ripoll area date from as far back as the X century and were flour mills.
Around the XIV century some of the mills were converted to cloth or fulling mills which stiffened or dressed woollen
cloth. The greatest expansion of the fulling place took place mainly in the
XVI century. The system of mallets used for the fulling of the cloth was also
used for paper mills. Although there is documentary evidence of a paper mill
operating at Jonqueres in the mid XVI century, paper mills became more
widespread from the XVIII onwards.
Mornau Mill
The building of the Mornau Mill, also known as the
“the mill with as many windows as the number of
days in a year” was built in 1783 to manufacture
paper, although later it was put to industrial use. It became
very well known as a producer of cigarette paper. It was one
of the most important paper mills in Catalonia in the XVIII
century.
D'en Font Mill
This is the oldest documented Ripoll mill in the current
municipal district of Sabadell. It dates from 973 and was
used as a flour mill. In the XVIII century it operated as a
fulling mill and was finally used for stiffening and finishing
textiles. The Mill is currently being restored.
Torrella Mill.
This is one of the most representative mills in the Ripoll
area of Sabadell. In the interior of the present day building
(constructed in the XIX century), the original gallery of the
flour mill has been preserved. It is paved with worn down
millstones and the water raising system with the marks of
the old wheels and modern steam engines can still be seen.
The Mill belongs to the City Council and is currently being
renovated and will be used as an Information Centre for the
Ripoll River Park.
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Xic Mill
In Mediaeval times this was a flour mill, and then
it was used as fulling mill and finally in more
modern times it became a paper mill. The last
industry to be housed there was the dyeing and
finishing of textiles.
Fontanet Mill
This is the first mill in the municipal district of
Sabadell which first appeared in documents as a
fulling mill at the end of the XIV century. After it was
recorded as a flour mill and then from 1559 onwards
it was transformed to be used as a fulling mill and
continued performing both functions in the
separate parts into which the mill had been divided.
The remains of the mill building are now in a state of
neglect and are part of newly constructed industrial
premises of several companies who have their
headquarters there.
Sant Oleguer Mill
This is the most modern mill in the municipal district
of Sabadell. It was constructed around the year
1780. One hundred years later it was converted into
a cardboard factory and continued operating as such
until the 1960s. The remains of the hydraulic wheels
have been preserved and they are currently being
rebuilt. This Mill belongs the the City Council and is
being renovated. It will be turned into a Youth
Hostel.
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The museums
The museums in Sabadell
Sabadell History Museum • C. de Sant Antoni, 13
The Sabadell History Museum (MHS) occupies the former
factory house of Antoni Casanovas (1859). This building has
been totally refurbished for its current purpose but the
original façade and the volume of the original building have
been preserved. Walking through the different rooms of the
museum and observing the different exhibitions visitors can
trace the history of the area known today as Sabadell. Of
special importance are the materials recovered from different
prehistoric and proto-historic remains and from the Roman
villas in the area which are on display in the rooms “Settlements in the area from prehistoric to late antiquity”. The
exhibition “Sabadello, the birth of a town (XI-XV centuries)”
shows the origins of the mediaeval town and “Manufacturing
and Artisans. Sabadell, XVI-XVIII centuries” the origins of the
textile industry which were to shape the character of Sabadell
in the XIX century.
The museum has two rooms devoted to temporary exhibitions
especially for subjects related to local history and the history
of Catalonia.
Opening times: Tuesdays to
Saturdays, in the afternoon from
5.00 to 8.00; Sundays and holidays,
in the morning from 11.00 to 2.00,
and closed on Mondays. The
museum is closed on the 25th and
26th December, the 1st and 6th of
January, Good Friday and the 1st of
May. In the month of August, the
museum is open every other day.
Other services: a variety of
activities for organised group visits
didactic activities for students,
bibliographic and material
consultations and lectures...
Entrance free.
Tel. 93 727 85 55 • E-mail: mhs@ajsabadell.cat
The museum organises special Sunday activities (visits, tours,
demonstrations, workshops...) in the museum rooms and at
the heritage sights of the city: the Casa Duran, the Water
Tower, the Sant Fèlix Belltower, the Sant Oleguer Ice Well, the
Font Nova public wash houses, the anti-aircraft shelter at the
airport, the Sant Nicolau cemetery and the local churches.
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Sabadell Art Museum • C. del Doctor Puig, 16
The Sabadell Art Museum (MAS) occupies what used to be a
house factory owned by the Turull family. The public rooms of
the house have been preserved as they were whereas the
remaining quarters have been converted into the museum.
The permanent exhibition, on the second floor, is divided into
two parts. The first part is devoted to current trends in
Academicism, represented, above all, by artists associated with
the Sabadell Academy of Fine Arts, such as the artists Joan Vila
Cinca and Joan Figueras, to name but two. The second part
starts at the turn of the century, basically with the exhibition of
“New Catalan Art from 1915”, and the works of “noucentista”
artists, with Antoni Vila Arrufat and Rafael Durancamps as the
most outstanding representatives of this school.
The Museum has two rooms for temporary exhibitions where
contemporary art collections are displayed and parallel activities
and group visits are organised. The programmes are open to all
kinds of interest groups and are focussed mainly on the study of
local art and the museum's own collections although exhibitions
from other non-local fields of interest can also included.
The Museum organises regular activities (visits,
tours, demonstrations, workshops...) aimed at
making people aware of the artistic heritage of
the city. For instance there is a free activity open
to all publics arranged on the first Sunday of
every month. You can also visit the patio where
performances often take place.
Opening times: Tuesdays to Saturdays, in the afternoon from 5.00 to 8.00; Sundays and holidays,
in the morning from 11.00 to 2.00, and closed on
Mondays. The Museum closes on the 25th and 26th
of December, the 1st and 6th of January, Good
Friday and the 1st of May. In the month of August,
the museum is open every other day.
Other services: a variety of activities for
organised group visits didactic activities for students, bibliographic
and material consultations and lectures...
Entrance free.
Tel. 93 725 71 44 • E-mail: mas@ajsabadell.cat
Miquel Crusafont Palaeontological Institute • C. de l'Escola Industrial, 23
The Miquel Crusafont Palaeontological Institute, of the Barcelona
County Council, is an institution devoted to the research, the
dissemination and the preservation of the paleontological heritage
of our country. It was inaugurated in 1969, as a result of the
prospecting and research activities of the Sabadell palaeontologist,
Miquel Crusafont. His work, carried out the length and breadth of
the Spanish peninsula and in the Mediterranean basin, enabled
him to create the most important collection of mammal fossils in
Spain and the most complete collection of primate fossils in
Europe. The Institute is a research centre that concentrates on
two basic lines of research: the first is focussed on the study of
the land vertebrate fauna-amphibians, reptiles and dinosaurs- that
inhabited our country during the Mesozoic Era; the second line of
research is concerned with the Neozoic Era-a period which started
25 million years ago and studies the geological environment of
the fossil deposits and determines their age. Climate changes and
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their subsequent influence on the evolution of
fauna and hominidae are also analysed. In order
to promote public awareness of our paleontological heritage, the Institute has two halls with permanent exhibitions, one devoted to the evolution
of life throughout the Mesozoic Age and the other
to the succession of mammal fossils in Catalonia.
Apart from this, the Institute also organises temporary exhibitions and provides a service of didactic activities designed for use by schools. There is also a library
specialised in paleontology.
