Verdú

Verdú
Municipality
Plaça Major in Verdú
Coat of arms
Verdú Location in Catalonia
Coordinates: 41°36′36″N 1°08′38″E / 41.61°N 1.144°E / 41.61; 1.144Coordinates: 41°36′36″N 1°08′38″E / 41.61°N 1.144°E / 41.61; 1.144
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Catalonia
Province	Lleida
Comarca	Urgell
Government
• Mayor	Josep Mas Carpi (2015)
Area
• Total	35.8 km2 (13.8 sq mi)
Population (2014)
• Total	964
• Density	27/km2 (70/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Website	verdu.cat

Verdú is a village and municipality in the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain. It is traditionally associated with the Segarra region, but in 1936 was transferred to the comarca of Urgell.

The municipality covers 36 km². The landscape consists of rolling hills with valleys and plains cultivated with grain, vineyards, and olive and almond trees. Small forests of pine and oak are scattered throughout the area. The Segarra-Garrigues canal and the Montblanc-Tàrrega highway both bisect the municipality, passing to the west of the town.

Today Verdú is known for wine, pottery, its historic buildings such as its Castle and the Church of Santa Maria, its notable native St. Peter Claver, and recently its toy museum.

The town is mentioned in a document from 1273. It is believed the name is derived from a Celtic name like Virodunum, meaning a fortress. It was subject to the Poblet monastery until 1835. The population of the municipality reached a peak of 2185 in 1887, but has since declined to 1002 in 2013.

The history of Verdú is marked by its membership the Poblet monastery for six centuries (from 1227 until 1835). The population before the flood of 1184, was located Cercavins the river valley, beside a fountain and around the church of Santa Magdalena. After the flood that devastated three quarters of the old town, the lady and owner of Verdu, Berengaria of Cervera, made the villagers agree to move their houses above the floodplain, around the castle which had begun to be built a century before. In return, the villagers got walls and portals built surrounding the new town. Berengaria's son, Guillem of Cervera, sold the villa in Poblet. Under the auspices of the monastery, Verdú enjoyed many privileges and advantages, which made it succeed more than the surrounding cities, for many centuries. Evidence of this prosperity include the Castle, the Parish Church, and the whole streets and stately homes.

The economy of Verdú municipality is dominated by the town's pottery industry, and agriculture.

Its pottery industry traditionally produces water-jars known as càntirs, made from black clay. The industry goes back to Roman times, and has been documented since the 13th century. It is celebrated annually in the Firacàntir festival, on the last weekend of April.