Mataró is the capital and largest town of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, 30 kilometres (19 miles) north-east of Barcelona. As of 2010, it had a population of c. 122,932 inhabitants.

Main sights[edit]

Mataró is the birthplace of noucentista architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, who designed the ajuntament (town hall) and several other notable buildings in the town:

• Casa Coll i Regàs.
• Casa Parera.
• Casa Sisternes.
• El Rengle.
• La Beneficiència.

Nearby the town are the archaeological remains of the Roman villa of Can Llauder.

Festivals, celebrations and events

Several major events are celebrated annually in Mataró. Some of them are also celebrated in the rest of Catalonia and others, which have a religious origin, are part of the folklore and traditions of Spain and some other countries. Among all of them the most popular ones are:

• The three wise men in Mataró.
• Carnival in Mataró: celebrated immediately before Lent.
• Easter in Mataró: celebrated every year during one week on a movable date from the end of March to the very beginning of May
• Saint George in Mataró: celebrated on 23 April. It is a big celebration although it is not a bank holiday.
• St. John the Baptist in Mataró: celebrated on 24 June
• Les Santes: local festivity of the city celebrated at the end of July. It involves the recognition of Saint Juliana and Saint Semproniana.
• The caga Tió: celebrated in Catalonia on Christmas’ Eve, 24 December.
• Mataró also celebrates several fairs such as:Tres Tombs and Saint Ponç In May it is celebrated a fair called Mercat de Sant Ponç. At the fair handicraft products, medicinal herbs, natural products like: honey, cheese, fruits, flowers, jam and salami are sold. Sant Ponç is the patron saint of the herbalists and bee keepers. The fair has been done for centuries. Its origins date to the 16th century, when in Spring herbalists took medicine to the sick. Today Sant Ponç fair is celebrated to preserve the antique customs.
• Festival “Cultural Crossroad“.
• International Dance Festival “Days of Dance“.