Gerona, chief town of its province, lies 35km/22mi inland from the Costa Brava on the Río Ter, which is joined here by the Onyar, the Güell and the Galligans.
History
Gerona was founded by the Iberians, probably in the period of the first Greek settlements, and has preserved remains of its Iberian walls
In Roman times it was known as Gerunda, and the Arabs (from whom it was briefly recaptured by Charlemagne in 785) called it Jerunda. Strategically situated on the most important road through the Pyrenees, it was frequently fought over and became known as the "town of a thousand sieges". In the late 10th century it became an independent County, and later became subject for a time to the Counts of Barcelona. During the rising against Napoleon, in 1809, Gerona withstood a French siege for seven months before surrendering. Thereafter the French occupation lasted until 1814.
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