La Ràpita () is a town in the area of the
Montsià in
Catalonia, Spain. The town covers a portion of the south-west of the
Ebro Delta, including
el Trabucador isthmus and
la Banya peninsula
A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
, which close off a salt water
lagoon known as the ''
Port dels Alfacs''. The town of La Ràpita is situated on the coast near the mouth of the lagoon. It was founded by
Charles III of Spain
it, Carlo Sebastiano di Borbone e Farnese
, house = Bourbon-Anjou
, father = Philip V of Spain
, mother = Elisabeth Farnese
, birth_date = 20 January 1716
, birth_place = Royal Alcazar of Madrid, Spain
, death_d ...
as a port to serve trade with the Spanish
colonies, and constructed in the neoclassical style of the period. However, much of the town remained uncompleted after Charles' death.
La Ràpita is part of the
Taula del Sénia free association of municipalities. It is known for the production of
rice and
salt, and is also an important
fishing port, particularly for
shellfish
Shellfish is a colloquial and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater envir ...
and
prawns, and a tourist centre. In the early years of the present century, the town experienced a huge urban development due to the construction of many apartments and residential buildings.
Demography
The town now hosts two large marinas, a beach, a market and many shops and restaurants. It is attractive and draws an increasing number of tourists each summer.
References
* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). ''Guia de Catalunya'', Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. (Spanish). (Catalan).
External links
Tourism website
Government data pages
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sant Carles De La Rapita
Municipalities in Montsià