Cadaqués (Catalan pronunciation: [kəðəˈkes]) is a town in the Alt Empordà comarca, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay in the middle of the Cap de Creus peninsula, near Cap de Creus cape, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean. It is two-and-a-quarter-hour drive from Barcelona, and thus it is accessible not only to tourists but also to people who want a second home for weekends and summers. In 2002, Cadaqués had an official population of 2,612, but up to ten times as many people can live in the town during the peak of the summer tourism season.
Cadaqués has a special place in art history. Commanding charcoals, by local artist Eliseu Meifrèn, of the 19th century Cadaqués beleaguered by a winter tramontane, can be seen at the Cadaqués museum. Fren was the first modern artist to live in Cadaqués and gave the town many of his works and a marble top table on which he sketched many of its turn-o...Read more
Cadaqués (Catalan pronunciation: [kəðəˈkes]) is a town in the Alt Empordà comarca, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay in the middle of the Cap de Creus peninsula, near Cap de Creus cape, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean. It is two-and-a-quarter-hour drive from Barcelona, and thus it is accessible not only to tourists but also to people who want a second home for weekends and summers. In 2002, Cadaqués had an official population of 2,612, but up to ten times as many people can live in the town during the peak of the summer tourism season.
Cadaqués has a special place in art history. Commanding charcoals, by local artist Eliseu Meifrèn, of the 19th century Cadaqués beleaguered by a winter tramontane, can be seen at the Cadaqués museum. Fren was the first modern artist to live in Cadaqués and gave the town many of his works and a marble top table on which he sketched many of its turn-of-the-century fishermen.
Salvador Dalí often visited Cadaqués in his childhood, and later kept a home in Port Lligat, a small village on a bay next to the town. A summer holiday here in 1916, spent with the family of Ramon Pichot is seen as especially important to Dalí's artistic career. Other notable artists, including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Richard Hamilton, Albert Ràfols-Casamada, Antoni Pitxot, Henri-François Rey, Melina Mercouri and Maurice Boitel also spent time here. Cadaqués is mentioned in the story "Tramontana" by Gabriel García Márquez.
The interesting submarine life of this sleepy fishing village was studied for several years by phycologist Françoise Ardré, long before Cadaqués was discovered and transformed into a tourism destination. On Mondays there is a travelling market in Cadaqués, located near the parking lot. This market has a wide variety of products.
In the early 20th century[citation needed] a large number of inhabitants of Cadaqués travelled or emigrated to Cuba (the figure has been estimated as one third of a village of approximately 1200 people). Many of these immigrants were financially successful in Cuba and returned to Cadaqués where they constructed large and ornate houses. These houses can still be seen in the town (for example; the "Casa Blava", "Blue House" in English). A person returned from Cuba was referred to as an "Americano" among other names.
TraditionsWomen of the village traditionally fetched water using a glazed earthenware jug called a "doll". The colour of the glazing was green. Similar earthenware can still be seen used as decorations. A number of photos exist showing women carrying these "dolls" on their heads (covered with a protective cloth).
Owing to Cadaqués's proximity to the French border and its isolation by land, the village had a tradition of running contraband. See the writings of Josep Pla.
People Shoreline of Cadaqués at nightPablo Picasso stayed during the summer of 1910, was also a guest of the family Pitxot Joan Miró José Antonio Coderch (1913–1984) prominent post-war Barcelona-born architect Marcel Duchamp played chess in the cafe "Meliton" with John Cage amongst others. According to Richard Hamilton, Duchamp regarded the local fishermen as strong chess players. Antoni Pitxot René Magritte Walt Disney Melina Mercouri Robert Venosa American visionary artist Maurice Boitel Eugenio d'Ors Catalan writer, wrote the "Ben Plantada" (the "Good Looking Girl") Josep Pla Catalan writer, wrote a number of books set in or about Cadaqués. see below Salvador Dalí built a house in Port lligat. Dalí's parents also had a house near the beach. Genia Chef Russian artist. His Madonna de la Esparanza hangs in the town's baroque Iglesia de Santa Maria Michael Lederer American author of the novel "Cadaqués"[1] Federico García Lorca Spanish poet and dramatist André Breton French writer, poet, surrealist David Martí Catalan artist and writer Niki de Saint Phalle French artist, was invited or came to visit Marcel Duchamp Man Ray American artist, invited by Marcel Duchamp Mary Callery sculptor Dieter Roth artist Marcel Broodthaers Richard Hamilton (artist) English artist, invited by Marcel Duchamp John Cage composer, invited by Duchamp with whom he played chess Jean Tinguely collaborator with Niki de Saint-Phalle James Mason actor, filmed near Cadaqués Pablo Casals cellist, invited by the family Pitxot André Derain painter, invited by the family Pitxot; painted the village in 1910 Raoul Pugno Jacint Morera Catalan painter Maria Martins Brazilian surrealist sculptrice Damien Rice Jordi Pagans i Monsalvatje Catalan painter Terence Weil cellist Luis Aznarez Musician
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