Opening times: Tuesdays to Fridays, from 10.00 to 1.00 and from
5.00 to 8.00. Saturdays from 10.00 to 1.00 and from 5.00 to
7.00. Sunday mornings, from 11.00 to 2.00.
Tel. 93 726 17 69 • E-mail: icp@icp.cat
Rural Life Museum (Caixa Sabadell Nature Area) • C. de la Prada, s/n
The Caixa Sabadell Nature Area occupies the southern edge of
Can Deu Wood, which has 81 hectares of woodland, and the Can
Deu farmhouse. Educational activities are provided right through
the year for school children, summer schools, family groups,
horticulturalists and the Nature Area also caters for visits from
senior citizens. One of the main attractions of the Nature Area is
the Rural Life Museum. This museum was created out of what
was originally a permanent exhibition of farm tools and since the
year 2000 three more rooms were added to the exhibition
specialising in demonstration of the cultivation techniques for
vines, wheat and olives as well as showing the work in the
woodlands and different kinds of transport. This is truly an
ethnographic museum with four
rooms furnished according to the
country traditions of a hundred
years ago where visitors imagine
what the rural world of that time
was like and learn about the
relationship between man and
his environment. The museum is
open to the public every Sunday
morning and special visits can be arranged at other times.
Opening times: Sunday mornings from 10.30 to 2.30
Tel. 93 716 47 81 • E-mail: espainatura@caixasabadell.es
The Sabadell Historical Archives • C. de la Indústria, 32-34
The Sabadell Historical Archives (AHS) is a public institution
belonging to the City Council which has as its main functions
the collection, preservation, data processing and diffusion of
the documentary heritage of the city. Over the years the AHS
has gathered together a total of 5,000 cubic metres of
documents originating from a wide variety of sources. Most of
the collection consists precisely of documents created by the
incipient organs of municipal government and the acquired
community rights from the XIV century. Also important are the
documents produced by notaries and mayors who administered justice with documents dating from 1347 and right up to
the XVIII century. Of special interest is the important collection
of over 1,300 parchments, the oldest of which dates from
1111. The Archives also hold the records of contemporary
courts (1870-1983) and private documents. As regards the
latter, the AHS stands out as one of the most important
municipal archives in the country thanks to its long track
record in the recovery of our industrial heritage with more
than 50 archives from textile and metalwork firms. The
Archives also contain a good number of personal documents
(from musicians. writers, professionals), from institutions and
organisations, patrimonial archives linked to the old line
families of the city, etc. And finally, it has an important local
antiquarian library with some 20,000 volumes (the collection
dates back to the XV century), a wide local newspaper library
(more than 1,300 headlines) and sound and vision collections.
These resources have been used for research in the most diverse
selection of written, audiovisual projects and doctoral theses as
well as for published materials aimed at making these resources
known to the public and in the promotion of research.
L'AHS is located in a refurbished building, 2,000 m2 in size,
which was built in 1891 as a private house for the Ponsà
family. While still preserving some of its more valuable
architectural and historical features, it has been perfectly
adapted to fulfil the technical functions performed there.
Opening times: Monday to
Friday, 10.00-1.30 and 5.008.00. At Easter and Christmas:
9.30-2.30. For the months of
July, August and September
please consult the timetable
on the website.
Tel. 93 726 87 77
E-mail: ahs@ajsabadell.cat
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Sabadell is a city with an intense cultural life
The city of Sabadell has a wide, varied and top-quality selection of culture to offer visitors covering three main areas: symphonic
music and opera; the wealth of local associations, and its important industrial heritage and archaeological sites.
The enthusiasm for forming associations is a distinctive and decisive factor. One out of every two Sabadell citizens belongs to
some association or other; there are all different kinds and they cover all aspects of social life.
Sabadell is one of the few cities in Spain which has its own Opera season which is organised through the efforts of the Sabadell
Friends of the Opera Association. And what's more, it has its own professional orchestra: the Vallès Symphonic Orchestra.
There are four theatres which offer a well established programme of drama: the Teatre Principal, l'Estruch, the Teatre Municipal
La Faràndula and the Sala Miguel Hernández.
Apart from this, the city has the Illa School of Art, the Municipal School of Music and its own mid-grade Conservatory of Music. It
also has an important municipal arts centre providing facilities for the creation and production of theatrical, musical, plastic and
audiovisual arts: Ca l'Estruch. Other facilities such as the network of five municipal libraries led by the main central library, the
Vapor Badia Library, the Pere Quart House all serve to provide the people of Sabadell and visitors from outside with a wide variety
of cultural activities including popular, traditional festivals such as the Fiesta Mayor, the Kings' Cavalcade and the Aplec de la
Salut, to mention but a few.
Celebrations in Sabadell
The main annual festival: Fiesta Mayor
The city of Sabadell holds its main annual festival
from the first Friday in the month of September
until the following Monday. The programme is
packed full of fun, participative activities;
activities suited to all ages; dances, musical processions, human towers, concerts,
activities for children, street shows, sports, exhibitions, visits, guided tours… in the hope
that everybody, citizens and visitors alike, whatever their tastes or age, will find
something to enjoy in the programme; and the activities are all free.
As well as this Fiesta Mayor, each district in the city also celebrates its own annual
celebration on different dates between the months of May and September with a
continuous programme of popular fun activities during these months of hot, sunny
weather.
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The Aplec de la Salut
The Aplec de la Salut is a celebration held on the first Monday after the second Sunday in May. It is considered the
second most important festival in Sabadell after the Fiesta Mayor and is one of oldest traditional gatherings in the
city, over 300 years old. In the past, the Aplec de la Salut became one of the most well known festivals throughout
the Vallès Occidental area, to the extent that it was even known as the Fiesta Mayor of Sabadell.
While retaining it's original essential religious spirit it has come down to our days as a festive day full of games and a wide
variety of very different activities: the concert of children's choirs, the quick painting competition, the musical procession,
the freeing of doves, the children's workshops, the race up to la Salut and a selection of up to thirty different cultural
activities are provided in a programme which seeks to strike a balance between tradition and modernity.
Kings Cavalcade
The Kings Cavalcade is a show for all the family and is watched by thousands of
people on the 5th of January every year. Following a route of nine kilometres, the
procession slowly winds its way through the central streets of the city led by the
spectacular carriages bearing the Three Kings from the Orient, accompanied by
their colourful retinue of pages, torch and flag bearers, dancers, musical bands, and
decorated floats. Kilos of sweets are tossed from the carriages and floats to the
people, old and young, lining the streets.
San Antonio Abad
Sabadell is one of the few cities in Spain that celebrates the festival of Sant Antoni Abat, the patron saint of animals, on the 17th of January, regardless of whether it's a working day or a holiday.
Two long standing associations are traditionally entrusted with organising the ceremonies for that
special day. First comes the blessing of the animals which is followed by the Mounted Procession
of Sant Antoni Abat, one of the most popular activities of all the festivals throughout the year: the
streets fill with horse drawn carriages and mounted horses to offer us an impressive parade.
Sant Jordi
One of the most genuine examples of popular traditions in our city is Sant Jordi's Day on the 23rd of April. On
this day the people of Sabadell and visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities including street stalls selling
roses and books, the visits of local authors for book signing, recitals, cinema shows and concerts.
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Sant Joan's Eve
It's the Canigó flame that starts off the festivities on the eve of Sant Joan,
the 23rd of June. The Flame arrives in the city to light up the bonfires which
have been built in different places on what is the shortest night of the year.
Other popular celebrations
Throughout the year there are other celebrations all of which follow popular traditions and
bring them out into the streets. In all cases, they have the collaboration of the City Council
and different citizens associations who join in the organisation of these ceremonies.
Live arts in the city
Teatre Principal. The city's most important theatre used both by drama companies and cultural organisations
The Teatre Principal is one of the symbolic landmarks of the city and boasts an
excellent stage that caters for the city's varied and high quality programme of theatre
and other cultural events. The stage offers a perfect setting for artistic performances
and is especially well suited for medium scale dramatic productions. Furthermore,
thanks to recent refurbishment work, the Teatre Principal has become an example of
how to incorporate the latest hi- tech facilities required for the future while
respecting the historical heritage of the building.
