GERONA, the Gerunda of the ancients, is a town of Spain, in the province of Catalonia, situated on both sides of the Ter, on the side and at the base of a steep moun tain. It is encircled with good walls, flanked with fortifi cations, and is defended by two forts erected upon the mountain. Gerona is nearly of a triangular shape, and the houses are well built, though the streets are crowded and narrow. The priocipal public buildings arc the cathedral and collegiate churches. Thu cathedral stands on the ridge of the mountain. It exhibits a magnificent front at the top of three grand terraces, adorned with granite ballus trades, and the ascent is by a flight of 86 steps, as broad as the whole extent of the church. The front, which is flanked with three hexagon towers, is ornamented with the Doric, Corinthian, and Composite orders. The interior is large and handsome, but the nave only is Gothic. The treasury of the cathedral was very rich before the revolu tion. The collegiate church of St Felix, formerly St Diary's, is built in the Gothic style, and has a body and two aisles, divided by pillars, with a large and fine case ment in the middle. in front of the facade is an old and lofty tower.
In the Capuchin convent, there is a curious Arabian bath constructed in the most elegant style. It consists of co lumns standing on an octagonal stylobate, or low base, which surrounds a reservoir for water. The Benedictine nunnery of St Daniel is about a mile from Gerona. It is one of the principal nunneries in Catalonia of the order of St Benet, and those ladies only arc admitted who can bring proofs of nobility.
The university of Gerona, founded in 15'21 by Philip II. was abolished in 1715 by Philip V. After the suppres
sion of the order of Jesuits, the means of public instruc tion were concentrated in one college, where there are 900 students, who are instructed in Latin grammar, rhetoric, philosophy, and theology. The library of the Jesuits, which is now open to the public, is extensive and well selected. Other professors chairs are supported at the ex pence of the town. Schools for the gratuitous instruction of poor girls, and a boarding-school for young ladies, are kept by the community of Beguine nuns. This institution is owing to the generosity of the bishop Don Thomas de Lorenzana, who encouraged in his diocese, agriculture, manufactures, and all the useful arts The civil and mili tary administration of the town resides in a governor, a king's lieutenant, a mayor, a governor of the little castle of Mountjouy, an alcade major for the administration of jus tice, and a municipal body of twelve regidors, and a small garrison.
. , Very little trade is cameo on in this town. It possesses a few looms for stockings, coarse cloths, and woollen and cotton stuffs, which have been established within the last thirty years.
Gerona is the see of a bishop suffragan of Tarragona. The diocese consists of 4 arch-deaconries, 470 parishes, 2 collegiate chapters, and 8 abbeys or priories. In the town there are five parishes, 9 convents for men and 3 for wo men, a nunnery of Beguines, a college, seminary, general hospital, and charitable asylums.. Population about 14,000, a fourth of whom consisted before the revolution of priests, monks, nuns, scholars, and students. Sec Laborde's View of Spain, vol. i. p. 13, &c.