Historic Landscape of Catalonia

Landscape History of a Mediterranean Country in the Middle Ages

By (author) Jordi Bolos

Book cover: Historic Landscape of Catalonia

Extent: 469 pages

Publisher: Brepols Publishers

Subjects: Hispanic & Portuguese Studies, Medieval Studies, Mediterranean Archaeology

Series: Medieval Countryside

Series volume number: 23

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(June 2023)

ISBN: 9782503603056

Price: $138.00

In stock

An extensive study of the landscape of the Mediterranean country of Catalonia, and how analysis of man-made transformations help us to understand political, social, economic, and cultural changes.


The landscape around us is largely the result of man-made transformations. It consists of villages, farmsteads, cities, fields, ditches, and roads. This book examines how the landscape of the Mediterranean country of Catalonia was created and transformed. Although Catalonia’s history goes back before the Middle Ages, it was during the medieval period that it saw significant development, which has continued ever since. Understanding the landscape helps us understand political, social, economic, and cultural changes. In this book we discover how the settlements built around a castle or a church were created, and what the open villages and new towns were like, both in Catalonia and in neighbouring territories. The book also explores the formation of cities and towns as well as the significance of hamlets and farmsteads, based on data provided by written documents and archaeological excavations. It also explores the formation of fields, ditches, and irrigated areas, and shows the importance of understanding the boundaries and demarcations that enclose valleys, villages, castles, and parishes. Finally, special attention is devoted to place names and cartography, as these shed light on numerous historical realities.

  • By (author) Jordi Bolos