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L'Hospitalet de Llobregat

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Municipality
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat city centre
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat city centre
Flag of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Flag
Coat of arms of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Coat of arms
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is located in Catalonia
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat is located in Spain
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
Location in Spain
Coordinates: 41°21′35″N 2°6′00″E / 41.35972°N 2.10000°E / 41.35972; 2.10000Coordinates: 41°21′35″N 2°6′00″E / 41.35972°N 2.10000°E / 41.35972; 2.10000
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Catalonia
Province Barcelona
Comarca Barcelonès
Founded 12th century
Government
 • Type Mayor–council
 • Body L'Hospitalet City Council
 • Mayor Núria Marin Martínez (2015) (PSC)
Area
 • City 12.4 km2 (4.8 sq mi)
Elevation (AMSL) 8 m (26 ft)
Population (2015)
 • City 252,171
 • Density 20,000/km2 (53,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s) hospitalenc, -ca  (ca)
hospitalense  (es)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 0890x
Dialing code +34 (E) 93 (B)
INE code 08 1017
City budget (2014) €200 million
Official language Catalan and Spanish
Main festitivity ?
Patron saint Saint Eulalia
Website l-h.cat

L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Catalan pronunciation: [luspitəˈlɛd də ʎuβɾəˈɣat] or [lɔspitəˈlɛd də ʎɔβɾəˈɣat]), often shortened to L'Hospitalet, is a municipality to the immediate southwest of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain.

By population, it is the second largest in Catalonia and the sixteenth in Spain. It is noted as one of the most densely populated cities in the European Union.

The first records of the settlement date to the Neolithic era with artefacts showing human habitation in the Llobregat river area. Roman artefacts have been found dating to the 2nd century BC such as a funeral decoration representing the head of Medusa, now in the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia. However it is not until the 10th century that written references to Provençana (the city's original name) appear. The current name originates from the Catalan language and derives from a hostel next to the Church of Saint Eulalia of Provençana (Santa Eulàlia de Provençana) used by pilgrims in the Middle Ages. The city retained the character of a village until the 19th century when the first textile factories were built causing a population boom. The 1960s and 1970s saw a second population boom, caused by immigration from poorer regions of Spain: however this was not matched by construction of the necessary amenities and it was only in the 1990s that public investment resulted in additional schools, leisure facilities and housing.

The Swedish painter and former anarchist, later convert to Islam, 'Abd al-Hādī 'Aqīlī, formerly known as Ivan Aguéli, died there, being killed by a train, in 1917.


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