Ulldecona

infobox catalan city
title=Ulldecona


arms=Escut d'Ulldecona.svg


image_skyline_size=200px
location_

province=Tarragona
comarca=Montsià
population=6,566
population_year=2007
area=126.88
population_density=51.74
elevation=133
demonym=Ulldeconenc, ulldeconenca
Faldut, falduda
mayor=Josep Lluís Millàn i Masdeu Ulldecona is a town which can be found in the South of Catalonia, in Montsià (Terres de l'Ebre), near the River Senia.

The town has a main population centre and five outer suburbs: Els Valentins, El Castell, Sant Joan del Pas, Les Ventalles and La Miliana.

The nearest towns are: Alcanar, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Freginals, Godall, La Galera, Mas de Barberans and La Sénia in Montsià; and Vinaroz, Traiguera, Sant Jordi and Sant Rafel del Riu in Baix Maestrat. Important tourist areas are also near, such as Salou or Peniscola.

Economy

One of the most important economic activities of Ulldecona, leaving aside the agricultural activities and the furniture, the construction and the service sectors, are the stone quarries that our town has, from which the stone of Ulldecona is obtained.The stone of Ulldecona has been used in the construction of important public works in Spain, such as the Pedrera in Barcelona, the Town Hall in Zaragoza or the airport of Madrid. Moreover, it is exported to different countries, such as the US (Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles), France, Switzerland (Town Hall of Geneva), South Korea, Saudi Arabia or China.

Culture and social life

The most important customs of the people of Ulldecona are related to the sports and cultural areas.SportsOne of the most important sports in Ulldecona is football. Ulldecona has its own football club, the Club de Futbol Ulldecona, with ten teams and 200 players. The first team plays nowadays in the 1a Regional League.Other important sports are five-a-side football, basketball, twirling and table tennis. On the other hand, it is also very important the support that trial has in Ulldecona, bearing in mind that Adam Raga, from Ulldecona, has been the World Indoor Trial Champion in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Medieval Castle

The Medieval Castle, declared Castle of Cultural Interest, can be found on the top of a hill known as Mount of the Castle, which is part of the Sierra de Godall.The visibility and the fertility and wealth of the land were the causes that increased the strategic value of this area.The oldest remains that have been discovered show that that area was already populated during the Iberian era, between the 5th and the 1st centuries before Christ. Arabic peoples settled there during the 9th century and they started to build some of the buildings whose remains can be seen nowadays in the area. Ramón Berenguer IV conquered the south of the current territory of Catalonia in the 12th century and the medieval buildings started to be built.The castle was inhabited until the end of the 13th century, when the people from Ulldecona started to settle in the plain.In 1986, the Town Council bought the Castle.

External links

* [http://www.ulldecona.org Official website] ca
* [http://www.municat.net:8000/omunicat/owa/mun_p01.dad_ens?via=1&cod=4315670005 Information - Generalitat de Catalunya] ca
* [http://www.idescat.cat/territ/BasicTerr?TC=3&V0=1&V1=43156 Statistical information - Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya] ca