La Baronia de Rialb () is a municipality in the comarca (county) of the Noguera in Catalonia, Spain. The territory is crossed by the river Rialb and the river Segre. The capital city is Gualter; before it had been La Torre de Rialb.
The municipality is formed by the union of old and tiny hamlets and parishes, which in total accounts for twenty-three Romanesque churches, which is the largest number of such churches in Catalonia.
Demography It has a population of . 1787 1857 1877 1887 1900 1920 1940 1960 1981 1998 2004 2009 514 1,665 1,243 1,250 1,244 1,066 839 655 298 247 279 276
Government
List of mayors of La Baronia de Rialb Period Mayor Party1979-1983Josep Serra i BoschUCD1983-1987Josep Serra i BoschCiU1987-1991Josep Serra i BoschCiU1991-1995Miquel Gabernet i Bernaus (1991–1992) Pere Prat i Torra (1992–1995)CiU1995-1999Pere Prat i TorraCiU1999-2003Pere Prat i TorraCiU2003-2007Pere Prat i TorraCiU2007-2011Pere Prat i TorraCiU2011-Pere Prat i TorraCiU
Economy The agricultural sector is still what draws the most numbers of jobs in La Baronia. A country with blueprints irrigated, highly arable lands, with a level of approximately 400 m to over 800 m altitude of usable land is suitable for a wide variety of crops. However, since a few years ago, the tourism sector is becoming the economic boost that the valley needed. In fact, there are currently available a two dozen agritourist establishments.
Main sights
Nature and sport Rialb reservoir – the biggest dam in Catalonia. Forat de Bulí – a unique ravine in the river Rialb. It is suitable for extreme sports like canyoning. Alzinera de Cal Penjat – a hundred-year-old oak in El Puig de Rialb. GR 1 – a long-distance footpath that crosses the north of La Baronia. Pallerols-Andorra Way – a route suitable for hiking that starts in La Baronia and finishes in Andorra.
Architecture Santa Maria de Gualter – a former Benedictine monastery in Gualter. Santa Maria de Palau de Rialb – a Romanesque church built between the 11th and 13th centuries. Dolmen of Sols de Riu – a megalithic tomb located near the Rialb reservoir, in La Torre de Rialb.
References
External links
Official website Information - Consorci del Montsec Information - Tourism Lleida Government data pages