Maresme
Encyclopedia
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...
(county) located along the Catalan
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...
Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, between the comarques of Barcelonès
Barcelonès
Barcelonès is the most economically important comarca of Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Barcelona, which is also the capital of Catalonia.- Municipalities :Population figures are for 2009 .-External links:* *...
(at the Southwest) and Selva
Selva
Selva is a coastal comarca in Catalonia, Spain, located between the mountain range known as the Serralada Transversal or Puigsacalm and the Costa Brava . Unusually, it is divided between the provinces of Girona and Barcelona, with Fogars de la Selva being part of Barcelona province, and all other...
(at the Northeast), and also bordering with Vallès Oriental
Vallès Oriental
Vallès Oriental is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Granollers. Along with Vallès Occidental it forms the grand comarca of Vallès.- Municipalities :*Aiguafreda - pop. 2,308*L'Ametlla del Vallès - pop. 7,319...
(at the west).
Its capital and largest city is Mataró
Mataró
Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it...
(pop. 119,035 in 2007).
Geography
Maresme's territory occupies a long and narrow area between the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and the hills of Serralada Litoral (Catalonia's coastal mountains), and specifically Montnegre's and Corredor's hills in the northern half and Sant Mateu's hills in the southern half. This particular shape has conditioned both the geography and the history of this comarca. Probably the main distinct elements of its geography are the characteristic rieres (torrents). These short, intermittent water stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s, which cross the comarca transversally almost every hundred meters, produce powerful and dangerous floods when it rains.
Maresme has been historically very well connected with the rest of the comarca as well as with Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
thanks to old Camí Ral (Royal Way) (actual N-II
N-II
N-II was the former name for the Route Nacional from Madrid to Barcelona and France. According with the new Spanish roads nomenclature, the sections which have been already enhanced and upgraded to autovía have been recently renamed to A-2, whereas the sections still not upgraded keep the old name...
main road) and railroad (The Barcelona–Mataró railroad route, finished in 1848, was the first ever in all the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
). Communications were enhanced in recent years with the construction of the C-32's Barcelona–Mataró section (1969), which was the first autopista (highway) ever in Spain, and its subsequent enlargement, the Mataró-Palafolls's section (1995).
Municipalities
Total Maresme's population in 2007 was 414,081. Populations of municipalities as of 2006 are listed in the table below:| Municipality | Population (2006) |
|---|---|
| Alella Alella Alella is a village in the comarca of Maresme inCatalunya, Spain. It is situated on the south-west side of the granite Litoral range, just by the sea. The town is known for... |
8,998 |
| Arenys de Mar Arenys de Mar Arenys de Mar , and de mar for by the sea as opposed to Arenys de Munt town inland) is one of the main municipalities of the comarca of Maresme, Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Sant Vicenç de Montalt and Canet de Mar... |
14,164 |
| Arenys de Munt Arenys de Munt Arenys de Munt , and de munt for up hill as opposed to Arenys de Mar town by the sea) is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated inland from the coast, in the range and including the peak of el Montalt... |
7,807 |
| Argentona Argentona Argentona is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the south-east side of the granite Litoral range, to the north-west ofMataró. The town is both a tourist centre and a notable horticultural centre... |
11,402 |
| Cabrera de Mar Cabrera de Mar Cabrera de Mar is a municipality of the comarca of Maresme inCatalonia, Spain.It is located next to the Català mediterranean coast, between the municipalities of Vilassar de Mar and Mataró, although the urban centre is at about 2,5 km inland, in a small valley between the hills of Burriac ... |
4,269 |
| Cabrils Cabrils Cabrils is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated between the municipalities of Vilassar de Mar, Vilassar de Dalt, Òrrius, Argentona and Cabrera de Mar, at about ten kilometers of Mataró, the comarca capital... |
6,698 |
| Caldes d'Estrac Caldes d'Estrac Caldes d'Estrac is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Sant Vicenç de Montalt and Arenys de Mar.It is served by the main N-II road along the coast and by a station on the RENFE railway line.... |
