Girona – a fairy tale city, a dream city! The capital of the province of the same name, traditionally the richest region of Catalonia. The city is more than 2,000 years old, its history is full of events, like a chronicle in the newspaper of the yellow press. Iberians, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Franks managed to visit here. The strategic location of the city between Madrid and Paris, as well as the fertility of local lands made Girona a scene of numerous military conflicts. The once formidable fortress of Girona survived 25 sieges, but surrendered at the mercy of the winner only 7 times. The last time Girona withstood a seven-month siege of Napoleonic troops in 1809, it was then that the city was quite seriously destroyed.
Among the attractions of the old city, the most beautiful church Església de Sant Feliu should be noted. Here the martyr Saint Felix, as well as the patron saint of the city, Saint Narcissus, are buried. Legend has it that after the capture of the city by the French in 1285, the grave of St. Narcissus was desecrated by the invaders. A flock of angry midges flew out of the grave, which bit the uninvited guests to such an extent that they plunged them into an erratic flight. Saint Narcissus sent his midges several times to defend the city; since then he has been revered as the patron saint of the city, and the fly is a symbol of the city. The celebration of St. Narcissus in Girona lasts a whole week in late October – early November.
