National Day of Catalonia

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Floral offerings to the monuments of Rafael Casanova in Barcelona

Fossar de les Moreres, general view

A giant seafood Paella being cooked on the National Day of Catalonia 2003 in the village square of Cornudella de Montsant.

On September 11, Catalonia commemorates the 1714 Siege of Barcelona defeat during the War of the Spanish Succession. As a punishment for their support to the claim of Habsburg Archduke Charles to the throne of Spain, institutions and rights of the territories of the Crown of Catalonia and Aragon were abolished by the victorious absolutist Bourbon monarchy.

In 1980, the restored Generalitat de Catalunya (autonomous Government of Catalonia), as its first public act proclaimed 11 September La Diada, the Catalan National holiday.

Organizations and political parties traditionally lay floral offerings at the monuments of Rafael Casanova and General Moragues for their fight against the Bourbon army.

Catalan nationalists also meet in the Fossar de les Moreres, where they pay homage to the defenders of city who died during the siege and were buried there.

Throughout the day, there are political demonstrations, concerts and celebration events. Many citizens wave either senyeres or estelades and hang them on their balconies.