2,672 |
| Calella Calella Calella is a seaside town on the Costa del Maresme, 58 km north east of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It is located on the coast between Sant Pol de Mar and Pineda de Mar... |
18,034 |
| Canet de Mar Canet de Mar Canet de Mar is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Arenys de Mar and Sant Pol de Mar. and el Montnegre ranges. It is an important tourist centre, but is also known for the cultivation of... |
13,181 |
| Dosrius Dosrius Dosrius is a municipality in the comarca of Maresme inCatalonia, Spain, located in the interior of the comarca on the border with the Eastern Valleys, and is at the head of the Argentona Riera. The original name, first recorded in 963, is "Duos Rios"... |
4,658 |
| Malgrat de Mar Malgrat de Mar Malgrat de Mar is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Santa Susanna and Blanes. A local road runs from the town to the main N-II road, while the B-682 connects it with Blanes, Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar... |
17,822 |
| El Masnou El Masnou El Masnou is a town in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Montgat and Premià de Mar, to the north-east of the city of Barcelona, in the comarca of el Maresme... |
21,935 |
| Mataró Mataró Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it... |
119,035 |
| Montgat Montgat Montgat is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Badalona and El Masnou, to the north-east of... |
9,778 |
| Òrrius Orrius Òrrius is an municipality in Catalonia, in the Maresme zone of Spain. The municipality is delimited by La Roca del Vallés to the North, Vilassar de Dalt to the South East, Argentona to the south, and Cabrils to the southwest.-History:... |
487 |
| Palafolls | 8,061 |
| Pineda de Mar Pineda de Mar Pineda de Mar is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Calella and Santa Susanna.The main N-II road and a RENFE railway line run through the town.... |
25,568 |
| Premià de Dalt Premià de Dalt Premià de Dalt is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It has a population of 9,788.... |
9,788 |
| Premià de Mar Premià de Mar Premià de Mar is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between El Masnou and Vilassar de Mar, to the north-east of Barcelona... |
27,590 |
| Sant Andreu de Llavaneres Sant Andreu de Llavaneres Sant Andreu de Llavaneres is a municipality located 36 km north of Barcelona , along the Mediterranean coast, between Mataró and Sant Vicenç de Montalt. It belongs to the Maresme comarca and the Barcelona province. The short name is simply Llavaneres.Llavaneres faces the sea to the east and... |
9,745 |
| Sant Cebrià de Vallalta Sant Cebrià de Vallalta Sant Cebrià de Vallalta is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated inland from the coast, in the valley of the Sant Pol river below the Montnegre range.... |
3,075 |
| Sant Iscle de Vallalta Sant Iscle de Vallalta Sant Iscle de Vallalta is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated inland from the coast, in the valley of the Sant Pol river below the Montnegre range.... |
1,193 |
| Sant Pol de Mar Sant Pol de Mar Sant Pol de Mar is a municipality in the comarca of Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is located on the coast between Canet de Mar and Calella... |
4,904 |
| Sant Vicenç de Montalt Sant Vicenç de Montalt Sant Vicenç de Montalt is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Sant Andreu de Llavaneres and Arenys de Mar, below... |
5,267 |
| Santa Susanna Santa Susanna, Barcelona Santa Susanna is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Malgrat de Mar and Pineda de Mar. The main N-II road runs through the town.There is train link direct from Sants station in Barcelona.... |
3,019 |
| Teià Teià Teià is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain.-References:* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria . Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona:Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 . ISBN 84-87135-02-1 .... |
5,969 |
| Tiana | 7,417 |
| Tordera Tordera Tordera is a town in the comarca of Maresme, province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, situated 64 km from Barcelona and 36 km from Girona on the edge of the Montnegre natural park... |
14,017 |
| Vilassar de Dalt Vilassar de Dalt Vilassar de Dalt is a village in Catalonia, Spain, in the province of Barcelona and the comarca of Maresme. The name comes from the Roman name Villa Azari, later changed to Vilassar... |
8,476 |
| Vilassar de Mar Vilassar de Mar Vilassar de Mar is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Premià de Mar and Cabrera de Mar, to the north-east of Barcelona. The town is both a tourist centre and a dormitory town for Barcelona, and is also known for its horticulture... |
19,052 |