With the aim of cataloguing, preserving and disseminating the bibliographic heritage of Catalonia, in 1983 the Catalan Government created the Collective Catalogue of Catalonia’s Bibliographic Heritage (CCPBC).
Managed by the Biblioteca de Catalunya, the CCPBC is a cooperative cataloguing project open to all types of institutions that have bibliographic collections relating to heritage. It contains bibliographic descriptions of printed documents that range from the very beginnings of printing until the start of the 20th century, as well as manuscripts and other types of documentary heritage interest conserved in the libraries of Catalonia.
Some of the major libraries with bibliography of patrimonial interest are, in addition to the Biblioteca de Catalunya, the institutions such as the Historical Archive of the City of Barcelona, the Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet, the Ateneu Barcelonès, the Library of Montserrat, the Episcopal Library of Vic, Casa Asia, the Centre Excursionista de Catalunya, the Josep Pla Foundtion, the Institute of Catalan Studies, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia, among others.
The CCPBC has collaborated in the preparation of the bibliographic heritage of the Spanish State since 1992, and from 2007 has also formed part of the Collective Catalogue of Catalan Universities (CCUC).
To find out about the historical memory of the country, the conservation of the documentary heritage becomes key. In Catalonia, 330 archives are in charge of preserving and dissemination of this valuable personal, legal and institutional testimony.
Whether they are publicly owned (local, regional, provincial or national), belong to official bodies (universities, professional associations, etc.) or belong to private entities (associations, foundations, etc.), in all these archives you can find very diverse documentation: textual, audio-visual, cartographic and electronic.
The Catalonia Archives System (SAC) is the body that oversees standards and common procedures for the management and dissemination of the documentary heritage of Catalonia. These include, among others, the archives of the Catalan Government, the Crown of Aragon, the archives of municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, the provincial councils, the archives of the universities and of the parishes and the churches.
There are several institutions and archives that preserve the photographic heritage of Catalonia. One of the most important collections is that of the Centre Excursionista de Catalunya, with 750,000 images of hiking and mountaineering, but also featuring the artistic and architectural heritage and daily life throughout the country. For its volume and variety, also notable is the collection of the Institut d’Estudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya with nearly 800,000 photographs.
In the Biblioteca de Catalunya there are photographic documents 250,000 archived, ranging from the mid-19th century to the present day. One of the stand outs is the Josep Salvany collection with 10,000 images of Catalan landscapes and popular culture.
The history of photography, from its beginnings up to the more contemporary production, is what informs the collection of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, with 40,000 examples from notable photographers such as Pere Casas Abarca, Agustí Centelles, Pere Català Pic, Francesc Català Roca, Colita, Joan Fontcuberta, Pere Formiguera, Oriol Maspons, Kim Manresa, Josep Masana and Joan Colom. The MACBA also has, for example, the bequest of Xavier Miserachs.
And for its part, in the personal collections of the Arxiu Nacional de Catalunya one can find works of photographers such as Josep Gaspar, els Brangulí, Gabriel Casas i Galobardes, Bert i Claret or Frederic Cuyàs.
At the end of the 19th century in Europe, images which, until then, had been static, came to life thanks to the invention of cinematography. Catalonia did not remain on the sidelines. In 1897, Fructuoso Gelabert filmed Baralla en un Cafè (Fight in a café), which is considered the first fictional film in the history of Catalan and Spanish cinema.
From this point on, many other films have become a watershed in the evolution of the ‘seventh art’ in Catalonia. Of these was one of the key films of surrealist cinematography, Un chien andalou (1928), which was the result of an intense week spent by Luis Buñuel in Cadaqués with Salvador Dalí. As well, Montserrat is the main setting for filming of the blockbuster Parisfal (Daniel Mangrané, 1951).
During the Civil War, Espoir/Sierra de Teruel (André Malraux, 1938) became a valuable document on the activity of the Republican side, although it wasn’t released until 1978. In the midst of Francoism, Los Tarantos (Rovira Beleta, 1963) is a raw testimony about the urban fringes. And the period of the Spanish ‘transition’ cannot be understood without La ciutat cremada, The Burnt City, (Antoni Ribas, 1976).
In addition to the film production one must also take into account the preservation of this heritage. One of the main Catalan institutions dedicated to preservation and dissemination of such films is the Filmoteca de Catalunya, with a collection that includes more than 8,000 films and that has a regular programme of screenings. With regard to alternative and experimental cinema, the benchmark is the Xcèntric Archive of the CCCB. There is also the Girona Museum of Cinema, which displays close to 8,000 pieces of equipment and pre-cinematographic objects of the Tomàs Mallol collection.
On the east bank of Lake Banyoles, between Paratge dels Desmais and Caseta de Fusta and following the landscaped walkways, some unique constructions stand out: the fisheries.
The construction of these fishing platforms began in the 19th century and continued until 1931, when the Council banned the building of any more. Originally simple, they became more sophisticated as time went on. Their form is functional, becoming large, wider structures with the capacity for more boats, a symbol of social and economic prestige.
As a result of the expansion of the Catalan bourgeoisie and the practice of water sports, the fisheries were the object of reforms throughout the 20th century, both to increase their storage capacity, and so people could stay there.
Currently they can only be viewed from the outside as they are privately-owned.
The information that the Catalan paleontological sites provides us, allows us to reconstruct ancient landscapes and study the history of life.
