GERONA, n#-rofnit. The capital of the prov ince of the same name, Spain, 52 miles northeast of Barcelona, situated on both sides of the river Oilar, near its confluence with the Ter (Map: Spain, G 2). Built at the foot and on the slope of two hills, the fortified Monjuich commanding the city, it comprises two parts, the city proper with the narrow, dingy streets of a medival town, which nevertheless has the finest archi tectural features, and the suburb, El Mercadel, presenting a modern appearance. The rivers Giiell and Galligans empty into the Ofiar, the former just north of the city, while the latter flows through it, and many of the houses are built directly on the river's brink—a circumstance that has caused the floods, particularly those of 1762 and 1829, to be extremely disastrous. Ge rona still retains part of its old walls, and has plazas and promenades; but its chief attractions are in its churches. The noble Gothic cathedral stands on the site of an earlier church dedicated in 1038, the modern edifice having been begun in 1416; the nave, 73 feet in width, is one of the widest Gothic vaults in the world. Also note worthy are the churches of San Felix and San Pedro. There are a large poor-house, a hospital in connection with which is an insane asylum, and two public libraries, the provincial library having over 13,000 volumes. The citadel serves as a State prison. The manufactures of the city,
which comprise paper, textiles, cork, etc., are in creasing in importance; and in the vicinity coal, iron, copper, and lead are mined. There are also mineral springs. Population, in 1900, 15,668.
Gerona, the ancient Gerunda, is one of the oldest cities of Spain, its origin being ascribed to the tenth century p.c., though it appears first in history during the Punic Wars. In the Middle Ages it was known also as Gironda. The town submitted to the Moors in 717 and in 797 came finally into the possession of the Frankish borderers, who for a time ruled it in the name of their kings. Subsequently it passed into the possession of the counts of Barcelona. It was erected into a dukedom about the middle of the fourteenth century, and in 1414 into a principal ity for the eldest son of the King of Aragon. Gerona played a part in the War of the Spanish Succession, suffering severely with the rest of Catalonia. It became celebrated for the stubborn fighting qualities of its inhabitants. Its crown ing exploit was achieved in 1809 in the Spanish War of Liberation, when it held out from June 8th to December 10th against the French, who had invested it in the preceding year, yielding only when its citizens succumbed to famine and disease. The French loss during the siege was estimated at 15,000.