A CITY ON A HUMAN SCALE

The city of Lleida, with 120,000 inhabitants, is the largest demographic, economic and cultural centre in inland Catalonia. The town, which may appear on some maps with the Spanish spelling “Lérida”, enjoys a privileged strategic position. It is only two hours’ drive to the ski runs in the Pyrenees and an hour to the beaches of the Mediterranean. Lleida is located in the centre of a rich agricultural region, on the banks of the river Segre. It is a city with plenty of services, with a long tradition as a centre of trade and one of the highest incomes per capita in Spain.

Lleida is located 155 kilometres west of Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. Catalonia, one of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, is a modern, diverse region with its own identity, characterised by a rich history, culture, language and traditions. The city has a continental climate, with cold, dry winters and very hot summers. Temperatures usually range from below 0° C in the winter to over 35° C in the summer.

The two official languages in Catalonia are Catalan and Spanish (also known as Castilian). The latter is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Catalan belongs to the same language family as Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. In Catalonia, Catalan is widely used in public life, the mass media, trade and business. Most Catalan people can speak both Catalan and Spanish.

Both official languages are respected at the universities in Catalonia. Teaching staff and students have the right to express themselves in the official language that they prefer. Lectures are taught in Catalan or in Spanish, depending on the lecturer, and students have the right to use the language they prefer. To find out the tuition language of particular courses, contact the Academic Coordinator in each faculty/school.

THE REGION: BETWEEN THE PYRENEES AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

Catalan Romanesque architecture is a common feature in the region with fine examples the Vall de Boí, which has been declared a World Heritage Site, and in the Aran Valley. Closer by are the monasteries of Vallbona de les Monges, Santes Creus and Poblet (on the Cistercian Route), or the Seu Vella, a notable example of the Gothic art in the city.
 

THE UNIVERSITY IN LLEIDA

The University of Lleida has a number of campuses scattered across the city. Each building and its surroundings form part of an interrelated system that constitutes a functional unit, which blends into the urban fabric. Each campus has been designed to create a pleasant academic atmosphere that is conducive to study, research and debate.

However, it can be said that the University of Lleida is located on one street, with the School of Agricultural Engineering at one end and the Cappont Campus at the other, and the Health Sciences and Rectorate campuses lying between the two. A former seminary on the Rambla d’Aragó was refurbished by the architects Miquel Espinet, Ramon M. Puig and Toni Ubach, and now houses the Rectorate, general university services and the Faculty of Arts. It Is opposite another of the city's outstanding buildings, the old maternity hospital, which was converted into the public library by the architect Gelabert.

The Campus of the School of Agricultural Engineering is on the Huesca-Lleida highway. It stands on eleven hectares of land formerly owned by Lleida Provincial Council that until a few years ago was open farmland.

The Health Sciences Campus is located on two sites. The first of these is the Amau de Vilanova University Hospital. It houses the health sciences teaching unit in a space handed over by the Ministyry of Health and Social Security. The second is the Hospital of Santa Maria that houses the Faculty of Medicine, the University School of Nursing and the Jaume d'Agramunt Library, which are all found in an area formerly owned by Lleida Provincial Council.

The new university campus lies on the left bank of the River Segre between two of the city’s bridges. Along the river are the campus library, which is in a building that was designed by Kristian Guilische to mark the 700th anniversary of the Estudi General de Lleida, the Polytechnic School, the Faculty of Law and Economics, the Faculty of Educational Sciences, a university hall of residence, an academic management building and a block of classrooms.

HOW TO GET TO LLEIDA

Lleida is located on a major crossroads that must be crossed to travel on any of the routes that connect Spain with the rest of Europe and the Mediterranean. The importance of this crossroads has recently been reinforced by the arrival of a high speed rail link between Madrid and Barcelona. Therefore, the city of Lleida can be easily reached by road, highway, plane and railway.

Depending on the airport chosen as a gateway to Catalonia, the easiest way to get to Lleida is: 

• From Lleida-Alguaire airport by public transport.
• From Barcelona-El Prat airport by train from the airport to Sants railway station in Barcelona. From there you can take another train to Lleida. There is also a direct coach service to Lleida from the airport (two coaches a day) and another coach service from Barcelona coach station (Estació del Nord).
• From Reus airport, there is a train to Lleida from Reus railway station.
• From Girona-Costa Brava airport, by coach (the EixBus line) from Girona coach station, or by train via Barcelona.

From Madrid-Barajas airport, by train from Atocha railway station.

All possible forms of transport and timetables from any place of origin to Lleida can be found at:

www.mobilitat.net

 

FURTHER INFORMATION