Don't miss the monuments declared World Heritage in Catalonia Jumping back to prehistoric times, we find the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula, a set of seven hundred and fifty-seven sites recognized by UNESCO. In Catalonia, you can find a few, among which the paintings in the shelters of the Sierra de la Piedad (Ulldecona), Roca dels Moros (El Cogul), and the Cave of Vilasos or Vilars (Os de Balaguer) stand out. Moving forward in time to the Roman Empire, UNESCO has also recognized the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, one of the largest and best-preserved in Europe. It is an exceptional testimony to what was one of the most important cities on the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman Empire. We delve into the Middle Ages in the Catalan Pyrenees. In the Vall de Boí, we find the Romanesque complex of eight churches and a hermitage, also recognized as Heritage by UNESCO. They are Sant Climent de Taüll, Santa Maria de Taüll, Sant Joan de Boí, Santa Eulàlia d’Erill la Vall, Sant Feliu de Barruera, the Nativity of Durro, Santa Maria de Cardet, the Assumption of Cóll, and the hermitage of Sant Quirc de Durro. All these constructions are of a very sober Romanesque style, with great mural paintings – like some of the apses preserved in the National Art Museum of Catalonia – and original Romanesque sculptures. Also of medieval origin is the Monastery of Santa María de Poblet. It is characterized by its combination of architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. It is one of the great Catalan Cistercian monasteries, which together with Santes Creus and Vallbona de les Monges form the Cistercian Route. Jumping a few centuries forward, we visit the Catalan capital, an exponent of the most outstanding modernist buildings. One of the most internationally known and popular UNESCO sites is the seven works that the architect Antoni Gaudí created in Barcelona: the Park and the Güell Palace, Casa Milà, Casa Vicens, the Nativity facade and the crypt of the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and the crypt of Colonia Güell. These works represent Gaudí's exceptional contribution to modernist architecture. Also in Barcelona, UNESCO has recognized two works by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner: the Palau de la Música Catalana and the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. They are two icons of modernism in the Catalan capital, built at the beginning of the 20th century. These public buildings merge tradition and innovation, and represented a significant architectural renewal and an ideological movement of modernization and cultural identity. Catalan Intangible Heritage Among the festivals and traditions that UNESCO has recognized in Catalonia as Intangible Heritage is La Patum, a unique traditional festival that has been celebrated almost without interruption since the 15th century in Berga. It originated from the interludes that were part of the medieval Corpus processions. The main characters are, among others, la guita, the eagle, the giants, and the dwarves who dance to the rhythm of the gralla and the drum. At night, the main square becomes a hell where the Plens fill it with fire. The castellers are part of any celebration and popular festival in Catalonia and are one of the most recognized symbols of Catalan culture. They are a model of social participation, transmitted from generation to generation, recognized by UNESCO. These human towers challenge height and are characterized by teamwork, effort, and the spirit of improvement. The Mediterranean diet, shared by Iberians, Celts, Greeks, Romans, barbarians, and Arabs, is a model of nutrition that has been recognized as the healthiest and most balanced dietary pattern in the world. It is a combination of simple, varied, and balanced foods to which UNESCO has recognized its value. The fire festivals of the Catalan Pyrenees take place around the summer solstice. The lit torches descend from the mountains forming a snake of fire to the town square, where they converge into a single bonfire with all the fallas. These festivals bring together towns and valleys of the Catalan Pyrenees in a great cross-border celebration, which UNESCO has also wanted to recognize. Do you know the Catalan traditions are part of UNESCO Heritage? Do you know the art of dry stone? It is estimated that there are more than 19,000 buildings constructed with this technique throughout the Catalan territory. They serve to store field tools, to create separations between estates, to support terraces, etc. UNESCO has recognized this technique, which erects constructions with stones from the immediate surroundings without any cohesion material. UNESCO has also recognized the craft of the raier. The young people of La Pobla de Segur, Coll de Nargó, and Pont de Claverol built a type of vessel with timbers, the rafts, to bring down the oak crossbars and birch retorts to the flat coastal lands. The sound of bells has been, for many centuries, a way of communication for towns and has generated a collective identity. In Os de Balaguer, they have preserved this craft and teach it to the younger ones. UNESCO has recognized the manual ringing of bells from the Lands of Lleida, which each year gathers bell ringers from all over the world. Come and discover the great cultural wealth of the country and the commitment to its conservation and protection.