Igualada

**Igualada** () is a municipality o the province o Barcelona in  Spain. It is locatit on the left bank o the Anoia river, an at the wastren end o the Igualada-Martorell-Barcelona railwey. Igualada is the caipital an central mercat o the Anoia comarca, a rich agricultural an wine-producin destrict. The population, as o 2009, is 38,918.

The ceety consists o a auld toun, oreeginatit in the 11t century, wi narrae an irregular streets, includin the remains o a fortress an ramparts, plus a new surroondin toun wi regular an spacious streets an mony feene hooses.

The ceety is  wast frae Barcelona an  wast frae the famous muntain an monastery o Montserrat.

Igualada hosts the European Balloon Festival, the lairgest hot air balloon festival in Spain an ane o the lairgest in Europe. It taks place ivery year, syne 1997, at the beginnin o Julie. The ceety hosts the Aerosport airshow which taks place ivery year in Apryl or Mey an aw.

## Main sichts

### Igualada Leather Museum

The *[[Igualada Leather Museum]]* (*Museu de la Pell d'Igualada*) wis creatit in 1954 an wis the first laither museum in Spain, an the third in Europe. The collections are displayed in twa nearbi biggins in Igualada: the "Cal Boyer" biggin, a umwhile cotton textile factory frae the late 19t century, an the "Cal Granotes" biggin, a 18t-century tannery.

"Cal Granotes" displays twa floors o a teepical tannery: the grund floor, whaur the laither preparation an tannin wis done, an the upper floor, whaur the laither wis dree'd hangin frae bars.

In the early 18t century, the tannin wirkers frae Igualada decidit tae leave the enclosur o the medieval waws an established new industries alang a watter pipe or irrigation ditch namit "El Rec", awready mentioned in 12t century documents an previously uised bi mills. The ditch haes a lenth o 3049 metres an collects the Anoia river watter frae a lock.

### Muleteer's Museum (Museu del Traginer)

The "Igualada Muleteer's Museum - Antoni Ros Collection" explains the evolution o transport uisin ainimals sic as mules, horse, oxen, an the different relationships that pavit the wey for the profeesion o muleteer. It is distributit intae three main thematic auries: profeesions, saidles an bridles, an cairiages.

### Igualada Cemetery

The new Igualada Cemetery wis designed bi the airchitects Enric Miralles an Carme Pinós efter winnin a airchitectural competeetion in 1984. Constructit atween 1985 an 1994 as a replacement for the auld "Cemetery Vell", it haes acome widely regardit as ane o the maist poetic wirks o the 20t century Catalan airchitectur. Enric Miralles, who dee'd in year 2000 is buriet in ane o the tombs.

### Kirk o Santa Maria

The Basilica o Santa Maria is the maist important historical biggin o Igualada. The first dounset o Igualada is datit aroond year 1000, in the location wur the current kirk lees the day, which wis at that time a crossin o 2 routes which wur linkin Barcelona wi Aragon, an north o Catalonie wi its sooth. Santa Maria kirk oreegin is frae the 11t century, but the current biggin is mainly frae the 17t century. Durin the Spaingie Ceevil War it wis convertit intae a mercat, an wis restored efter the war, unner the guidance o the airchitect Cèsar Martinell. In 1949 Santa Maria obtained the title o Minor Basilica grantit bi the Pape Pius XII.

### Nourcin hame "Asil del Sant Crist"
The *asil del Sant Crist* is ane o the maist special biggins in Igualada an serves as a nourcin hame o elder fowk. Construction stairtit in year 1931 thanks tae a donation frae Magdalena, Dolors an Concepció Castells an feenished in 1941 efter the Spainyie Ceevil War. It wis designed bi Joan Rubió i Bellver, pupil o Antoni Gaudí, in late modernisme style, mixed wi influences frae the tradeetional Catalan airchitectur.

## Economy
The local industries, mainly developit syne 1880, include the manufactur o cotton, linen, oo, ribbons, cloth, chocolate, saip, brandies, laither, cards an nails.

Igualada haes a lang tradeetion o tannin an textile industries. The competeetion frae law cost kintras which produce inexpensive textile products an the stricter environmental laws applee'd on tanneries hae haed a serious impact in the local economy. Despite that, thare are several well-kent textile companies that keep thair heidquairters in Igualada, includin Buff, Sita Murt an Punto Blanco.

Igualada is hame tae Ultramagic an aw, the anerly manufacturer o hot air balloons in Spain.

## Sports
*Igualada is hame tae the Igualada Hoquei Club, foondit in 1950 an ane o the tap roller hockey clubs in Europe, haein wan the European Champions League o Rink Hockey 6 times an the Spaingie League 5 times.
*The local soccer team is CF Igualada, foondit in 1939 an currently playin at the Primera Catalana league.

## Internaitional relations

### Twin touns – Sister ceeties
Igualada is twinned wi:
* Lecco, Italy
* Guimarães, Portugal
* Alcántara, Spain
* Nueva Esperanza, Jiquilisco, El Salvador

## References
* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). *Guia de Catalunya*, Barcelona:Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 (Spaingie). ISBN 84-87135-02-1 (Catalan).
* 

## Freemit airtins
* Igualada tourism office     
* Igualada offeecial steid 
* Igualada Map 
* Igualada statistics, frae Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya