Siurana (Tarragona)
Template: Infobox district of a municipality in Spain / Maintenance / localidad
Siurana, Siurana or de Prades, is a little haven of community Cornudella de Montsant in the Catalan comarca of Priorat ( Tarragona ). He has 36 inhabitants ( 2011).
Geographical Location
Siurana is located about 30 km northwest of Tarragona on a mighty limestone cliffs in 737 meters height. It offers a panoramic view of the valley of the same river and lake.
History
The Muslim Waliat Siurana
The Moors invaded 711 prior to the Iberian Peninsula and followed during their conquest of the Roman roads. 714 they had already reached Catalonia. The actual occupation was but gradually, as the first Muslim settlers were nomads who finally settled until the middle of the 9th century. The area of Siurana won in the 11th century in importance, as the Count of Barcelona, Ramon Berenguer I ( 1023-1076 ), the first attempts undertook to occupy the city of Tarragona, and Siurana thus became a line of defense of Islam. This forced the Moors to retreat to secure fortresses in the mountains. The strategic location of Siurana delayed for a long time the advance of the Christian re - conquerors. The mountains of Prades and a large part of the Priory as well as parts of today comarques Baix Camp, Alt Camp, Conca de Barberà Garrigues and formed a border region to the castle of Siurana.
The conquest of Siurana
Due to its location Siurana was virtually non- ingestible at that time. Tarragona was conquered already in 1118, but a stable long-term occupation of the region took place only in 1146. In the years 1148 and 1149 Tortosa and Lleida were conquered. 1151 had circled the Waliat ( = Viceroyalty ) Siurana the Christian conquerors. Whose case was only a matter of time. As the last of the Taifa of what today is Catalonia Siurana was recaptured in 1153 by the troops of Ramon Berenguer IV (reigned 1131-1162 ).
Crags
The characteristic rocky landscape makes Siurana a magnet for climbers. There are here some of the hardest routes in the world, including Golpe de Estado and La Rambla.
Gastronomy
This region of Priorat is known for its olive oil with Designation of Origin Siurana.