National Day of Catalonia

Floral offerings to the monuments of Rafael Casanova in Barcelona

Fossar de les Moreres, general view

A giant seafood Paella being cooked on the National Day of Catalonia 2003 in the village square of Cornudella de Montsant.

The National Day of Catalonia (Catalan: La Diada Nacional de Catalunya; Eastern Catalan: [ɫə ðiˈaðə nəsiuˈnaɫ də kətəˈɫuɲə], Western Catalan: [la ðiˈaða nasioˈnaɫ de kataˈluɲa]) is a national holiday in the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia held annually on 11 September. It commemorates the 1714 loss at the Siege of Barcelona by the Habsburg loyalists to the House of Bourbon-backed armies. The holiday was proclaimed in 1980 by the Generalitat de Catalunya upon its restoration.

Separatist organizations and political parties traditionally lay floral offerings at the monuments of Rafael Casanova and General Moragues for their 'fight' against the Bourbon army. Catalan nationalists also meet at the Fossar de les Moreres, where they pay homage to the defenders of city who died during the siege and were buried there. Throughout the day, there are separatist demonstrations and concerts. Many citizens wave senyeres and estelades, in support of Catalan separatism.

See also

• History of Catalonia
• Decretos de Nueva Planta
• War of the Spanish Succession

External links

• The National Holiday as declared by the Parliament of Catalonia
• Documents about the case of the catalans dated on 1714, at the House of Lords, UK.
• Journal of the House of Lords: volume 19, 2 August 1715, Further Articles of Impeachment against E. Oxford brought from H.C. Article VI.