Portbou

Portbou
View of Port-Bou from Col del Frare (SSE)
View of Port-Bou from Col del Frare (SSE)
Flag of Portbou
Coat of arms of Portbou
Portbou is located in Province of Girona
Portbou
Portbou
Location in Catalonia
Portbou is located in Catalonia
Portbou
Portbou
Portbou (Catalonia)
Portbou is located in Spain
Portbou
Portbou
Portbou (Spain)
Coordinates: 42°25′37″N 3°09′40″E / 42.42694°N 3.16111°E / 42.42694; 3.16111
Country Spain
Community Catalonia
ProvinceGirona
ComarcaAlt Empordà
Government
 • MayorTrino Martínez (2019)[1]
Area
 • Total
9.2 km2 (3.6 sq mi)
Elevation
28 m (92 ft)
Population
 (2018)[3]
 • Total
1,077
 • Density120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Portbouenc, portbouenca
Websitewww.portbou.cat

Portbou (Catalan pronunciation: [ˌpɔɾˈβɔw]) is a town in the Alt Empordà county, in the Province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It has a population of 1077 people (2018).[4]

Portbou is located near the French border in the Costa Brava region, and frequently serves as a dropping off point for SNCF trains coming from Cerbère in France.

Portbou was a small but important point for the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War, as it was one of the few places from where they could get supplies from abroad. Portbou is also where German philosopher Walter Benjamin committed suicide and was buried in 1940. There is a monument in his honor, by Dani Karavan.

  1. ^ "Ajuntament de Portbou". Generalitat of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
  2. ^ "El municipi en xifres: Portbou". Statistical Institute of Catalonia. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  3. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  4. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.