Teatre Principal • C. de Sant Pau, 6 • Tel. 93 727 08 33
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The Faràndula Municipal Theatre: theatre, opera and music
The Faràndula was built from funds raised from popular donations in 1956. In 1972 it
was taken over by the City Council and in 2002 a major refurbishment project was
completed with the updating of equipment and facilities. The theatre now has seating
capacity for 1,060 spectators.
The municipal programme at the Faràndula is made up of a season of operas promoted
by the Sabadell Friends of the Opera Association and also includes different local
artistic performances and large scale theatre productions.
Teatre Municipal la Faràndula • c. d’Alfons XIII, 33 • Tel. 93 745 75 60 - 93 745 75 61
Opera in Sabadell and the Vallès Symphonic Orchestra
Thanks to the efforts of the Sabadell Friends of the Opera Association who put on
their productions at the Ca l'Estruch and the Faràndula theatres, the city can
enjoy a regular season of opera with a total of four different productions a year.
The operas produced in Sabadell have their première performance at the
Faràndula Theatre and are then performed at other theatres throughout
Catalonia. This has converted the city of Sabadell into a creative space in the
artistic world which foments an interest in opera throughout Catalonia.
A selection of symphonic music is provided by the Vallès Symphonic Orchestra
which, every year, presents a season of symphonic concerts.
This programme of concerts providing top quality symphonic music has become a well established feature of cultural life of the city
thanks to the collaboration between the City Hall and the Vallès Symphonic Orchestra
The orchestra is the only symphonic orchestra of its kind in Spain in that it is organised as a public limited company in which the
musicians and the workers are both the owners and the shareholders. It was created in Sabadell out of the Sabadell Friends of the
Opera Association with great artistic ambition and a variety of offerings; it is an orchestra that lives, like
no other orchestra, off its public, its concerts and its quality.
Sabadell is also host to the Jaume Aragall International Song Competition which is addressed to
opera singers. It is open to singers under the age of 35, of all nationalities, residing anywhere in the
world and is held every two years.
The sessions which are open to everybody are held at the Teatre Principal. As well as this, the well
known tenor Jaume Aragall offers a master class to the students of the Municipal Conservatoire
during his stay in the city. The Sabadell Friends of the Opera Association and the Vallès Symphonic
Orchestra both take part in the competition and the city's Music Conservatoire is also involved.
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The Ca l'Estruch Centre for Artistic Creation, Production and Diffusion
The Ca l'Estruch Centre promotes the most daring proposals in drama and music. The programme is
designed for restless minds. The Ca l'Estruch factory used to operate as dye works until the eighties.
In 1995, it started up as a centre for artistic production and creation.
In this area, all the different phases in the creative processes of dramatic and visual art co-exist:
creation and diffusion. The rehearsal rooms for theatre and dance and the rehearsal booths for
musicians contribute to the production of new ideas. The creative spirit of the resident artists in
the South Warehouse (Nau Sud) encourages lively debates and reflection and the diffusion of
different artistic practices.
The Auditorium is used for putting on plays, contemporary dance shows and music as well as
presenting programmes of innovative images, contents and formats such as short films and videos.
It has seating capacity for 190 spectators and is perfectly adapted to present day requirements of
dramatic performances.
L' Estruch • c. de Sant Isidre 140 • Tel. 93 717 25 71
30 nights summer festival
This festival was held for the first time in the year 2000 and since then it has established itself as a
cultural programme offering a wide range of leisure possibilities throughout the whole of July.
The festival takes place in the evenings in different locations around the city such as the Ca l'Estruch
patio or the Sabadell Art Museum, the Sant Roc or Doctor Robert Squares or in Catalunya Park.
The cultural programme offers a wide selection ranging from theatrical shows, or a cycle of
flamenco dancing, to a demonstration of short films, or literary nights, dance shows and a strong
musical component including opera, jazz and music from around the world. The festival is designed
to appeal to different publics of all ages.
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The Vapor Badia, more than a place to read
Near on 70,000 documents, 250 newspapers and
magazines are available to the citizens of Sabadell at
the Vapor Badia Library, which is one of the largest
libraries in Catalonia. Situated in les Tres Creus Street
and officially opened on the 15th of November, 2002,
this establishment has a surface area of 4,762 m2
divided into three floors.
The Vapor Badia Libary is located in a former XIX century wool textile factory. The library has 437
reading places and provides users with Internet access through 10 computers and also through Wi-Fi
connection for personal laptops. La Vapor Badia has broken with the classic idea of a library and has
transformed it into a dynamic, interactive area, enhanced by a café, an assembly hall, a children's
area, a help centre for the Catalonia Open University, a study room, and an area for connecting with
the Internet. A supply of local material and more general resources as well as newspapers, magazines and audiovisual material all go to make up a complete and diversified service.
The Vapor Badia is both the city and the regional central library but there is also a network of
smaller public libraries in Sabadell including the Can Deu Library (modernised in 2007), the Can
Puiggener Library, the Safareigs Library and the Serra Library. The last three were inaugurated in
2006. Each library provides all the usual library services and also organise a variety of activities
including lectures, literary talks, exhibitions, courses, workshops, concerts, plays and story telling
for adults and children.
In the future the network of public libraries in Sabadell, the BiMS, will be expanding with the creation of four new libraries
located in the new third, fourth, fifth and sixth districts.
Network of Public Libraries
Biblioteca Vapor Badia
C. de les Tres Creus, 127-129 • 08202 Sabadell
Tel.: 93 745 17 03
Biblioteca de Can Puiggener
Pl. del Primer de Maig, 1 • 08208 Sabadell
Tel.: 93 716 51 50
Biblioteca Can Deu temporarily closed for alterations
C. del Portal de la Floresta, 20 • 08207 Sabadell
Tel.: 93 716 56 04
Biblioteca de la Serra
Pl. de Cristóbal Ramos, 1 • 08202 Sabadell
Tel.: 93 726 34 68
Biblioteca dels Safareigs
C. del Papa Pius XI, 165 • 08208 Sabadell
Tel.: 93 717 53 43
www.sabadell.cat/bims
38
Wide range of activities for children
Theatre, music, puppets, dancing... every Sunday morning the Miguel
Hernandez Hall puts on a show aimed at young kids.
A wealth of stories from all over the world is vividly narrated by expert story
tellers to delight and enchant younger children. This programme of story
telling takes place from October to June in the three municipal libraries, in
the Roureda Reading Room and in the Can Rull and Torre-romeu civic centres.
The museums of the city also play their part; the History Museum and the Art
Museum have designed programmes especially for younger children and
families: guided visits, workshops... and most important of all, special activities for the younger family members over Christmas
just when the school holidays begin.
Other leisure activities, related mainly to public holidays, complete a wide and varied selection of activities designed for boys and
girls of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers: Sant Jordi, Sants Innocents, Children's New Year celebrations... And we mustn't forget
the different activities to do with the world of live arts where the children appear both as performers and spectators, activities
such as dance sessions and workshops, children's opera performances to name but a few.
Children's Shows
LASALA Miguel Hernández
Rda. de la Roureda, 24
Tel.: 93 723 28 33
Workshops and didactic activities
Sabadell History Museum
C. de Sant Antoni, 13
Tel.: 93 727 85 55
Sabadell Art Museum
C. del Dr. Puig, 16
Tel.: 93 725 71 44
39
The parks
Catalunya Park
This 43 hectare park stretching from the Eix Macià to Sant Isidor Street in Can Rull is the
green lung of Sabadell.
The lake
The Park has an artificial lake, 8,439 m2 in size, with a fourmetre high waterfall and a fountain in the middle all of which
combine to make a really spectacular view.
