Vilafranca del Penedès
| Vilafranca del Penedès | ||
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| Municipality | ||
Vilafranca del Penedès
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 Vilafranca del Penedès
Vilafranca del Penedès
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| Coordinates: 41°20′53.75″N 1°41′34.60″E / 41.3482639°N 1.6929444°E | ||
| Country |
 Spain
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| Community |
 Catalonia
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| Province | Barcelona | |
| Comarca | Alt Penedès | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Pere Regull Riba (2015) (Convergence and Union) | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 19.6 km2 (7.6 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 223 m (732 ft) | |
| Population (2014) | ||
| • Total | 39,221 | |
| • Density | 2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Vilafranquí, vilafranquina | |
| Website | vilafranca |
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Vilafranca del Penedès, or simply Vilafranca (Catalan pronunciation: [biləˈfɾaŋkə]), is the capital of the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Catalonia, Spain. The Spanish spelling of the name, Villafranca del Penedés, is no longer in official use since 1982 (Law 12/1982, of October 8). It is situated in the Penedès Depression on the left bank of the Foix River, and on the main axis of communication from Barcelona to Tarragona and Valencia, served by a Rodalies Barcelona line 4 and by the AP-7 autopista as well as by the C-243 towards Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, and C-15 (formerly called C-244) roads to Vilanova i la Geltrú and Igualada respectively.
The town was founded in the middle of the 12th century as a result of the decline of Olèrdola, which had been until then the main local centre. It was established as the seat of a vegueria in 1304. The Corts were held in the town in 1218 under King James I of Aragon, and again in 1358–59 and in 1367. King Peter III of Aragon died while staying at the royal palace in Vilafranca in 1285.
The gothic church of Santa Maria and the royal palace (Palau Reial) are situated in the historic town centre. The latter building from the thirteenth century houses the town museum, with collections of archeology, paleontology, ornithology, ceramics and sacred art, and a Museum of Wine (Museu del Vi). Other notable monuments include the church of Sant Joan, the convent of Sant Francesc and a number of old merchants' houses such as the Palau del Fraret, Palau Macià, the Casal dels Gomà and the Casal del Marquès d'Alfarràs.
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Wikipedia