Valls

Valls is the capital of the comarca of Alt Camp. With a population of 24,570 inhabitants in 2014, it represents more than half of the population of the county.{{cite web|url=http://www.idescat.cat/emex/?lang=en&id=431613|title=El municipi en xifres: Valls|publisher=Statistical Institute of Catalonia|access-date=2015-11-23}} It is located next to the River Francolí, near Reus (Baix Camp) and Tarragona (Tarragonès), the capital of the Spanish province.{{cite book |title=Philip's Modern School Atlas |year=1973 |publisher=George Philip & Son |isbn=0-540-05278-7 |page=37}}

File:4 de 9 sense folre - Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls - Primer descarregat a Valls (27-10-2013).jpg

File:Calçotada a Valls (Catalonia).jpg

Valls is known for its culinary tradition, the feasting on calçots at what is known as a "calçotada". The calçots are a large type of sweet-flavoured spring onion, barbecued over a pit of flaming vines, and eaten piping hot with a sauce. The calçotada continues with a main course of meats and sausages grilled over the same glowing coals, and is washed down with locally produced wines. The calçots are only available between December and May and draw diners from as far away as Barcelona. The calçot is grown locally and has a "PGI" (Protected Geographical Indication) status in the same way that champagne does.{{cite news |title=Calçots in Catalonia, where they know their onions |author=Scott-Moncrieff, Chloe |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/cal-ots-in-catalonia-where-they-know-their-onions-9175984.html |newspaper=Independent |date=8 March 2014 |access-date=1 October 2015}}

Another cultural tradition of Valls is the practice of building "castells" at festivals, towers of people sometimes as much as ten individuals high, with each layer being supported by the people below. This human tower tradition originated in the Ball dels Valencians in Valls, first recorded in 1712,{{cite web|last1=Català i Roca|first1=Pere|title=Els castells dels xiquets de Valls|url=http://usuaris.tinet.cat/rclibru/sonsimusiques/castellsxiquetsdevalls.htm|website=Valls sons i musiques de festa |access-date=9 November 2015|language=ca}} and later spread to nearby towns such as Vilafranca del Penedès and Tarragona, and more recently, to other parts of Catalonia.{{cite news|title=Los 'castells', Patrimonio de la Humanidad|url=http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2010/11/16/actualidad/1289862002_850215.html|access-date=9 November 2015|newspaper=El País|date=16 November 2010|language=es}}

The composer Roberto Gerhard was born in Valls in 1896. He studied under Charles Koechlin in Paris and under Arnold Schoenberg in Vienna and Berlin before returning to Barcelona in 1928. During the Spanish Civil War he supported the Republican cause and was forced to flee the country in 1939, first to Paris and then to England where he spent the rest of his life, while his town was bombarded and a lot of Republican and Catholic citizens were killed. His works were virtually banned from performance in Spain under Francisco Franco. His output included symphonies, stage works, chamber music, choral music and electronic music.{{cite web|url=http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/composer/composer_main.asp?composerid=2716&ttype=BIOGRAPHY&ttitle=Biography |title=Roberto Gerhard Biography|publisher=Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.|access-date=2 October 2015}}

In January 2017, Valls City Council announced the start of construction of a multimedia museum devoted to the culture of castells, called the Casteller Museum of Catalonia ("Museu Casteller de Catalunya"), marketed in English as "The Human Towers Experience".Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/_-GgQ8Uyz5A Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200430013710/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-GgQ8Uyz5A&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-GgQ8Uyz5A|title=The Human Towers Experience|author=Valls City Council|date=2017-01-04|access-date=2014-01-17}}{{cbignore}} The project was initially launched in 2015,{{cite web|url=http://www.elvallenc.cat/actualitat/valls-celebra-amb-una-gran-festa-linici-de-les-obres-del-museu-casteller-2/|title=Valls celebra amb una gran festa l’inici de les obres del Museu Casteller|publisher=El Vallenc|date=2015-03-27|access-date=2017-01-17}} and is supported by the Catalan government.{{cite web|url=http://www.ara.cat/castells/Museu-Casteller-Catalunya-concurs_0_1406259434.html|title=El projecte del Museu Casteller de Catalunya entra a concurs|publisher=Ara|date=2015-08-04|access-date=2017-01-17}}

Football clubs Unió Esportiva Valls and Atlètic de Valls play in the town, as does CB Valls, a basketball club.

• Jaume Huguet (1412–1492), gotic painter
• Narcís Oller (1846–1933), novelist
• Tomàs Caylà (1895–1936), publisher and carlist politician
• Robert Gerhard (1896–1970), composer
• Ignacio F. Iquino (1910–1994), film director, producer, actor, cinematographer
• Pedro Lazaga (1918–1979), film director and screenwriter
• Cèsar Puig (1956), lawyer and politician
• Xavier Tondo (1978–2011), cyclist
• Andrea Fuentes (1983), synchronised swimmer, four Olympic medals
• Aleix Vidal (1989), footballer

• {{flagicon|AND}} Andorra la Vella, Andorra
• {{flagicon|GUA}} Chahal, Guatemala
• {{flagicon|CHN}} Deqing, China
• {{flagicon|ITA}} Settimo Torinese, Italy

{{reflist|30em}}

• Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). Guia de Catalunya, Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. {{ISBN|84-87135-01-3}} (Spanish). {{ISBN|84-87135-02-1}} (Catalan).

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• {{Official website}} {{in lang|ca}}
• [http://aplicacions.municat.gencat.cat/index.php?page=consulta&mostraEns=4316130008 Government data pages] {{in lang|ca}}

{{Geographic location

|Centre = Valls

|N = Figuerola del Camp

|NE = El Pla de Santa Maria

|E = Alió

|SE = Puigpelat

|S = Vallmoll

|SW = El Milà
La Masó

|W = La Riba
Alcover

|NW = Montblanc

}}

{{Alt Camp}}

{{Municipalities in Tarragona|state=autocollapse}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Municipalities in Alt Camp