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Salou, Spain

Salou
Municipality
Monument to Jaume I
Monument to Jaume I
Flag of Salou
Flag
Coat of arms of Salou
Coat of arms
Salou is located in Spain
Salou
Salou
Location of Salou in Spain
Coordinates: 41°04′37″N 1°08′38″E / 41.077°N 1.144°E / 41.077; 1.144Coordinates: 41°04′37″N 1°08′38″E / 41.077°N 1.144°E / 41.077; 1.144
Country  Spain
Community  Catalonia
Province Tarragona
Comarca Tarragonès
Municipality 30 October 1989
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Body Ajuntament de Salou
 • Mayor Pere Granados Carrillo (2015) (Formació Unitat Per Salou (FUPS))
Area
 • Total 15.1 km2 (5.8 sq mi)
Elevation(AMSL) 5 m (16 ft)
Population (2014)
 • Total 26,558
 • Density 1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Salouean
salouenc, salouenca
salouense
Postal code 43840
Area code +34 (Spain) 977 (Province)
Website salou.cat

Salou (Catalan pronunciation: [səˈɫɔw]) is a municipality of the comarca of Tarragonès, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The city is approximately 10 km from Tarragona and Reus on the Costa Daurada and 112 km from Barcelona. Aside from its string of beaches interrupted by rocky coves, and its landscaped promenade, one of its main attractions is the PortAventura resort. The Dutch movie Costa! and the television series with the same title were both filmed in Salou.

Used as a port by Greeks (who named it Salauris) and Romans, it appeared again in an important historic event, when in 1229 the fleet of James I of Aragon departed from the port of Salou to conquer the Balearic Islands, thus creating the Kingdom of Majorca. In 1286 Alfons III of Aragon also departed from this port to conquer Minorca, the last Moorish territory of the Balearic Islands. Later, Salou became a nest of pirates. After that it was considered an unsafe place, so in 1530 Archbishop of Tarragona decided to erect a new defence tower, now called Torre Vella. In 1865 the railway station began to operate, opening a new development time, that led one hundred years later to a tourist boom that has brought prosperity to the town. Salou was separated from the adjacent municipality of Vila-seca on 30 October 1989 by a decision of the Supreme Court of Spain.


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Wikipedia

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