There are white swans and ducks in the lake. And you can see
carp and gambusias, also known as mosquito fish.
There's a landing stage where you can hire boats; there are
about thirty boats for hire at week ends.
Trees and vegetation
Catalunya Park has a woodland area with a
total of 5,102 different types of trees.
Strolling through the Park you can see olive
trees, agaves, ginkgos, laurel, speedwell,
pines, holm-oaks, cypresses, plane trees,
weeping willows, oaks and Japanese cherry
trees. There's also a wide variety of bushes,
such as thyme, broom, rockrose and different
kinds of climbing plants.
41
The astronomic observatory
At the highest part of the Park we find the Astronomic Observatory, an unusual building with an
imposing cupola, 5 metres in diameter which holds a modern automated 50 centimetre telescope.
The Observatory is run by the Sabadell Astronomical Group, an amateur association which has won
great scientific prestige both for research and for making astronomy accessible to the general public.
The building contains an auditorium with seating for 60 people, a permanent exhibition and a
thematic library with volumes dating from the eighteenth century right up to the present time. The
Society provides star observation sessions for school groups and the general public at arranged times
as well as courses and lectures.
Observatori Astronòmic de Sabadell • C. de Prat de la Riba, 1 • Tel. 93 725 53 73
www.astrosabadell.cat
The amphitheatre
The amphitheatre which is right in the centre of the Park, beside the Astronomic Observatory provides
seating for some 40,000 people and hosts a variety of musical shows starring nationally popular
performers and groups.
The Park railway
On the west side of Catalunya Park, near the Can Rull farm, we find a double tracked
railway circuit, three kilometres in length. The train trip takes twenty three minutes in
all and has all the vital ingredients for an enjoyable journey (a viaduct, six tunnels…),
making it one of the biggest and most attractive train circuits in Europe.
Timetable:
16th September to 14th June: Sundays and public holidays from 11.00 to 14.00
15th June to 15th September: Sundays and public holidays from 18.00 to a 21.00
Ferrocarril del Parc • C. d'Andreu Nin • Tel. 647 547 262 - 647 547 607
42
Sports and children’s play parks
A part of Catalunya Park is also reserved for children and adolescents. At the
Ernest Lluch Square, which covers an area of 6,500 square metres, boys and girls
can climb a three-dimensional space-net, swing across a 25 metre Tyrolean
traverse or have fun on a play unit composed of two 10 metre high towers with
connecting slides attached to wooden platforms. The third area is a play park for
toddlers surrounded by a wooden fence.
For sports fans the Park also has a special area for skaters around 50 skaters visit
it every day- and a permanent cross country circuit. And there's the recently
opened new trial bike circuit which, with a surface area of 1,500 square metres
and 17 sections with different obstacles and difficulty levels offers some of the
best facilities for this sport in Europe.
Romeua Park
Near Can Llong in an area of important growth in Sabadell the city has a corridor of two great “green lungs”, the
Romeua and Odessa Parks and the future park of les Aigües. Romeua Park which covers 37,500 square metres was
the first of these green areas to be opened to the public. It has areas for walking and practising sport as well as areas
for rest and relaxation. One of the most striking features of this Park is the fact that the natural topography and the
native trees and shrubs of the area have been preserved although the park has been enriched with the introduction
of other species such as oaks, holm oaks ,white and black maples, and plane trees. Also aquatic species have been
planted in the marshy areas of the Park's river bed.
43
Odessa Park
Sabadell has recently acquired a new green area called the Odessa
Park with a surface area measuring more than 30,000 square
metres. It has an esplanade with lush vegetation where children
and adults alike can have fun and an open area sloping downwards
with different paths for visitors to explore. In the recreation area
there's a play park for children and an area for elderly people with
gymnastic apparatus, a space to do Tai Chi and facilities for table
tennis, basketball and petanque.
Aigües Park
The les Aigües Park is one of our most ambitious projects and is planned to be located in
the Can Llong district. The future park will have special features such as little artificial
lakes, illuminated fountains and a small stage for public performances. There's a special
les Aigües Promenade for people to stroll or cycle through the Park.
The future Can Gambús Park
With around 116,000 square metres, Can Gambús will be the second biggest park in the
city after Catalunya Park. The centre of the Park, which will hold the district's main
square, will have two large woods and a 350 metres long walkway along which the visitor
will be able to try out different sports activities. To the north and south of the Park, two
car parks with spaces for 64 and 256 cars respectively will be provided to facilitate visitor
access. In both sectors there is also a variety of smaller squares attached to the houses in
the new district of Can Gambús.
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North Park
The 18 hectare North Park is situated among the districts of Can Deu, Sant Julià, la Plana del
Pintor, Ca n'Oriac and the Torrent del Capellà. The gully which used to go all the way from
Can Deu to the River Ripoll has been filled in and turned into flat terrain and is now a green
corridor linking these districts in the north of the city.
The vegetation is rich and varied, changing from one area of the Park to another. There is an area with umbrella pines and
holm oaks; and another with riverbank deciduous trees such as elms, poplars, willows and ash trees. The areas bordered by
streets are lined with plane trees.
To the north of the Park there is a large
esplanade you can find an open air
amphitheatre with rows of seats made of
wood. There is also an area of palm trees
surrounding a pool of water out of which
shoots a spectacular 15 metre high
fountain.
The Oscar Arnulfo Romero Square is in the
centre of the Park and, there, you'll find a playground for children and terraces covered in climbing plants.
In the rest of the Park the transformation process is still underway. Once finished, the Park will have a main walkway where
all the paths crossing the Park from the different districts will meet. All sections will be suitable for cycling. During the
coming years these reforms will be affected by the works to extend the railway lines. However once these are completed the
improvements will continue.
The Vallès Central Park
The Vallès Central Park is a large intercity public space,20 hectares in size, which is situated
on old farmland between the municipalities of Sabadell and Barberà del Vallès.
The Park has full public park facilities, a sports circuit and some buildings that have been
restored as a “masia” (a country house) where you can find the offices, an auditorium and
further premises which are used for the Environmental Information Centre (DIMA), with
showrooms for Sources of Renewable Energy and Waste Disposal.
The Park offers a varied programme of fun activities, cultural and fund raising events such as
the Horse Fair and the Park Festival.
C. de Ramon Albó, 1 • 08204 Sabadell • Tel. 93 712 06 57 • www.parccentraldelvalles.com
45
The Ripoll River Park
The River Ripoll is a tributary of the River Besòs, which is characterised as having
very little water, with variable flow and few incidences of overflowing apart from
the most famous one in September 1962, which caused flash flooding that
resulted in great loss of life and material damage.
As a result of the alluvial terrain through which it flows, the erosion has given rise
to a typical landscape of sloping banks, cornices and terraces.
The Ripoll winds its way through Sabadell for 7 kilometres with gently sloping
banks which, from the past up till the present day have been used for industrial
purposes and also by the townspeople. The river bed was profoundly transformed with the great flood of 1962. Concentrated in
this area, visitors will find a great wealth of interest, be it cultural, hydrological, archaeological, architectural, hydrological,
industrial, agricultural and natural, all of which testify to the variety of activities pursued throughout the past centuries.
In the past decades, the waters of the Ripoll River where it flows through Sabadell suffered the consequences of the rapid
expansion of the city and intense industrial development. So bad was the pollution of the waters and the surrounding countryside that it was difficult to remember that in other times the Ripoll had been for the people of Sabadell one of their favourite spots
-a place for leisurely walks, picnics and even swimming in the river.
