Garraf Sí › History of the Garraf
History of the Garraf
From Iberian settlements and Roman villas to medieval castles, wine, the “americanos” and tourism: the story of a small county between the sea and the hills.
Before the Middle Ages
Iberians
Iberian peoples built hilltop settlements near the sea, such as Darró in Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Roman villas
Rome brought farming villas along the coast. The one at Darró, in Vilanova, is the best known in the county.
A land in between
The Garraf coast was a hard route between Barcelona and Tarragona: the hills forced travellers inland.
Castles and medieval villages
A 10th-century frontier
After the Frankish conquest the Garraf was frontier land. The castles of Ribes, Olivella, Cubelles, Canyelles and la Geltrú date from then.
Sitges and the Pia Almoina
For centuries Sitges belonged to the Pia Almoina, a charity of Barcelona Cathedral.
Vilanova, founded in 1274
A charter of 1274 founded Vilanova next to old la Geltrú. The two towns merged centuries later.
Wine, sea and “americanos” (18th–19th centuries)
Wine and malvasia
Vineyards covered the inland. Sitges made its malvasia famous and wine was shipped to the Americas.
The “americanos”
Many locals emigrated to Cuba and Puerto Rico. Those who came back rich built houses still seen in Sitges, Vilanova and Ribes.
The 1881 railway
The coastal railway, tunnelling under the hills, linked Barcelona with Sitges and Vilanova and changed the county.
The 20th century
Modernisme and artists
Santiago Rusiñol opened Cau Ferrat in Sitges and artists followed. Charles Deering built Maricel.
A county since 1936
The 1936 county map created the Garraf, with Vilanova i la Geltrú as its capital. It was restored in 1987.
Tourism and a natural park
Beaches brought summer visitors and second homes. In 1986 the hills became the Garraf Natural Park.
Curiosities
The name
Garraf probably comes from the Arabic “garrâf”, linked to a place with plenty of water or to the cliffs.
Xató
The almond and ñora pepper sauce served with endive and salt cod is the great food rivalry between Sitges, Vilanova and Ribes.
Carnival
Sitges and Vilanova hold two of the most popular carnivals in Catalonia.
History of each town
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