L'Esquirol

L'Esquirol
Municipality

L'Esquirol

Flag
Coat of arms
L'Esquirol

Location in Catalonia

Coordinates: 42°2′14″N 2°22′10″E / 42.03722°N 2.36944°E / 42.03722; 2.36944Coordinates: 42°2′14″N 2°22′10″E / 42.03722°N 2.36944°E / 42.03722; 2.36944
Country  Spain
Community  Catalonia
Province Barcelona
Comarca Osona
Government
 • Mayor Àlex Montaña Rifà (2015)[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 61.8 km2 (23.9 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 693 m (2,274 ft)
Population (2014)[1]
 • Total 2,188
 • Density 35/km2 (92/sq mi)
Website lesquirol.cat

L'Esquirol (Catalan for squirrel), known as Santa Maria de Corcó until 4 June 2014, is a municipality in the comarca of Osona in Catalonia, Spain.

Etymology

The name l'Esquirol (literally "the squirrel") comes from a former local inn Hostal de l'Esquirol which was recorded in the 17th century, but is thought to be ultimately from the old Catalan "es querol", meaning "the little rock".[3][4]

"Esquirol" is used as a pejorative term for strikebreakers in Catalan and Spanish[5], equivalent to "scab" in English. Legend has it that this meaning originated in the 19th century, when striking workers of a textile factory in the town of Manlleu were replaced by textile workers from the town of Esquirol. The Manlleu workers called the strikebreakers "esquirols" as an insult.[4]

History

The village dates to the 15th century when it formed along the path from Vic to Olot. The settlement started around an inn called the Hostal de l'Esquirol on a homestead named Parai. The village was popularly known as L'Esquirol. The other name of the village, Santa Maria de Corcó, was added in 1743 when the Corcó parish relocated to Esquirol, and became the official name of the municipality during the Franco regime. On 4 June 2014 the name was officially changed back to L'Esquirol.[6]

Villages

References

  1. 1 2 "Ajuntament de l'Esquirol". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. 1 2 "El municipi en xifres: L'Esquirol". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. ↑ "Santa Maria de Corcó conserva el nom malgrat la victòria de l'Esquirol en una consulta perquè la participació no ha arribat al 50%". ccma.cat (in Catalan). Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals, SA. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Diccionari català-valencià-balear - "esquirol"". dcvb.iec.cat. Institut d'Estudis Catalans. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  5. ↑ esquirol in the Diccionario de la Real Academia Española.
  6. ↑ "El ple municipal aprova canviar el nom de Santa Maria de Corcó per l'Esquirol". ccma.cat (in Catalan). Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals, SA. Retrieved 13 August 2015.



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