Bigues i Riells del Fai city council

Bigues i Riells del Fai is a municipality in the Vallès Oriental district, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, sitting within easy reach of Granollers and the wider industrial and service hubs of the Barcelona metropolitan area. Its compound name mirrors an administrative history built from two once-separate settlements, Bigues and Riells del Fai, whose distinct identities are still visible in the local landscape and architecture today.

How did the local government come to take its current shape?

The municipality's administrative story was not a straight line. In late July 1936, following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and the military uprising led by General Franco, the Generalitat de Catalunya dissolved the sitting town council of Bigues, headed by Miquel Alemany. Barely a week later, in early August 1936, representatives from Riells del Fai brought a clear proposal to the Bigues council's plenary session: to split off and form their own independent administrative body. That episode captures the underlying tension between the two halves of today's municipality, a tension that eventually settled into the shared, compound name still used for the administrative unit.

What stands out architecturally in the town itself?

A defining landmark in the townscape is the old town hall building (antic ajuntament). Its façade follows a classical composition, topped by a triangular pediment decorated with floral motifs. The tympanum bears the municipal coat of arms alongside the date 1908, which places the building's construction precisely at the turn of the twentieth century, a period of active growth for local administration across Catalonia.

Which historic and religious sites can be found nearby?

Bigues i Riells del Fai holds a dense architectural heritage, including the parish church of Sant Pere de Bigues and the church of Sant Vicenç de Riells del Fai, each corresponding to one of the municipality's two historical settlement cores. Within the municipal boundaries also stands Castell de Montbui, a remnant of the region's medieval territorial organization. The single most recognizable heritage feature of the wider area, however, is the monastery of Sant Miquel del Fai, whose proximity has strongly shaped the municipality's tourist appeal and cultural identity.

Why does this area draw visitors?

Over recent decades, Bigues i Riells del Fai has grown into a notable residential and summer-getaway center. That shift owes to a combination of factors: the natural environment of the surrounding terrain, a rich architectural heritage, and a relatively short distance to Granollers and other industrial and service nodes of the Barcelona conurbation. Together, these traits let the municipality function both as a home base for people working in nearby larger centers and as a destination for day trips from Barcelona and its surroundings.

Najczęstsze pytania / Frequently asked questions

What kind of administrative unit is Bigues i Riells del Fai? It is a municipality in the Vallès Oriental district of Barcelona province, formed from two historically separate settlements — Bigues and Riells del Fai.

Why does the municipality carry a compound name? The name reflects the union of two previously independent communities, which in 1936, amid the turmoil of the Civil War, even considered a formal administrative split.

What is the oldest visible feature of the town hall building? The old town hall's façade dates to 1908 and features a classical triangular pediment with floral motifs and the municipal coat of arms set into the tympanum.

Which religious buildings are worth visiting in the municipality? The church of Sant Pere de Bigues and the church of Sant Vicenç de Riells del Fai, each representing one of the municipality's two historic settlement centers.

What makes the area appealing to visitors? The nearby monastery of Sant Miquel del Fai, architectural heritage such as Castell de Montbui, and convenient access to Granollers and the Barcelona metropolitan area.