Vilanova i la Geltrú (cat. Vilanova i la Geltrú) is a city and municipality, it is also the capital of the Garraf region. Historically, it is the result of the aggregation of the town of Geltrú, formerly an independent municipality within Vilanova de Cubelles, which used to belong to the municipality of Cubelles, a municipality that currently borders Vilanova and Geltrú. Even so, nowadays it is impossible to distinguish the two population centers, due to the great demographic growth, that has led them to form a complete urban conurbation. It borders with Cubelles, Castellet and Gornal, Canyelles and Sant Pere de Ribes.
History
According to the legend, Vilanova de Cubelles was founded as a response to the bad treatments that the feudal lord made, from his residence in La Geltrú (droit du seigneur or lord’s right). This caused many citizens of Geltrú to leave the sea, for the territory of Cubelles, where they founded Vilanova near Cubelles, or de Cubelles. Years later, King James I granted it the town charter (1274).
In the mid-18th century, when King Charles III allowed Vilanova de Cubelles to open trade with the Americas, the city experienced a very important economic boom, a progress that was not limited to an accumulation of wealth, but also led to an investment in culture.
It is then that in Vilanova de Cubelles the first recreational societies, meeting places and leisure areas were founded. In this way, at the beginning of the 19th century, appeared, among others, the gardens of Tivoli. In this sense, Vilanova was called Havana Xica, both due to the lushness of the meeting gardens and the atmosphere that the contact with the island of Cuba was giving it.
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