Geschiedenis van Vilafranca

The Origins
Vilafranca del Penedès was founded in the 13th century. Experts say that it was founded in the year 1108 (when Almoravids stablished in Catalonia in the years from 1107 to 1115 and 1151); it is said so because in the year 1108 Vilafranca is aforementioned in a document which says that Pere de Vilafranca paid the census so that he would be responsible for all matters of the town. Vilafranca started to be built around the Torre Dela, as it was populated in the era of the king Ramon Berenguer I, somewhere next to Via Augusta. There were some factors that let the original village settlement rise: the geographical situation, the tranquility with Saracens, the help given by the Comte de Barcelona and the market that should take place since the origins of Vilafranca.

In this period of time, Vilafranca became an important town of Catalonia. It had the typical medieval structure, such as walls, trade, nobility and Jewish quarter. Fisrt the maket place and then the fair played a key role in the foundation and expansion of Vilafranca.

During the 13th century, Vilafranca expansions itself in an economic and social way. Its sourrandings started to be populated again. Vilafranca is one of the first commercial towns, and so there met important communication routes. In addition, Vilafranca was protected as it was a royal town, as well as enjoyed lots of privileges, and so it made Vilafranca turn to be one of the most important royal towns of Catalonia in this era. In the year 1218 takes place in Vilafranca an assembly called by the king Jaume I, where met the nobility, the church and representatives of other towns and villages. Vilafranca is in this era an important town, and we can see it with the formation of lowland farmers and the stablishment of different monastic houses, which would make of Vilafranca a dynamic town. so on. At the same time some wars took place toghether with the epidemics: the Civil War (1462-1472), which specially affected Vilafranca, the War of Remences (1483-1486), the Segadors War and the War of Succession (1705.1715). Despite this situation, Vilafranca's economic and comercial activities did not end at all, although the were not such splendorous as the previous centuries. During the "Francès' War" against Napoleon, Catalonia was attacked again and was the scene of lots of battles. Vilafranca, where the Junta Superior de Catalunya had its headquarter, was sacked several times from 1808 on. Once the "Francès' War" ended, the wine production kept growing in the Penedès and it supposed a great demographical growth for Vilafranca. The phylloxera plague appeared in 1879 and devastated the vineyards what made the economy and the domgraphy fall down dramatically. Despite all these facts, before ending the 19th century the wine production becomes one more time the first economic resource of the Penedès region and Alt Penedès strengthened its agricultural and wine-making nature.

The Modern Age
There is a growth period until the first half of the 14th century. From the second half of 14th century on, a series of misfortunes would mark Catalonia. Misfortunes started with bad harvests in 1333 and conituned with the Black Death in 1348 and other several different plagues such as illness, cholera, flu affected Vilafranca in 1530, 1558, 1564 and so on. At the same time some wars took place together with the epidemics: the Civil War (1462-1472), which specially affected Vilafranca, the War of Remences (1483-1486), the Segadors War and the War of Succession (1705.1715). Despite this situation, Vilafranca's economic and comercial activities did not end at all, although the were not such splendorous as the previous centuries. During the "Francès' War" against Napoleon, Catalonia was attacked again and was the scene of lots of battles. Vilafranca, where the Junta Superior de Catalunya had its headquarter, was sacked several times from 1808 on. Once the "Francès' War" ended, the wine production kept growing in the Penedès and it supposed a great demographical growth for Vilafranca. The phylloxera plague appeared in 1879 and devastated the vineyards what made the economy and the domgraphy fall down dramatically. Despite all these facts, before ending the 19th century the wine production becomes one more time the first economic resource of the Penedès region and Alt Penedès strengthened its agricultural and wine-making nature.

Nowadays
Vilafranca growths spectacularly between 1950-1981. Several industries settle in Vilafranca and the wine and cava sector have a great develop. Today, Vilafranca is one of the main medium-sized Catalan cities as well as an economic and commercial centre which offers all kinds of services and well connected with all main Catalan and Spanish cities. In the previous years, Vilafranca has had a dynamic build-up process which includes residential areas with a vast nunmber of new housing. In the industrial sense, new companies have settled making industrial estates appear.