Topic summary
Terrassa
settlement_type. Replace with type.image_alt. Replace with alt.timezone. Replace with time_zone.blank_info_sec2. Replace with custom_data_sec2.blank_info_sec1. Replace with custom_data_sec1.blank_name_sec2. Replace with custom_label_sec2.pushpin_map_caption. Replace with pushpin_caption.blank_name_sec1. Replace with custom_label_sec1.image_caption. Replace with caption.Terrassa (Catalan pronunciation:, Spanish: Tarrasa) is a city in the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain, in the province of Barcelona. It is one of the two capitals of Vallès Occidental county, being the larger in both area and population, 70.12 km (27.07 sq mi) and 228,294 respectively.
The name Terrassa derives from LatinTerracia, either from earlier Terracium castellum (“earthen castle”), or meaning "terrace", "area of flat land". Historically, the name of the city has been spelled Terraça, Terraza, Terraca and Tarrassa in the native Catalan language whilst it was traditionally spelled Tarrasa in Spanish. The Spanish spelling is now largely out of use given its ties with the Francoist Regime and the sole official spelling has been the Catalan Terrassa since 1978.
Terrassa is known for its industrial past and present, its lively cultural scene, its industrial modernist architecture, its status as a "City of Film" and as the seat of several universities such as UPC, ESCAC, Institut del Teatre and . It was also awarded in 2024 the Council of Europe's "The Europe Prize" for cities with an outstanding commitment to European values.
It is the site of Roman Egara, a former Visigothic bishopric, which became a Latin Catholic titular see. Since 2004, it has been the see of a bishopric.
The city is located in the Catalan Prelitoral depression (Depressió Prelitoral), at the feet of the Prelitoral mountain range () and the average altitude of the city is 277 meters above sea level. It is 20 and 18 kilometres from Barcelona and Montserrat respectively. Terrassa's location as the most-inland city in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region means it is sometimes referred to as the "entrance to Central Catalonia".
As of 2024, Terrassa is the third largest city in Catalonia, after Barcelona and l'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Terrassa is also the largest municipality in what is considered the second most important urban, economic and cultural center of Catalonia, the Vallès region.