All the different actions carried out within the Ripoll River Park Project have succeeded in reversing this trend. The relationship
between the city and the river has been recovered and the area has been adapted and exploited
more effectively for social use. In short the project has shown the true value of the Ripoll River
Park and aims to continue improving the different thematic areas of which it is composed: the
industry established there, the traditional market gardens, the historical, archaeological and
industrial heritage, the parks, the natural springs, the pathways, the countryside and the natural
and biological resources, the water, the vegetation and the fauna.
46
The Sabadell Agrarian Park
The Sabadell Agrarian Park, covering a total area of approximately 550 hectares, is
situated to the west of the city, bordering on Can Gambús, Castellarnau and Ca n'Oriac.
This extensive area of exceptionally beautiful countryside and of great environmental
value includes such beauty spots as Can Cunillé, the Pedralba Sierra, the Adelardo Wood,
mas Canals, Ca n'Ustrell, Ca n'Argelaguet, Can Deu and Sant Julià d'Altura. It is a mosaic
of agroforestal countryside which is part of the biodiversity connector of Sant Llorenç
and the Obac Sierra with Collserola and marks the limit of the northern part with the
Llevant Agroforestal Space.
Travelling through this area, visitors will see fields of cereals with trees scattered among
the fields. The countryside is typical of the Vallès area where the gentle slopes of
undulating land welcome the visitor to an environment out of keeping with the area of
urban development in which it finds itself.
The basic mission which distinguishes the agrarian park and gives value to this agricultural land is the protection and production of autochthonous varieties of vegetables such
as “ganxet” bean.
The historical, cultural, social and architectural heritage of the Agrarian Park are to be
found in the country houses of Ca n'Argelaguet and Ca n'Ustrell, Can Deu, Mas Canals and
Sant Julià d'Altura. Also worthy of mention is the great botanical richness of the Mediterranean woods of Can Deu, Ribatallada, Ca n'Argelaguet, Ca n'Ustrell, Castellarnau and Can Gambús and
the mountain streams of Vallcorba and Abelardo.
They are a clear illustration of the nature of the
countryside and are all linked by public walkways.
47
Sports facilities
Sabadell has a deeply rooted sports tradition. The city has a wealth of open areas and facilities for practicing sport both for
pleasure and in competitions. It's got 140 sports clubs and associations. Due to the special support and encouragement
given to competitive sports, Sabadell has become one of the best known cities in the sporting world.
La Bassa, Sabadell's Recreation Park
Sabadell's Recreation Park is situated on Can Quadres
Road, next to the Josep Molins Athletics Stadium. The
biggest attraction of La Bassa is its swimming pool, the
biggest in the region, measuring 100 metres in diameter, with different depths ranging from 1.80 metres to
60 centimetres.
La Bassa provides all the amenities you need to spend
the whole day there: a picnic area, a bar restaurant. It
also has ticket offices, a first aid centre and locker
rooms.
The Recreation Park also has
two gigantic water slides, an
adventure circuit, inflatable
attractions and countercurrent swimming. All in all, a wide selection of activities for old and young to have a fun, and relaxing time
at la Bassa.
Opening days and times
From the first week in June to the first week in September. From 10.00 to 19.30
Sabadell Recreation Park • Camí de Can Quadres, 183
Tel. 93 725 99 79
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Josep Molins Athletics Stadium
The municipal athletics track, which has been operating for
over 40 years, was recently re-modelled to include equipment
providing the best facilities necessary for training and
competition in this sport.
The stadium has the following facilities:
• A 400 metre running track with a central grassed area, jump
pits, throwing area and a surrounding fence.
• 2 fields with sports pitches marked out. Each has an 11-aside football pitch and two 7-a-side football pitches, with
granite sand surfaces and automatic sprinklers.
• 1 multi-sport area, measuring 24 x 13 metres with a basketball and volleyball court.
The stadium also has a building for complementary facilities,
with an office, a first aid room, a gymnasium and a bar and
another building which houses the changing rooms. The new
seating area has five rows of seats for spectators and two
aisles to facilitate access. To complete the modernisation of
the stadium, a photo-finish system has been installed at the
finishing line.
Opening Times
Mondays to Fridays, from 7.00 to 22.00. Saturdays from 9.00
to 22.00. Sundays and holidays from 9.00 to 14.00
Josep Molins Athletics Stadium • Camí de Can Quadres, 179 •
Tel. 93 725 99 79
• 1 pelota court, measuring 24 x 13 m.
• 1 indoor rock climbing centre with 2
walls, one 24 metres by 3.75 metres of
low level difficulty and another, 13.5 x
3.75 metres of medium difficulty.
South Pavilion
The recently inaugurated South Pavilion is large enough to
accommodate a wide selection of sporting activities such as five-aside soccer, basketball, rhythmic gymnastics or handball to name
but just a few. The pitch can be divided into three areas so that
different sports can be practised at the same time. The pavilion
has a seating capacity for 500 spectators plus different complementary services such as changing rooms, a multi-purpose room
and a cafeteria.
50
Projects for the future
North Pavilion
The sports pavilion which is being built in the northern part of the city will
have a seating capacity for 1,500 spectators in the terraces. This new
sports facility will be located on land near the Ca n'Oriac Sports Centre at
the Ronda de Collsalarca.
The new pavilion will provide the city with a wider range of this type of
sports facilities and will also serve to promote the practice of sports in
general. The pavilion building will have two floors and a usable area of
5,000 m2. The main floor includes the entrance to the building, the hall,
ticket sales, the bar, a shop and access to the terraces. On the lower floor
there is the sports pitch, the muscle fitness and directed activity centres,
the changing rooms, the store rooms and the administration area.
Catalonia Indoor Athletics Track
The Sant Oleguer Sports Complex is the location selected for the
new Catalonia Indoor Athletics Track just beside the outdoor track
and in an area easily accessible for transport.
The new athletics track will have a seating capacity for some 2,500
spectators and will belong to the City Council. It will be used for
the Catalonia Indoor Athletics Championships and will enable
athletes from the Sant Cugat High Performance Development
Centre to hold their training sessions and competitions there. So as
well as serving as an amenity for amateurs who practice sport and
athletics, in particular, for health and social reasons, the new
indoor track will also act as cradle for promising future athletes.
This project will help Sabadell to become even more important in
the world of athletics and sports.
51
Shops, markets and services
Sabadell, a commercial city to stroll around in
The shops in Sabadell are accessible,
varied, attractive and full of life. They
cater for every need and are located
throughout the city. In addition to the
services sector, it is local commerce that
creates the greatest number of jobs and
proves a great attraction for visitors from
the surrounding areas.
At Sabadell you can find small and
medium sized establishments, either
traditional or unique, shops and services
specialised in food, goods and services
for people, products for the home,
leisure or culture items along with the
larger nationwide chain department
stores and franchises.
The city is a hub of non-stop, dynamic
activity, stretching for 7 kilometres from
north to south under the aegis of eight
commercial retailer associations who
seek to promote and stimulate their respective commercial areas.
One important commercial centre is the
Eix Macià where you'll find a wide selection of services and shops. There is a large
department store and a shopping mall, as
well as five tower blocks for offices and
services. In addition, this area has a 9screen cinema complex and a wide range
of restaurants and hotels, all in close
proximity just beside Catalunya Park.
53
The markets
Sabadell has five municipal markets: Campoamor
Market, the Central Market, Creu Alta Market,
Merinals Market and the Torre-romeu Market which
all provide a wide selection of fresh top quality
produce and are the main source of commercial
activity wherever they are situated. These
traditional markets, through an extensive renovation process are being converted into modern
commercial centres catering for the present day
needs of the public. The latest market to have
benefited from these improvements is Campoamor Market where
the work is now in its final stages.
The most important of the 5 commercial centres is without a doubt
the Central Market, first opened in 1930 and then inaugurated for a
second time in 2004, after undergoing extensive refurbishment. An
underground car park was added to the building and the market is
now divided into two parts, an indoor part consisting of two commercial floors and an outdoor market area.
