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The City of Girona
These days, Girona is a bustling, little visited city. The Onyar River cuts through the city and pretty pastel colored villa style buildings line the river on both sides. Gironla is plenty of fashionable shops and elegant restaurants. Much of Girona can be appreciated from the outside, but it does contain some important attractions you'll want to see on the inside.
The city of Girona dates from pre-Roman times, and the old town has preserved its medieval aspect. There is a well known stretch of houses, built in the 19th century, which make up the part of the city wall destroyed by the French in 1807 while the city was under siege. In spite of everything, the strategic and defensive roles of the city did in no way impede the development of an historic centre of exceptional value.
One fine example is the Cathedral, an enormous construction that was carefully built over many centuries. The construction of the Girona Cathedral took from the 16th to the 18th century. It was built over the former Central Mosque and shows a mix of gothic, renaissance and baroque motifs. The Gothic nave, measuring 22.98m in width and 35.2m in height, is unique of its kind, while the main façade shows clearly Baroque influences. The Cathedral is the centre point to begin a walk around the town.
The Arab Baths in Girona "Baños" date back to 1194. In 1617 they used as a laundry room when these baths became part of the Order of Capuchin nuns' convent. In 1929, however, Girona's monumental Arab Baths became Spanish Patrimony and the reconstruction and repair of these ancient baths could begin.
You can wander for hours through the Call, the labyrinthine old quarter, with its narrow, steep alleyways and lanes and its ancient stone houses, which form a rampart chain along the Onyar. Another interesting place to visit, and only 30 minutes from Girona in the city of Figueres, is the "Museu Teatre Dal". The museum itself is a work of art and inside, you will find the largest collection of paintings, drawings and multi-media works of art that Salvador Dali created.
Girona
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Girona
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