View source for Figueres

{{Short description|City in Catalonia, Spain}}
{{other uses}}
{{redirect|Figueras|other uses}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Figueres
| native_name             = 
| settlement_type         = [[Municipalities of Catalonia|Municipality]]
| image_skyline           = MSodaiguiSTPereFigueres1.jpg
| imagesize               = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = St. Peter's church
| image_flag              = Bandera de Figueres.svg
| flag_size               = 
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Escut de Figueres.svg
| shield_size             = 
| shield_alt              = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| image_map               = Localització de Figueres respecte de l'Alt Empordà.svg
| map_caption             = Location in Alt Empordà County
| pushpin_map             = Spain Catalonia vegueries#Spain
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| coordinates             = {{coord|42|16|00|N|2|57|54|E|region:ES_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Spain}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Autonomous communities of Spain|Community]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Catalonia}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[Vegueries of Catalonia|Region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Comarques Gironines|Girona]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Comarques of Catalonia|County]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Alt Empordà]]
| subdivision_type4  = [[Provinces of Spain|Province]]
| subdivision_name4  = [[Province of Girona|Girona]]
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| leader_party            = 
| leader_title            = Mayor
| leader_name             = Jordi Masquef Creus (2023) ([[Together for Catalonia (2020)|JxC]])<ref name=municat>{{cite web|url=http://aplicacions.municat.gencat.cat/index.php?page=consulta&mostraEns=1706690004|title=Ajuntament de Figueres|publisher=[[Generalitat of Catalonia]]|access-date=2015-11-13}}</ref>
| area_footnotes          = <ref name=idescat>{{cite web|url=http://www.idescat.cat/emex/?lang=en&id=170669|title=El municipi en xifres: Figueres|publisher=[[Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya|Statistical Institute of Catalonia]]|access-date=2015-11-23}}</ref>
| area_total_km2          = 19.3
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 39
| population_as_of        = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
| population_footnotes    = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
| population_total        = {{Spain metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      = figuerenc, -enca<br>(pl. figuerencs, -enques)
| population_note         = 
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 17600
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               =
| blank_name              = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info              = [[Mediterranean climate#Hot-summer Mediterranean climate|Csa]] 
| website                 = {{URL|figueres.cat}}
| footnotes               = 
}}
'''Figueres''' ({{IPA|ca|fiˈɣeɾəs|lang|Pronunciation of Figueres in Catalan.ogg}}; {{langx|es|Figueras}} {{IPA|es|fiˈɣeɾas||Pronunciation of Figueras in Spanish.ogg}}) is the capital city of [[Alt Empordà]] County, in the [[Comarques Gironines|Girona region]], [[Catalonia]], Spain. The town is the birthplace of artist [[Salvador Dalí]], and houses the [[Dalí Theatre and Museum]], a large museum designed by Dalí himself which attracts many visitors. It is also the birthplace of [[Narcís Monturiol]], inventor of the first successful machine-powered [[submarine]]. Also born here was [[Mónica Naranjo]], one of the best-selling Spanish singers of the 1990s and 2000s.

==History==
The town's name derives from that of '''''Ficaris''''', of [[Visigoth Kingdom|Visigoth]] origin. In 1267, King [[James I of Aragon]] granted it ''[[fuero]]'' rights, but four years later Count [[Ponç Hug IV of Empúries|Ponç IV of Empúries]] set the town on fire.