The exceptionally well-preserved archaeological sites, with fossils that allow the observation of unique details, are veritable windows onto the past. This is the case with the Alcover quarry, the quarries of Rúbies and la Cabrua.
The presence of fossilized remains of dinosaurs in sites such as La Cañada, Mas d'Arsís, Blasi and Sant Romà d'Abella has allowed the description of new species of sauropods and hadrosaurs. Notable also are the dinosaur eggs found at Coll de Nargó, one of the most important collections in the world.
In the Catalan Countries, many fossils also have been found that have allowed us to describe new species of mammals. This is the case of archaeological sites such El Bunyol, Els Casots, La Trinxera del Ferrocarril, El Castell de Barberà, Can Ponsic, El Firal and Venta del Moro.
On the other hand, the sites of Can Mata (Hostalets de Pierola) and Can Llobateres (Sabadell), are internationally recognised for their exceptional scientific and historical value. In the description of new mammals, both added to the discovery of new anthropomorphic primates: Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, Anoiapithecus brevirostris and Hispanopithecus laietanus.
Professionals, traders, artisans and citizens come together in fairs and markets in Catalonia every week. They are meetings that, above all, facilitate commercial exchange, but throughout history have also served to make new contacts, reach agreements, and to hold religious celebrations.
Most markets grew up around the crossroads of old roads. The receipt of Royal permission to organise a trade fair is synonymous with economic growth of cities and towns.
At fairs such as the Mercat del Ram of Vic or the Fira de la Candelera of Molins de Rei, all kinds of products are sold. On the other hand, trade fairs such as the Santa Llúcia (Christmas) or Sant Ponç (medicinal herbs) are themed.
In fact, the specialisation in specific products became an effective tool for economic, tourist and cultural development. Examples of these are the Fira de l'Avet (Fir tree fair) in Espinelves and the Càntir (a Catalan jug) fair in Argentona.
Modern fairs, as well as cultural and artistic exhibitions (such as the Live Music Theatre in Vic, the Children's and Youths' Theatre Fair in Igualada and the Fira Mediterrània for shows with traditional Mediterranean roots in Manresa), adopt a new image, but the function is maintained: the human, cultural and commercial interaction.
In the Middle Ages, the town combined Christian practices with rituals of pagan origin. As a reaction, the feast of Corpus Christi, a new celebration in honour of the Blessed Sacrament, was born, which over time lost much of its religious character and became a social event and festival.
The first celebrations of Corpus Christi in Catalonia were those of Barcelona (1320), Manresa (1322), Vic (1330), Tortosa (1330), Solsona (1331) and Bagà (1333). The festival revolved around the triumphal procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the streets and squares of towns and cities.
The hierarchy and protocol, vital to the organisation of the Corpus, from the beginning co-existed with farcical interludes. These Christianisations of pagan elements sought to moralise and educate those who saw the procession, but in the end the playful overcame the instructive. This facilitated the appearance of the "bullícies" of the Blessed Sacrament, the origin of the Patum de Berga.
Other characteristic elements of the Corpus are the Ou com Balla, an empty egg that rises and dances as if by magic on the jet of water of a fountain, and carpets of flowers, ephemeral works of art that were trampled on by the procession and that survive in towns like Sitges, Arbúcies and la Garriga.
The Catalan cultural sphere is the only one in the Iberian Peninsula in which there was intense dramatic activity during the middle ages. The great theatrical performances are the Passió de Crist i l'Assumpció de Maria (Passion of Christ and the Assumption of Mary).
From the 14th century, theatrical productions of the Passion of Christ were differentiated from ecclesiastical dramas in Latin. The new performances (mysteries) highlighted the human nature of Christ, incorporated the vernacular language and allowed for the participation of the people.
Nowadays, three types of mysteries are still going on in the so-called "Valley of the Passion", in Baix Llobregat: those with traditional roots, such as those performed in the theatres in Olesa and Esparreguera; the promenade performance at Sant Vicenç dels Horts; and that of Molins de Rei, a modern performance of an authored work.
The great dramatic cycle of medieval Catalan Theatre is completed with four representations of the Assumption of the Mother of God: the liturgical drama of Santa Maria de l'Estany, the Mystery de la Selva, the Assumptionist Mystery of Valencia Cathedral, and the Mystery, or Festival, of Elx.
Other medieval performances that have survived to the present day are the Chant of the Sibyl in Mallorca and Alghero, or the Dance of the Death in Verges.
The Catalan culture cannot be understood without all the fantastic facilities of Barcelona. This setting has become the backbone of the country's culture.
The Palau de la Música, the work of Lluís Domènech i Montaner and a Unesco World Heritage site, is much more than a refined example of modernista architecture. The witness to key episodes in Catalan history, it has become a reference point for Catalans.
Sharing centre stage as a symbol of the Catalan culture is the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Built in 1847, and linked from the beginning to the bourgeoisie of Barcelona, this building has survived two catastrophic episodes: an anarchist bomb in 1893 and a fire in 1994.
Among the modern facilities for the performing arts the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, the Teatre Lliure and the Mercat de les Flors stand out. In the musical field, beyond the examples of the Palau de la Música and Liceu, is the L’Auditori of Barcelona. Regarding the visual arts, the main institutions are the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), which offers a global and historical perspective of Catalan art, and the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA), offering a showcase of the most up-to-date art.