Pi de les Tres Branques

Pi de les Tres Branques ( Catalan for three-arm branched pine) is a traditional symbol in the sense of cultural heritage as a demonstration of the unity of the Catalan Countries ( Països Catalans ) in Spain.

The approximately 28 -meter-high Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris ) is located in the municipality of Castellar del Riu, on the road at the Pla de Campllong near the town of Berga and is the site of great political and cultural gatherings each year in Catalonia.

History

In historical records from 1746 to the Bishop of Solsona describes this place, he described him as a symbol of the Holy Trinity.

The cultural significance goes back in time to the 13th century. King James I of Aragon is there, loud of traditional legend, while traveling through Catalonia spent a night and have experienced under the Pi de les Tres Branques an inspiring dream that he was destined to conquer the three kingdoms and govern. The political symbolism was revived during the Catalan Renaixença in the late 19th century. 1888 Jacint Verdaguer wrote a poem for Pi de les Tres Branques.

In 1901, the owner of Tomás Campa handed from the rights of use for tree and contiguous ground of the nationalist organization Unio Catalanista. In 1904 the first rally took place under the tree.

1915 (other sources 1913) began the estimated an age of more than 700 years of Pi de les Tres Branques die. Various sources reported as the cause of lightning, designate other reason than vandalism. The tree was then repeatedly attacked by the opponents oppose the symbolism. In 1939, after the end of the Civil War, the followers of Franco launched an attempt to topple the tree, but were stopped by the local population in mind.

On 4 November 1985, the monumental old tree and the surrounding terrain with the new three-arm branched Pi Jove around 200 meters away was (whose age is estimated at about 200 years with a height of 19 meters ) by the Department of the Environment ( Direcció General de Medi Ambient) found as a natural monument.

1986 was achieved at the event on Pi de les Tres Branques with more than 14,000 participants a record participation.

Gallery

Pi Jove de les Tres Branques (September 2010)