Curiosities

Did you know that cave paintings still exist?
In the Palaeolithic the mountain area in the term of Montblanc was already inhabited. Some cave paintings which have been declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO are still preserved.

Did you know that Hannibal troops passed?
Between the IV and Ist century BC, in the little hill called Pla de Santa Bàrbara there was an Iberian village, which was supposed to have seen Hannibal troops with his elephants when they passed through Montblanc on their way to conquer Rome (218 BC).

Did you know that the town had three names?
Montblanc has had three names throughout history. At about 1080 the name was Duesaigües, near the confluence of Francolí and Anguera rivers. This place was later called Vila-Salva from 1155 and become a royal town. In 1163 the town moved to the present area and was called Montblanc.

Did you know that the name of Montblanc has a sense?
The name of Montblanc (Montis Albis) refers neither to a snowed mountain nor to a calcareous mountain. It adopts this name as a synonym of mountain without vegetation, typical of the clay soil hill called Pla de Santa Bàrbara.

Did you know that Montblanc troops conquered València and Mallorca?
Montblanc troops went with the king Jaume I when he conquered Mallorca and València. In València the name of Montblanc was given to a street, to thank their participation.

Did you know that Saint Francis of Assisi stayed in the village?
The convent of Sant Francesc in Montblanc is one of the oldest in Catalonia, after the ones in Barcelona and Girona. According to tradition Saint Francis of Assisi stayed in the town.

Did you know that fairs and markets were celebrated?
It had the privilege of having markets and fairs in two occasions, in 1281 and 1297.

Did you know that Montblanc has one of the oldest shields?
Montblanc has an own shield since 1287, after the Oloron treaty in which five towns created their own shields. The others besides Montblanc were: Barcelona, Huesca, Lleida and Cervera.

Did you know that Martí I was Duke of Montblanc?
The king Joan I gave the title of Duke of Montblanc to his brother Martí on 16 January 1387. This title finished when he died in 1396.

Did you know that Montblanc was the seventh most important town in Catalonia?
There is not information about the population when the town was founded. The first information we have dates from the last years of the 14th century, when the decline period began. At this time Montblanc was the seventh most important town in Catalonia, after Barcelona, Lleida, Tortosa, Girona, Tarragona and Puigcerdà.

Did you know that the General Catalan Courts were held?
The General Catalan Courts were held in Montblanc on four occasions:
• 1307 in the church of Sant Miquel, summoned by the king Jaume II.
• 1333 in the church of Santa Maria, summoned by the king Alfons III.
• 1370 in the church of Sant Miquel, summoned by the king Pere III.
• 1414 in the convent of Sant Francesc, summoned by the king Ferran d’Antequera.

Did you know that other General Courts were planned?
In 1640, the king Felip III (IV in Castile) planned to convoke General Courts in Montblanc again. But for different reasons they were never celebrated.

Did you know that the General Parliament of Catalonia was held?
During the interregnum and before the Compromise of Caspe (10 September 1410) the church of Sant Miquel held the General Parliament of Catalonia. It could not be finished because of the Black Death, which provoked that only a few assistants came here. It continued in Barcelona and then in Tortosa, where they chose the Catalan representatives who went to Caspe to choose a new king.

Did you know that the parish church had a ‘plebà’?
From the 15th century the priest of the temple of Santa Maria in Montblanc has the title of ‘plebà’ (parish rector). Nowadays there are two more called like this in Oliva and Ontinyent.

Did you know that the village suffered assaults, pillages and destructions?
Montblanc, throughout history, has suffered a lot of attacks, sackings and destructions. Some of the most bloody took place in the 17th century, after the ‘Segadors’ revolt, and the Castilian troops always took a leading part in them:
• 30 August and 23 September 1642: first the Castilian army with 8.000 men arrived here and there were sackings which frightened the population. Then on the way from Tarragona to Lleida, they attacked the town and there were sackings again. This was called ‘the general burning’, in which the municipality and the parish archives were destroyed and also the ones in the hospital of Santa Magdalena.
• 29 September 1649: 7.000 infantrymen and 3.000 horses attacked the town, because French troops had been fortified in the temple of Santa Maria.
• March 1651: there was a siege which finished on July 16th, when the Castilian troops pulled down part of the temple of Santa Maria (the gothic façade), several towers and parts of the walls.

Did you know that there was a demographic explosion?
During the second half of the 18th century there was a demographic explosion, due to the agricultural development of the town. A lot of people came to the town and the population increased about 300% during this century.

Did you know that in Montblanc fra Magí Català i Guasch was born?
Fra Magí Català i Guasch, an important friar, was born in Montblanc (1761- 1830). He was a missionary on the west coast of North-America (from California to Canada). There is an island in his honour in front of Vancouver which is called Català Island.

Did you know that the economical progress arrived in the 19th century?
The economical progress in the 19th century made that some people could restore their houses which were in a bad state and it also began the construction of new ones. In 1833 there were 625 houses and in 1897, 1.189 houses.

Did you know that in 1860 it had its maximum population?
The term of Montblanc had its maximum population in 1860 with 6.628 inhabitants, during the Gold Fever period which was produced thanks to the vineyard.

Did you know that arches and porches were destroyed?
Between the years 1855 and 1865 the arches that covered part of Major Street were demolished because the vehicles could not pass through. The gateways of Sant Francesc and Sant Antoni, at the sides of Major Street, were also demolished.

Did you know that it began a new gas lightning service?
In 1878 it began a new gas lightning service.

Did you know that it was declared Monumental and Artistic Ensemble?
On 26 September 1947 Montblanc was declared Monumental and Artistic Ensemble.

Did you know that Josep Tarradellas visited Montblanc?
On 30 September 1978 the president Josep Tarradellas visited Montblanc.

Did you know that the legend of Sant Jordi was placed in Montblanc?
The writer about customs and manners Joan Amades collects the tradition which says that Sant Jordi (Saint George) killed the dragon in Montblanc. Because of this, every year, from 1987, we celebrate the Setmana Medieval de Sant Jordi, with performances and activities according to the medieval period.

Did you know that every year there is a medieval town plenary?
Every year, during the celebration of the Setmana Medieval de Sant Jordi there is a Town Plenary in which the town councillors are dressed like the ones in the medieval period and they wear the symbols of authority in memory of an old privilege.

Did you know that Montblanc has its own hymn?
From 10 September 2000 Montblanc has its own hymn, a piece composed by Josep M. Amorós i Bayer, a musical composer who was born in the town.