Banyoles () is a city of 20,168 inhabitants (2021) located in the

province of Girona The Province of Girona ( ; ) is a Provinces of Spain, province in the northeastern part of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It is bordered on the northwest by the province of Lleida, on the southwest ...

in northeastern

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, Spain. The town is the capital of the Catalan ''comarca'' "

Pla de l'Estany Pla de l'Estany () is a Comarques of Catalonia, comarca (county) in the Comarques Gironines, Girona region in Catalonia, Spain. Its name means "plain of the lake", the lake in question being the Lake of Banyoles. Banyoles is also the name of the ...

". Although an established industrial centre many of the inhabitants commute to the nearby city of Girona (12 km to the south). Banyoles was connected to Girona by the gauge

Palamós–Girona–Banyoles railway The Palamós to Flaçà, Girona and Banyoles Railway was a gauge railway line that operated over of track between Palamós, Girona and Banyoles, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The line was promoted by the Tranvía del Bajo Ampurd� ...

, which reached it by 1928. Service on the line continued until 1956.

Lake

Banyoles is most famous for the

Lake of Banyoles Lake of Banyoles (or Estany de Banyoles) is a natural lake located in the Comarques of Catalonia, ''comarca'' "Pla de l'Estany", Province of Girona, in northeastern Catalonia, Spain. It is named after the nearby town of Banyoles, to which it belo ...

, a natural lake located in a tectonic depression.

Venues

It was the venue for the

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

events in the

1992 Barcelona Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics (, ), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (, ) and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994 ...

. The "

negro of Banyoles The Negro of Banyoles (, or ) was a controversial piece of taxidermy of a San individual, which used to be a major attraction in the Darder Museum of Banyoles (Catalonia, Spain). In 2000, the remains of the man were sent to Botswana for burial. ...

", a controversial piece of

taxidermy Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body by mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proces ...

, was at Darder Museum ( ca)( fr).

Events

Each year a triathlon Premium European Cup (or even an IFC Canoe Marathon World Championship in 2010) is held in Banyoles, the hometown of the Spanish 2011 Champion

Carolina Routier Carolina Routier Cañigueral (born 23 April 1990 in Banyoles, Catalonia, Spain), also ''Caro(l) Routier,'' is a professional Spanish triathlete, the Spanish U23 Champion (Olympic Distance), Elite Sprint Champion, and the Spanish Aquathlon Champio ...

. National and regional events take place as well throughout the year, such as the Spanish triathlon championship and the Championship of Catalonia.

Notable people

* Coro football player - grew up in Banyoles *

Andreu Fontàs Andreu Fontàs Prat (; born 14 November 1989) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Club career Early years Born in Banyoles, Girona, Catalonia, Fontàs was a product of FC Barcelona's youth system, having pre ...

football player * Salvador Oliva i Llinàs poet and translator *

Irene Rigau Irene Rigau i Oliver is a Catalan politician from Spain, born in Banyoles (Pla de l'Estany County) in 1951.Albert Serra Albert Serra Juanola (; born 9 October 1975) is a Spanish independent filmmaker and manager of the production company Andergraun Films, set up by Montse Triola primarily to produce Serra's films. He is best known for his films '' Story of My De ...

filmmaker

References

External links

Official Website of Banyoles

Banyoles, information and culture

Government data pages
Municipalities in Pla de l'Estany Populated places in Pla de l'Estany {{Girona-geo-stub