Gósol
Encyclopedia
Gósol is a village and municipality
located in the northwest of the comarca
of Berguedà
in Catalonia
, in the Pyrenees
. It is within the confines of Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park
, to the west of Pedraforca
.
Gósol is the only municipality in Berguedà which is in the province of Lleida rather than that of Barcelona. It is also a party to the legal district
of La Seu d'Urgell
.
and Pedraforca, in the Pyrenees. The ruins of the former town and castle, dating from the 11th century, overlook the Gósol from an adjacent hill.
. Compared to less mountainous areas of Catalonia it is rather wet. It receives over 900mm (35.43 in.) of precipitation each year, concentrated in the spring months.
to the village from the spring of 1906 to mid-August of that same year. The artist installed himself at the only inn
then in existence, Cal Tampanada. While in Gósol, Picasso underwent a transformation of palette, sketching style, and rhythm of composition. Picasso found his subjects in local livestock and people of Gósol, as well as Fernande Olivier
, his partner.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the northwest of the comarca
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
of Berguedà
Berguedà
Berguedà is a comarca in the interior of Catalonia, Spain, lying partly in the Pyrenees and partly in Catalonia's Depressió Central.-Geography:...
in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. It is within the confines of Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park
Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park
The Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty in the north of Catalonia near the border with Andorra. The Cadi mountain chain with its limestone rocks, rugged peaks and striking north face are impressive. The park has been declared as a Special Protection Area for...
, to the west of Pedraforca
Pedraforca
The Pedraforca is a mountain of the Pyrenees, located in the Berguedà comarca.It is one of the most famous and emblematic mountains in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-Description:...
.
Gósol is the only municipality in Berguedà which is in the province of Lleida rather than that of Barcelona. It is also a party to the legal district
Legal district
A legal district or judicial district denotes the territorial area for which a legal court has jurisdiction.-Courts in Germany:In Germany, ordinary Gerichtsbarkeit courts are the smallest districts of those courts. There are superior court districts, which usually have several legal districts...
of La Seu d'Urgell
La Seu d'Urgell
La Seu d'Urgell is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of Bishop of Urgell, one of the Andorra co-princes...
.
Geography
The present town is centered in the eponymous valley of Gósol, which is enclosed by the Serra del CadíSerra del Cadí
The Serra del Cadí is a mountain range running north of Catalonia, Spain, part of the Pre-Pyrenees. Its highest peak is the Vulturó, with an altitude of 2,648 metres....
and Pedraforca, in the Pyrenees. The ruins of the former town and castle, dating from the 11th century, overlook the Gósol from an adjacent hill.
Villages within Gósol
The municipal limits of Gósol includes, most notably, the village of Sorribes. Other settlements include Bonner, la Collada, Molí d'en Güell, Moripol, Castell de Termes, Font Terrers, and Torrent Senta.Climate
Gósol has a cool, subalpine climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
. Compared to less mountainous areas of Catalonia it is rather wet. It receives over 900mm (35.43 in.) of precipitation each year, concentrated in the spring months.
Culture
Gosol's emblematic cultural institution is the Picasso Museum, which owes its existence to the visit of Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
to the village from the spring of 1906 to mid-August of that same year. The artist installed himself at the only inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
then in existence, Cal Tampanada. While in Gósol, Picasso underwent a transformation of palette, sketching style, and rhythm of composition. Picasso found his subjects in local livestock and people of Gósol, as well as Fernande Olivier
Fernande Olivier
Fernande Olivier , was a French artist and model known primarily for having been the model of painter Pablo Picasso, and for her written accounts of her relationship with him. Picasso painted over 60 portraits of Olivier.-Youth:...
, his partner.
Notable Dates
- The town's festa major, or town festival, takes place on August 15 each year. It is most notable for its unique folk dance, the "Ball de les cosses."
- On New Year's EveNew Year's EveNew Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
(Saint Sylvester), legend says that witches hold gatherings on PedraforcaPedraforcaThe Pedraforca is a mountain of the Pyrenees, located in the Berguedà comarca.It is one of the most famous and emblematic mountains in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-Description:...
mountain.
Local dishes
- Pèsol negre, a local variety of 'black pea'
- Blat de moro escairat, or 'peeled corn', often cooked in a pork broth
- Patates emmascarades, or "Masked Potatoes", mashed potatoes cooked with blood or black pudding
- All i oliAioliAioli ) is a traditional sauce made of garlic, olive oil, and egg. There are many variations, such as the addition of mustard or, in Catalonia, pears. It is usually served at room temperature. The name aioli comes from Provençal alh 'garlic' is a traditional sauce made of garlic, olive oil,...
with pork, eaten during the swine-harvest in fall - Veal with wild mushrooms
- Wild boar