In 1794, Figueras was surrendered to France, but it was regained in 1795. During the [[Peninsular War]] it was taken by the French in 1808, recaptured by the Spaniards in 1811, and retaken by the French in the same year.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Figueras|volume=10|page=334}}</ref>

During the [[Spanish Civil War]], it remained loyal to the [[Spanish Republican government in exile|Republican government]], and was repeatedly bombed by the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] and [[Italian Fascism|Fascist Italian]] aviation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publico.es/actualidad/figueres-gernika-catalunya.html|title=Figueres, la Gernika de Catalunya|date=2013-04-03|website=Publico|language=es|access-date=2020-01-03}}</ref>

It was one of the most heavily bombed Catalan cities during the Civil War, in 1938, and, especially, at the beginning of 1939, when thousands of people passed through the town on their way into exile. The number of bombing victims cannot be known with certainty, but could be close to 400.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://icip.gencat.cat/en/actualitat/activitats/Activitat_Agenda/ICIP-participates-in-the-historical-memory-project-silences-Figueres-under-the-bombs|title=ICIP participates in the historical memory project "(silences) Figueres under the bombs". International Catalan Institute for Peace. Generalitat de Catalunya|website=[[International Catalan Institute for Peace]]|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-01-03}}</ref>

Spain's Republican government held its final meeting of the civil war (on 1 February 1939) in the dungeons of its [[Sant Ferran Castle]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/figueres/attractions/castell-de-sant-ferran/a/poi-sig/1188431/1004438|title=Castell de Sant Ferran {{!}} Figueres, Spain Attractions|website=Lonely Planet|language=en|access-date=2020-01-03}}</ref>

Figueres recovered starting from the 1950s, consolidating its economy around the tourism industry.

Figueres was once home to a [[Jewish community]] prior to the [[Expulsion of the Jews from Spain|expulsion of the Jews]] in 1492, and a small Jewish quarter remains.<ref>{{cite web |title=FIGUERES |url=https://www.catalunyabusturistic.com/en/figueres |website=Catalunya Bus Turistic |access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>

==Main sights==
* [[Sant Ferran Castle]], built in 1753 during the reign of [[Ferdinand VI of Spain]], on the site of a Capuchin convent.<ref name="EB1911"/> It has a pentagonal layout, with a total perimeter of {{convert|5.6|km|1|abbr=on}}.
* Parish church of St. Peter, in [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]]. It has a single nave with side chapels.
* [[Dalí Theatre and Museum]] (19th century, renovated in the 1960s). It incorporates a tower from the ancient walls.
* [[Technical Museum of the Empordà]], a technology museum with hundreds of antique typewriters
* [[Museu de l'Empordà]]
<br />
<gallery mode="packed">

File:064 Castell de Sant Ferran.jpg|Sant Ferran Castle
File:20061227-Figueres Teatre-Museu Dalí MQ.jpg|Dalí theatre and museum
</gallery>
[[File:Face_of_Dali_1025.jpg|thumb|A [[Surrealism|surrealist]] tribute to [[Salvador Dalí]] at the base of the Rambla, Figueres]]

==Transport==
Situated in the northeast corner of Catalonia, Figueres is about {{convert|40|km|abbr=in}} from [[Girona]], {{convert|140|km|abbr=in}} from [[Barcelona]], {{convert|60|km|abbr=in}} from [[Perpignan]], and {{convert|50|km|abbr=in}} from [[Girona-Costa Brava Airport]].  It is also served by its own [[Figueres railway station|railway station]] just east of the old town center.

Figueres has been connected since December 2010 to the [[high-speed rail]] network with the start of services connecting Figueres to [[LGV Perpignan-Figueres|Perpignan via LGV]], allowing direct [[TGV]] services to [[Paris]] in 5&nbsp;h 27&nbsp;min. Connections to [[AVE#International connection with France|Madrid-Barcelona via AVE]] began on 8 January 2013 and the trip takes 53&nbsp;min to Barcelona Sants (12&nbsp;min to Girona).<ref>{{cite web|last=Kallas|first=Siim|title=The European commission welcomes the entry into service of the high speed line between Barcelona and Figueres – last stage of Spain-Europe high-speed connection|url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/kallas/headlines/news/2013/01/spain-hi-speed_en.htm|publisher=European Commission|access-date=10 January 2013|date=8 January 2013}}</ref>

