Bellaterra: Garden City, Campus Paths and Cultural Heritage

Culture and History

Bellaterra is regarded in Catalonia as an example of a Noucentista garden city; the town’s urban development originated at the Masia Can Domènec. The Hostal Sant Pancràs is one of the buildings in Bellaterra included in Cerdanyola’s special plan for the protection of its architectural and archaeological heritage. The Parròquia de la Santa Creu is described as a prominent building in Bellaterra.

The Noucentista Bellaterra railway station of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya is included in the Catalan Inventory of Architectural Heritage. It was built to connect the settlement with Barcelona and Sabadell. The Masia Can Domènec, the railway station and the buildings included in the special plan therefore serve as named architectural points of reference for the history of the town.

Campus, Film and Archaeology

Espai Ceretània is located in Building B on the UAB campus in Bellaterra. It houses a permanent exhibition that explains the various phases of the Castellot de Bolvir archaeological site using interactive and audiovisual media. Espai Ceretània has a multipurpose room for temporary exhibitions, book presentations, congresses and conferences.

Sala Cine UAB offers a varied programme of film screenings and premieres. Documentaries, short films and themed series are also part of this programme. Seminars and conferences are further components of Sala Cine UAB’s varied programme. Sala Teatro UAB is located at Plaça Cívica on the Bellaterra campus.

Paths and Nature

The Bellaterra campus path network extends through three small valleys formed by the streams Riera de Can Miró, Riera de Can Magrans and Riera de Can Domènec. Each of the planned routes on the UAB campus in Bellaterra can be completed in approximately 25–40 minutes when walking at a brisk pace. The approximate time span refers to each individual route and provides a clear framework for planning your own day. For a single campus path, this duration can be scheduled directly, while several routes accordingly form separate time periods.

The Via Verda connects Can Domènec with Turó de Sant Pau. Pla dels Estels in the Els Pous area is part of Bellaterra’s natural heritage. Within the municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès, Bellaterra’s settlements are among the modern areas where green spaces and buildings alternate.

Festivals and Traditions

Bellaterra’s Festa Major takes place at the beginning of September. For a trip at this time, the local festival is therefore a named event on the calendar. It is a tradition in Bellaterra for the Three Kings to arrive by train. The Christmas events in Bellaterra centre around the Parròquia de la Santa Creu.

For the main travel overview: Cerdanyola Del Valles.