The indoor market consists of about 100 stalls, where you can find both fresh produce from all over the world and food produced
and prepared locally by the city artisans, as well as non-food products
(a bookshop, a jeweller's, a costume jewellery store, home products as well as other items are all available). There's also a
supermarket and restaurant open every day of the week.
Surrounding the building on the outside is a canopy under which farmers and florists set up their stalls selling local produce and on
Mondays there is a street market.
Itinerant markets
Every morning, except Friday, there is an itinerant market where you
can find textiles, shoes, household utensils, leather goods among
other products. It's held at a different place every day and is set up
round one of the municipal markets except for Sundays when it is
located in Costa i Deu Street.
On Sunday mornings, a popular antique, collectors and flea market is
held outside the Central Market.
54
Hotels
The city can provide accommodation for over 1,200 visitors in different types of hotels. There
are two 4-star hotels, three 3-star hotels and five more with two or one stars.
Hotels
Gran Hotel Verdi ****
Av. de Francesc Macià, 62
195 habitacions
Tel. 93 723 11 11 • www.hoteles-catalonia.es
Hotel Husa Vallès ***
C. de Milena Jesenská, 40-60
100 habitacions
Tel. 93 746 04 98 • www.hotelhusavalles.com
Hotel Sabadell ****
Pl. de Catalunya, 10-12
110 habitacions
Tel. 93 727 92 00 • www.hoteles-catalonia.es
Hotel Arrahona ***
Ctra. de Barcelona, 446
49 habitacions • 39 apartaments
Tel. 93 720 53 20 • www.arrahonahotel.com
Hotel Urpí ***
Av. de l'Onze de Setembre, 38
125 habitacions
Tel. 902 31 31 34 • www.hotelurpi.com
Hotel Gaudí *
C. del Berguedà, 119
10 habitacions
Tel. 93 716 31 70 • www.hotelgaudi.net
Boarding and Guest Houses
Hostal Ric **
Ctra. de Terrassa, 114
10 habitacions
Tel. 93 727 86 97 • www.hostal-ric.com
Pensión Los Martínez *
C. de Can Viloca, 52
8 habitacions
Tel. 93 710 68 75
Hostal Fonda Huix **
C. de Sant Maties, 135
19 habitacions
Tel. 93 716 02 75 • www.hostalfondahuix.com
Pensión Los Maños
C. de Fra Juníper Serra, 20
16 habitacions
Tel. 93 711 31 92
55
Restaurants
Sabadell has around 300 restaurants located throughout the city, both in the
centre and in the surrounding districts.
The restaurants offer mainly Catalan or market cuisine based on the fresh
products in season at each particular time of the year. But you can also find
traditional cooking from the other communities in Spain, sea food restaurants,
fast food establishments as well as restaurants specialised in gastronomy from
other countries: Italian, Greek, Mexican, Argentinean, Chinese, Japanese,
Lebanese and Moroccan cuisines.
Night life
Sabadell has a wide and varied selection of musical bars and clubs which are concentrated
mainly in the south west industrial estate called Zona Hermètica. Here you can find about ten
clubs and fifteen musical bars.
And then around the city you can find lots of quieter pubs where you can relax over a drink
after dinner.
For further information, check with the Sabadell website <www.sabadell.cat/visitasabadell>.
56
Fairs
Sabadell Fira
Just off the Gran Via, beside Tres Creus Street and easily accessible by all
modes of transport we find the new Trade Fair and Convention Centre,
Sabadell Fira. The Centre is ideally situated, just a short distance away
from the RENFE central railway station, the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat
station, the bus station and from the C-58 motorway connection.
Fira Sabadell is located on the site of the old headquarters of the
multinational firm, ABB, an emblematic industrial building constructed in
the 1940´s. But now, however, it has been turned into a modern, spacious
and comfortable area equipped with state of the art technology.
The city's Trade Fair and Convention Centre comprises some 5.000 m2 of
floor space, divided into a central bay, an auditorium and multi-purpose
halls providing ideal facilities to cater for conventions, seminars, trade
fairs, corporate functions and other events.
The central bay, with a surface area of over 3,000 square metres is designed to host large scale events such as trade fairs and
conventions and can hold 2700 people. It is open plan in design and on a single level.
The auditorium measures 1,300 m2 in size and has a seating capacity of 308 - 302 of which are intelligent seats. It's an ideal
area for lectures, presentations, seminars, technical conferences, etc. There is an adjoining technical control room with
translating facilities. Also available is a selection of multi-purpose rooms and four open space rooms of differing capacities and
sizes ranging from 100 to 400 m2 and which can accommodate meetings of 30 up to 300 attendees. In addition the auditorium
has a restaurant and a car park of 354 spaces which is just being completed.
Fira Sabadell provides an interior electric power of 1,500 kW and an n extended network of internal communication. All the
rooms have Wi-Fi coverage and lighting systems at very reasonable rates. It also has photovoltaic energy installations.
57
Trade fairs
Different trade fairs linked to commercial and services sector are held every year at the
Sabadell Convention and Trade Fair Centre. These fairs can attract up to 15,000 visitors in
one weekend. Among the most popular fairs are the following:
International Air Meeting
Fira per als Nuvis i Cerimònia del Vallès
Fira del Vehicle d'Ocasió
Fira Habitatge
Fira Salut
Fira Golf i Pitch & Putt
Fira del Turisme, Oci, Esport i Aventura
Fira del Món del Vi
Turiswork
Fira Relájate
Fira Energies Renovables i Reciclatge
Esport de Reis
For further information: www.firasbd.com
Fairs: traditional fairs
Medievàlia
Location: city centre
Date: May
Medievàlia is a kind of cultural mediaeval festival
which was first started in the year 2000 and is now in
its 11th year. It is organised by the Friends of
Mediaevalia Association in conjunction with local cultural and theatrical groups
from Sabadell. Throughout the week end, visitors are treated to a varied
selection of events and activities, such as performances and shows all set in
mediaeval times. Demonstrations are given of old artisan and traditional crafts
and trades that emerged around the 12th century. On the Sunday morning there's
a Mediaeval Cooking Competition and prizes are awarded for the best recipes and
the best cooked dishes. Stroll around the market and you'll find artisan and food
products, jewellery and gift items. And there's lots of fun entertainment and
activities laid on for children
Everything you see at Medievàlia is a dramatisation of the origins of the town of
Sabadell, in the mid eleventh century. The fair sets out to recreate the life of the
townspeople around the market and shows just how important these activities
were in the growth and development of a town like Sabadell.
58
Horse Fair
Location: Central Park
Date: between the first and the third
week of May
The Horse Fair, which was first
started in 2000, has quickly
become one of the most
important equestrian competitions held in Spain. The fair draws visitors
from all over Spain and southern Europe and for four days provides a
varied programme of equestrian events. Among the many different
events that take place during the Horse Fair we can see the Commercial
Cattle Fair with an extensive exhibition area to display cattle and all
types of products and services related to horses from all over Spain,
France and Italy. And there are also activities and courses organised for
children, senior citizens and disadvantaged groups.
And, that's not all. Cultural associations from Sabadell and Barberà del
Vallès as well as representatives of the different autonomous regions in
Spain get together to offer visitors a wide selection of popular cultural
activities and gastronomic delights. And also you'll find one of the biggest
fun fairs in the country.
Sabadell Ceramics Fair
Location: city centre
Date: October
Frequency: every two years
The Sabadell Ceramics Fair, which has been held annually for the past 20 years, takes
place over a weekend in October. It is organised by the Vallès Potters Association. The
work of some thirty potters is exhibited at the fair, providing a good sample of current
contemporary ceramics. There, we can find a wide variety of styles ranging from highly
creative and personal pieces to popular traditional pottery. The Fair displays the work of the members of
the association but also invites contributions from other potters from the rest of Catalonia and Spain.