==Climate==
{{Weather box
| width       = auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location    = Figueres (1981–2010)
| Jan high C = 13.6
| Feb high C = 14.4
| Mar high C = 17.1
| Apr high C = 19.2
| May high C = 22.8
| Jun high C = 26.8
| Jul high C = 30.0
| Aug high C = 29.6
| Sep high C = 26.2
| Oct high C = 22.0
| Nov high C = 17.0
| Dec high C = 14.2
| Jan low C = 4.5
| Feb low C = 4.9
| Mar low C = 7.2
| Apr low C = 9.2
| May low C = 12.7
| Jun low C = 16.6
| Jul low C = 19.4
| Aug low C = 19.4
| Sep low C = 16.3
| Oct low C = 12.9
| Nov low C = 8.4
| Dec low C = 5.4
 | rain colour = green
 | Jan rain mm = 53.4
 | Feb rain mm = 53.9
 | Mar rain mm = 45.1
 | Apr rain mm = 64.0
 | May rain mm = 68.7
 | Jun rain mm = 46.8
 | Jul rain mm = 21.0
 | Aug rain mm = 40.2
 | Sep rain mm = 59.0
 | Oct rain mm = 90.7
 | Nov rain mm = 59.7
 | Dec rain mm = 51.9
| source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=2183
|title = World Weather Information Service
|publisher = World Meteorological Organization
|access-date = 15 March 2026}}</ref>
}}

==Notable people==
*[[Narcís Monturiol]] (1819–1885), pioneering [[Ictíneo I|submarine]] engineer and inventor
*[[Salvador Dalí]] (1904–1989), artist
*[[Montserrat Minobis i Puntonet]] (1942–2019), feminist journalist
*[[Montserrat Vilà]] (born 1964), ecologist
*[[Mónica Naranjo]] (born 1974), singer and television host
*[[Dídac Lee]] (born 1974), entrepreneur, former board member of [[FC Barcelona]]
*[[Maverick Viñales]] (born 1995), [[MotoGP]] racer
*[[Sílvia Soler]] (born 1961), writer and journalist
*[[Manuela Trasobares]] (born 1962<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.elespanol.com/porfolio/20221203/manuela-trasobares-discipulo-dali-scala-milan-liceu/722927837_0.html |title=Manuela Trasobares, la discípula de Dalí que se convirtió en la primera soprano trans en actuar en La Scala de Milán o el Liceu |date=2022-12-03 |language=es |trans-title=Manuela Trasobares, Dalí's disciple who became the first trans soprano to perform at La Scala in Milan or the Liceu}}</ref>), transsexual activist, opera singer, and politician

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Spain}}
Figueres is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web|title=Ciutats agermanades|url=http://ca.figueres.cat/ajuntament/ciutats-agermanades/|website=figueres.cat|publisher=Figueres|language=ca|access-date=2020-12-03|archive-date=2021-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214453/http://ca.figueres.cat/ajuntament/ciutats-agermanades/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Alcalá la Real]], Spain (1989)
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Marignane]], France (1968)
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Kalisz]], Poland (1986)
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], United States (2011)

==References==
;References
{{reflist}}

;Literature
* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). ''Guia de Catalunya'', Barcelona: Caixa de Catalunya. {{ISBN|84-87135-01-3}} (Spanish). {{ISBN|84-87135-02-1}} (Catalan).

==External links==
{{Commons category|Figueres}}
{{wikivoyage|Figueres}}
* [http://www.figueres.cat Figueres Council]: Figueres Council (Catalan)
* [http://aplicacions.municat.gencat.cat/index.php?page=consulta&mostraEns=1706690004 Government data pages] {{in lang|ca}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Figueres
|N  = [[Cabanes, Girona|Cabanes]]<br />[[Vilabertran]]
|NE = [[Peralada]]
|E  = [[Vila-sacra]]
|SE = [[El Far d'Empordà]]
|S  = 
|SW = [[Vilafant]]
|W  = 
|NW = [[Llers]]
}}

{{Alt Emporda}}
{{Municipalities in Girona|state=autocollapse}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Figueres| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities in the Province of Girona]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Province of Girona]]