History of Blanes

When the Romans arrived in Catalonia in the first century BC, Blanes was an Iberian settlement. Evidence suggests the area was settled even earlier though and originally inhabited in prehistoric times. The town flourished for several centuries under the Romans. When their empire crumbled it came under the control of the Visigoths.

Sant Joan Castle at Blanes

Sant Joan Castle at Blanes. Photo by Albert Torelló.

The middle ages saw the town develop further. The castle of Sant Joan was built to keep watch and protect the population against the pirate raids that were so common along the coast. From that period you can still visit Santa Maria church, a gothic fountain and the ruins of the Palace of the Viscounts of Cabrera.

The port was extremely important to the town’s development. But as well as a fishing port, it was also strategically important. The twelfth century offensive against the Balearics sailed from Blanes. By the sixteenth century ships from as far as the Basque Country were reaching Blanes. Around this time a shipyard was constructed on the beach.

The next few centuries saw repeated conflicts and it was in this period that the Palace was destroyed. But finally in the eighteenth century came a period of peace and stability. Blanes prospered and by the nineteenth century the town produced lace, string and cork oak, used in corking wine bottles.

Blanes was also an important centre for shipbuilding and, as trade developed with the New World, northern Catalonia’s main commercial port. However, both trade and wine declined at the latter half of the nineteenth century. Like much of Catalonia, Blanes’ vineyards suffered the phylloxera epidemic.The population fell too, with many locals emigrating to America. On the plus side the railway arrived in Blanes followed by gas and then electric lighting.

Things improved gradually in the early twentieth century though. Agriculture was modernised and the shipyards experienced a revival. Blanes also benefitted from new industries such as textiles and the production of synthetic fibres.

New construction projects further modernised the town. New schools and a hospital were built, as well as water and sewage. The Marimurtra botanical garden dates from this period and the town benefited from early tourism. But like many towns across Spain, Blanes suffered during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The town was bombed and the population suffered famine and shortages that continued well after the cessation of hostilities under the Franco Dictatorship.

Tourism started to to take off again in Blanes during the 1950s. The town’s population exploded and many Barcelonans began to buy second homes there. Today the town remains a popular holiday resort in the summer months when the population swells with both locals and international visitors making the most of the beaches, culture and other amenities.

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