During the weekend children can take part in various fun activities, such as working with clay,
decorating pieces of art which are then Raku fired. During the week prior to the fair, other activities
linked to the world of ceramics, namely exhibitions, courses and workshops, are organised.
59
Sabadell's Christmas Artisan Fair
Location: city centre
Dates: 15th December to 5th January
The Christmas Artisan Fair of Sabadell
(FANSA), now in its ninth year, has
been consolidated as one of the
traditional activities associated with the city's Christmas celebrations. Co-organised
by the Artisan Association, FANSA and the Vallès Potters Association, the fair exhibits
a varied selection of quality artisan products every year. There are about fifteen
workshops from all over Catalonia. The Fair provides lots of ideas for Christmas gifts
made from a variety of materials as diverse as wood, paper, material, glass, pottery
and metals, etc.
Santa Llúcia Fair
The Sabadell Santa Llúcia Fair is 66 years
old. For the past three decades it has been
organised by the Sabadell Association of
Santa Lucia Stallholders. This is the most
firmly rooted and popular of the fair
traditions in Sabadell filling the air with the warmth and spirit of Christmas.
Location: Rambla
Dates: from the first Saturday
before the 6th December until
the 23rd December
There are about forty stalls where you can find Christmas figurines and nativity
scenes, Christmas decorations and garlands, Christmas trees, poinsettias and good
luck bunches of mistletoe.
Other fairs: fairs in the city centre
Record Fair
Date: first Sunday in March
Description: sale of second hand records
Sant Ponç Fair
Date: first Sunday in May
Description: sale of artisan foods: sausages, cheeses, honey, herbs, and pâtés.
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Antique and Second Hand Book Fair
Date: first Sunday in November
Description: sale of antique books, comics and calendars
Artisan Fair
Dates: second Sunday of every month
Description: handmade craft products, gifts, textiles and jewellery.
Food Fair
Dates: fourth Sunday of every month
Description: sale of artisan food products
Fairs held during the Sabadell Fiesta Mayor
Carrer de la Indústria Fair
Description: craftwork, ideas for presents, craft jewellery and artisan food
Art and Design Fair
Location: at the Plaça del Gas
Description: exhibition and sale of works by artists from Sabadell and the
Sabadell area
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Ripoll river and
its natural environment
Routes
Discover the
Route: Ripoll river park
Ecological-Scenic Walk. Rest areas: Can Roqueta, Boixò Steam Mill, Els Degotalls Spring, the Clota
Park, the Gitanos Spring, the Amat Mill and Sant Vicenç de Jonqueres (with barbecue facilities)
Start: Bassa de Sant Oleguer
Bus: Nº 5 Can Rull - Les Termes
Finish: Plaça del Primer de Maig
Bus: Nº 7 La Roureda - Can Deu
Approx. length: 2.5 hours on foot
Distance: 8 km
Information: Ripoll and Surroundings Section • Tel. 93 748 08 45
Recommendations: the route is suitable for walking and cycling
1. Bassa de Sant Oleguer. Start the walk.
2. Can Roqueta Market Garden. A new municipal market
garden has been designed based on the original market
garden. The gardens are irrigated with water pumped from
a nearby pool using solar energy.
3. The Romau Market Garden. Old market garden situated
on the river terrace where the Romau farm used to be
situated (now it is the Torre-Romeu district) and beside the
Sant Nicolau stream basin.
4. Fontanet Mill. This was the first mill in Sabadell which was
used in pre-industrial times in the production of textiles,
for fulling or cleansing the cloth around the year 1400. It
had previously been a flour mill. Surrounding the mill today
there are a number buildings which have been rented out
to different local companies. The mill building itself is in a
state of neglect.
5. Horta Vella. This was the main market garden for Sabadell
and was formerly known as Horta Major. It provided vegetables including potatoes for the Sabadell market and was
watered by the Monar irrigation canal which ran across it.
Today it is divided into plots and fenced off into private
allotments and is cultivated by families for their personal use.
11. Parc de la Clota. The Park covers the area stretching
from beneath the north wall of what used to be the Can
Puiggener farm as far as the banks of the river.
12. Font dels Gitanos. This rest area was recovered from
the land surrounding the Gitanos Spring in front of a
stretch of water which has undergone an environmental
and scenic facelift.
13. Sèquia Monar. The Monar irrigation canal winds its way
across the municipal area of Sabadell for about 11
kilometres and is situated beside the Ripoll River, exposed
in some sections and covered in others. The canal was
used to irrigate market gardens and also to power the
mills and steam mills situated on the banks of the river.
Nowadays a great deal of the canal has fallen into disuse
and disrepair due partly to the floods in 1962. At this
stage of the walk it is uncovered.
14. The Amat Mill. According to official documents from
1501, this mill was called the Carbó Farm Mill and was a
flour mill. In 1679 it appeared in official records as the
Amat Mill and, at that time, operated as a textile mill.
Nearby the chimney of the old steam mill is still standing.
6. Xic Mill. In Mediaeval times this was a flour mill, and then
it was used as fulling mill and finally in more modern times
it became a paper mill. The last industry to be housed
there was the dyeing and finishing of textiles. It's also
popularly known as ca l'Espantananos and cal Julià.
15. The Mornau Mill. Also known as the Ca l'Estruc Mill or the
Windows Mill. The building was constructed in 1783 for
the manufacture of paper although in later times it was
used for other industrial purposes. It became very famous
for the cigarette paper it produced. It was the most
important paper mill in Catalonia in the XVIII century
7. Ca la Daniela Steam Mill. Group of factories with buildings
dating from two different periods: the Old Dry Steam Mill (XIX
century) and the rationalist constructions from the second half
of the XX century. In the 90's the buildings were badly damaged by fire but they have been fully rebuilt in the same style.
16. D'en Font Mill. This is the oldest documented mill in the
whole of the Ripoll area (dating from 973). It was
originally a flour mill but, according to documents, from
1735 onwards it was used as a fulling mill. The old mill is
now in ruins.
8. Torrella Mill. This is one of the most representative of the
Ripoll mills in Sabadell and is located on the exact spot
where there used to be a flour mill dating from the year
999. In the interior of the present day building (constructed
in the XIX century), the original gallery of the flour mill has
been preserved. It is paved with worn down millstones and
the water raising system with the marks of the old wheels
and modern steam engines can still be seen.
17. Parc de Jonqueres. Rest area with barbecue facilities.
9. Font dels Degotalls. This spring is situated opposite the
Castelló factory, on the opposite bank of the river.
10. Arraona Market Garden. This garden area occupies a river terrace created by a former meander in the river and
is watered by an irrigation channel.
18. Sant Vicenç de Jonqueres. This Church was mentioned
officially for the first time in the year 973. It was the
Parish Church for the districts of Creu Alta, Hostafrancs,
Can Feu, Can Rull, Concòrdia, Torreguitart, Can Puiggener
and the Torrent del Capellà. It is now used as the office
for the Mountain Information Service.
19. Primer de Maig Square. Here, we find an enormous sun
dial, 14.45 metres in diameter which covers the square.
In the centre of the mosaic there is a metal analemmatic
dial with calendar points. This is the end of the walk.
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Route: Can Deu, Ribatallada, Ca n'Argelaguet, Sant Julià
Ecological-scenic walk. Rest area at Sant Julià.
