{"id":3861,"date":"2018-02-07T22:10:58","date_gmt":"2018-02-07T22:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tortosaturisme-preprod.incubaliadev.com\/en\/la-clau-de-catalunya\/"},"modified":"2025-09-20T10:17:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-20T10:17:33","slug":"the-key-to-catalonia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tortosaturisme.cat\/en\/the-key-to-catalonia\/","title":{"rendered":"The key to Catalonia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The Key to Catalonia <\/h1>\"\"\"\"<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]

A strategic city<\/h2>

Always protected by strong walls<\/h3>
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Since time immemorial<\/strong>, settlers have sought strategic locations in which to found cities; locations close to the resources required to foster trade and dominate the surrounding area. The city and territory occupied by Tortosa historically consisted of the southern entrance to the Principality<\/strong> and featured the only stable means of crossing the last stretch of the river<\/strong>.<\/p>
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More than two thousand years ago<\/strong>, the majestic Iber (Ebro) had not formed the magnificent delta to unite it with the Mediterranean; on the contrary, it formed an estuary that brought the city closer to the sea. The Phoenician and Greek colonies were searching for these two characteristics (proximity to the sea and a means of accessing the interior of the country). Tortosa was founded as Dertosa in Roman times<\/strong>, when it became the capital of this often unknown part of Catalonia. The ancient city of Hibera<\/strong> was probably located not far from Tortosa. The intersection of Via Augusta<\/strong> built by the Romans with the great Spanish river provided the backdrop for the city\u2019s strategic location.<\/p>
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