Reus is the capital of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague. Nowadays it is known for its commercial activity, for being a centre for rock-climbing and as the birthplace of architect Antoni Gaudí.
Festivities
The principal Reus festivity is Sant Pere on June 29, declared of National Touristic Interest. One of the most characteristic and popular acts of these festivities is the so-called tronada, which is a series of 29 little mortars masclets with bangers interleaved, arranged linearly around the Mercadal square (where the city hall is located), united by a hand craft gunpowder line. This line ends in a square shape in front of the city hall, with more bangers and 9 more masclets. Also, on September 25, the Mare de Déu de la Misericòrdia is held.
Other noteworthy festivities are the Carnival and the Anada a l’Antiga towards Salou. Most of the neighborhoods have their own festivities.
Besides the major festivities, Reus holds many festivals, for example Cos, a festival dedicated to mime, or El Trapezi, a festival with circus spectacles. In every odd numbered year the Reus Institut Municipal d’Accio Cultural presents the Biennals Internacionals de Fotografia Medalla Gaudi. This bi-annual exhibition features fine art photographers from around the world working in Alternative Photographic Processes (such as Platinum Printing, Gum Dichromate, Etc.). At each Biennal they award the Medalla Gaudi award to a select few artists and purchase their work for the Institut Municipal d’Accio Cultural’s permanent collection.
Main sights
Casa Navàs.Casa Rull.Escoles Prat de la Riba, designed by Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1911).
Catalan Modernist edifices
The city of Reus has many Catalan modernist buildings. Although Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus, there are no buildings designed by him; there are, however, numerous modernist buildings from his colleagues as Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Pere Caselles i Tarrats and Pere Domènech Roura.
- Casa Navàs, Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1901–1908)
- Casa Rull, Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1901)
- Casa Gasull, Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1910–1912)
- Institut Pere Mata, Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1899–1919)
- Casa Pinyol, Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1910)
- Escoles Prat de la Riba, Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1911)
- Escorxador, Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1899)
- Estació Enològica, Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1906–1910)
- Casa Munné, Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1904)
- Casa Sardà, Pere Caselles i Tarrats (1896)
- Casa Marco, Pere Domènech Roura (1926)
- Xalet Serra, Joan Rubió i Bellver (1911)
Other sights
- Castell del Cambrer
- Campanar de Reus
- Town Hall
- Palau Bofarull
- Centre de Lectura
- Museu Salvador Vila-seca
- Teatre Fortuny
- Gaudí Centre
