Berga is a town of 17,000 people located in central Catalonia, Spain. It has a long history dating back to the 10th century and was an important walled city, though the walls were destroyed after four centuries. Berga is known for its local gastronomy, especially mushrooms, which are celebrated annually at a mushroom festival. A major cultural tradition is Patum, a fire and dance festival with religious origins that was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2005. Els Elois is an older tradition involving donkeys and horses parading through town.

1. BERGA

3. General Information -Berga has 17000 people approximately. The town occupies 22.6 km quadrates. -Berga as well as other towns it has a Mayor: Juli Gendrau. The name Berga comes from the latin name Vergneum. -Berga was born in the begging of 10th century. -In Berga, people built a very big wall, but 4 centuries later, it was destroyed.

4. Situation Berga is the capital of Berguedà and is situated at the middle of the region. It has a expanse of 22 km2 approximately. The city is near Queralt and the river Llobregat. Berga is situated 30 minutes from Manresa and 70 minutes from the south of Barcelona. In conclusion, Berga take place in a very privileged zone. It became the middle of a lot of activities.

5. The gastronomy From always it has been famous in the region the gastronomy of Berga, for his raw materials, meat, sausages, cheeses and the great variety of mushrooms that they find in his forests. In Berga there is a wide variety of dishes, but there are some ones difficult to find out of Berga. Here are some examples: Soup with meatballs, soup of corn, beef with mushrooms, and meat in the ember with mushrooms.

6. Mushrooms and its tradition In the autumn, when lots of mushrooms grow in Berga's woods, people from many places come here to pick them They are difficult to find them, only if you are an expert…you can find hidden zones of mushrooms. Every year at the first weekend of October in Berga celebrate “la Festa dels bolets”. The people who go to de festival can buy all of the variety of the mushrooms.

7. Mushrooms and its tradition

8. Patum It was born in the Low Middle Ages. It’s a very popular festival in our city; lots of people come here to enjoy it. In Patum, there are people with dresses and masks dancing, with masks, and people with firecrackers around their body. This celebration has a religion past, but it became the most favourite feast of people who live in Berguedà. In 2005 it became a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO.

9. Patum

10. Els Elois Els Elois is the oldest celebration of Berga. The first time it was celebrated, was in 1379. It’s celebrated like this: Some donkeys and horses walk through the street and people in the balconies throw them water. Els Elois is celebrated in some villages and cities.

11. Els Elois

12. BERGA SHIELD

13. We hope you have enjoyed it!!!