Start: Masia de Can Deu
Finish: Sant Julià - Can Deu
Buses: Nº 1 Can Deu - Estació Sud • Nº 2 Can Deu - Creu Barberà
Nº 3 Can Deu La Romànica
Approx. length: 3 hours on foot
Distance: 8.5 km
Information: Ripoll and Surroundings Section • Tel. 93 748 08 45
Recommendations: The indicated is suitable for walking
1. Can Deu Farmhouse. We start off our
walk along the wide tarmac road leading
to Can Deu. Just before we get to the
farmhouse, we go up some steps on our
left and enter the woods.
2. Sant Vicenç de Verders and the Can Deu
Woods. Sant Vicenç is a Romanesque hermitage
which was originally located in the district of Osona.
When this area and the hermitage were submerged
under the waters of the Sau reservoir in the sixties, the
hermitage was taken to pieces and rebuilt on its present
location. Walking on past the hermitage, you get to a viewpoint over
the River Ripoll where you can enjoy a wonderful view of Castellar del
Vallès, the Bruguera Plain and the Ripoll River Valley. We are now right
inside the Can Deu Wood. Consisting mainly of white pines, it's a relatively
recent wood (planted at the end of the XIX century, following the destruction
of the vines afflicted by phylloxera which used to cover all the area which is now
the wood).
3. Sant Julià d'Altura Church. This was the heart of the old Sant Julià d'Altura
parish which was joined to Sabadell in 1904. In the recreation area there are
tables and benches and barbecues available for hire at weekends.
4. Font del Capellans. The Capellans Spring is situated on the left side of the
Capellans Stream, which joins the Ribatallada a few metres downriver. There is
usually running water from the spring all year though not in great abundance. This
place is lush with vegetation and a feeling of coolness persists all year round. A
large holm oak tree leans over the spring. A few metres further down we find the
Suro Spring and, surprisingly, a couple of cork oaks. From these oaks we can see
up above the half fallen down manor house, Ribatallada.
5. The old Ribatallada reservoir. This example of hydraulic engineering, 4 metres
deep and with a capacity of 10.000 m3, today lies abandoned and covered in
vegetation. It was built in 1895, as the still-standing stone plaque reminds us, to
benefit from the waters flowing down from the Ribatallada stream. At that time
it was very difficult to store water for the population of Sabadell. The reservoir
was used for many years as a water cistern for the city until the heavy flooding in
September burst open one wall. It was subsequently repaired, but one month
later more flooding broke the wall again and so it was decided to stop using the
reservoir. The water was directed straight to the underground passageways of
Ribatallada and then to the whole city.
6. Torrent de Gotelles. This stream rises near Can Sales and it flows parallel to the
Matadepera-Sabadell road, finishing when it joins the larger Can Font stream
which went on to be called the Ribatallada stream. To get to the path leading to
this stream we have to turn right off the main track and continue along a path
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which is signposted with wooden markers. The vegetation beside the stream is
what you would expect from an area of great humidity, - ferns, sedge, elm
saplings, hazelnut trees and horsetail all abound there. At one point along the
stream we find a triangular municipal milestone with the coat of arms of
Sabadell, Castellar del Vallès and Terrassa. Further up the stream there are two
springs, one of which is in fact a continuation of the other: the Gotelles Spring.
7. Ca n'Argelaguet Spring and Farmhouse. In the past, the spring was known as the
Market Garden Spring because the water that collected in the pool was used to
irrigate the farm vegetable plots. The water from this spring came from an
underground passage and originated from the Murtra stream which further down
becomes the Riereta, the river that crosses Sabadell, nowadays flowing
underground. The Ca n'Argelaguet farm which dates from the XVI century still
operates as a working farm.
8. CASSA Cisterns. Property of the Water
Company (CASSA),
they are situated
beside the Can Deu
Woods car park and in
front of the Ca
n'Ustrell farmhouse.
Route: Torrent de Colobrers, Togores, La Salut
Ecological-Scenic Walk
Start: Plaça del Primer de Maig
Bus: Nº 7 La Roureda - Can Deu • Nº 80 P. del Pintor - pl. de Picasso (no service at week-ends and on holidays)
Finish: La Salut - Cemetery
Bus: Nº 4 Castellarnau - Poblenou
Approx. length: 3 hours on foot
Distance: 8.5 km
Information: Ripoll and Surroundings Section • Tel. 93 748 08 45
Recommendations: The route indicated is suitable for walking. The part suitable for cycling starts at the Can Moragues fountain
(La Font de Can Moragues) and goes as far as the chapel, la Salut
1. Plaça del Primer de Maig. Start the walk at the Primer
de Maig Square, walk along Mas Canals Street till the end
where the Jonqueres path starts.
2. Sant Vicenç de Jonqueres. To get down to the River Ripoll, take the steps which are on the right of the esplanade. Cross the river at the Jonqueres ford and on the
other bank of the river continue upsteam.
3. Horta del Prat Vell. The route goes past this area of allotment gardens located on the banks of the winding Ripoll
River.
4. Can Pagès. A former country house inn converted into a
restaurant. Take the path on the right of the restaurant,
which leads you to the torrent de Colobrers.
5. Colobrers. The route takes you through the natural
unspoilt beauty of the Colobrers river valley. The Tosca
Spring bubbles up like a natural fountain to the right of
the gushing stream, a few yards away from the path.
Further up you can see the pumice stone (tosca) rock
formation, of incredible beauty and surrounded by tall
sedge or reeds known as “els Degotalls” (the dripping
reeds). The path continues on to a bend in the stream
where the water used to flow before “la Foradada” was
built. This great hole in the rock was made to divert the
flow of the stream and create a market garden area taking
advantage of the meander in the river. This part of the
walk is extremely unstable so we strongly recommend you
not to stand beneath the hole as there is a permanent
danger of falling rocks and boulders. The path finally leaves
the stream and we arrive at a wide track called Can
Moragues, where we continue walking to the right.
6. Font de Can Moragues. This spring has an old washing
area dating from mediaeval times. You can find it by taking
a path to the left about 100 metres off the main track.
7. Can Moragues. Today the open area in front of Can
Moragues is used as a landing field for ultra light
aeroplanes. Further on we find a path on our left with a
signpost indicating the path to Togores, Can Vilar and the
old path to Castellar, which is the way we have to go.
Approaching Togores there is an impressive pine tree with
three branches.
8. Togores. Here you
find the Togores hermitage and the old
Can Pagès farm. Continue along the main track
just before the hermitage.
9. Serra de Sant Iscle. From this
point in our walk we have a
wonderful panoramic view of the
city of Sabadell and another of the Canonge Tower, dating
from the XV century and now in ruins. This is a cattle track
and is known as the Serra Highroad or the Ripollet to
Castellar road.
10. La Salut. This is a place of religious worship and tradition
associated with the celebration of the Aplec de la Salut in
the month of May and has great historical and scenic
interest. Altogether there is a church, a farmhouse, the
remains of the Sant Iscle and Santa Victòria hermitages and
the archaeological remains of a Roman villa which can be
visited.
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Director and Coordinator: Department of Tourism and Commerce - Sabadell City Council
Editorial Staff: Sabadell City Council, Sabadell Archives (AHS),
Miquel Crusafont Paleontological Institute, Sabadell Art Museum (MAS),
Sabadell History Museum, Caixa Sabadell Social Activities, Vallès Central Park
Translation: Lilias Adam
Corrections: Linguistic Advisory Service - Sabadell City Council
Photos: Sabadell City Council, AHS, Miquel Crusafont Paleontological Institute,
MAS, MHS, Caixa Sabadell Social Activities, Vallès Central Park, Lluís Fernàndez (UES and Amics del Ripoll),
Joan Carles Lorenzo, Juanma Peláez, Moisès Serra and Francesc Ventura
Design and Lay-out: Primera Impressió, SL. Tel. 93 715 58 00
Printing: Gràfiques Cuscó, SA. Tel. 93 313 86 54
Registered copyright: B-49093-2008
Second edition: December 2008