By Mia Gooch
Argentona’s mineral springs, pottery traditions and annual festivals reveal how water has shaped this Catalan town.
A display of water vessels in the Museu del Cantir. Anselm Pallas. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Water and pottery.
Somebody might hear of these materials and think of a sculptor making a prized work. They may consider a museum that presents various smoothly glazed ceramics. They might even be reminded of the nostalgia of childhood outdoor adventures, where knees and hands are muddy from riverbanks. In Catalonia, Spain, the municipality of Argentona holds all of these visualizations and more.
Argentona sits inland from Spain’s northeastern coastline, right between the Serralada Litoral Catalana and the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered a unique town for various reasons, including its Gothic architecture and natural park, but especially because of its water. Argentona’s water is extremely pure, filtered by the granitic sands of the Prelitoral mountain range. The town has more than 200 fountains scattered throughout plazas. The Font Picant is the most popular of these fountains; it sparkles because of the pure mineral water that fills its stone basin. Drinking from the fountain is a tradition in which parched travelers are welcomed to participate.
Festivities are another important part of life in Argentona. People can seasonally enjoy street events and traditional pottery fairs. Aug. 4 is Sant Domenenc’s Day, an especially important day for the town. The festivities are widespread, so visitors will find themselves walking, alternating between grounds of cobblestone and pavement, through streets packed with local art and customs.
A woman looking at ceramic kitchenware at Argilla Argentona. Elisabet Cervera. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Within this Sant Domenec festival, there is also a celebration called Festa del Cantir. It has a unique dedication: a celebration of the water jar. Vendors in town plazas and along the streets sell their ceramic water vessels, and the waters of the Font de Sant Domenec spring are blessed. As with the Font Picant, it is believed that the blessed water has healing properties, so drinking it can be an immersive cultural experience for travelers.
A vendor selling water vessels and pottery during Argilla Argentona. Toni Hermoso Pulido. CC BY-SA 2.0.
In addition to water blessings and vessel shopping, locals host water-based competitions. The friendly rivalry that emerges from these customs is an exciting aspect of Argentona’s festival life. One notable crowd-gathering event is the Gran Aixecada de Cantirs, which is a contest of strength. Competitors hoist massive clay jugs and attempt to drink from them, the heaviest of which can weigh 200 kilograms.
Travelers can step away from the bustling festivities and visit some of Spain’s most secluded artistic treasures. Much of the town’s pottery is preserved in the Museu del Cantir, or jar museum, which is open to the public year-round. The museum features five permanent exhibitions and contains more than 4,000 pieces of water-related pottery in total, including famous works by Pablo Picasso. Water vessels line the museum shelving, and travelers can wander about, reading about the intricacy of items they might’ve originally considered mundane. There, people can understand the craftsmanship of local potters and famous artists alike.
Water vessel in the Museu del Cantir. Anselm Pallas. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Daily walks take people past gorgeous fountains and up to coastal watchtowers. Museums preserve ceramic works for centuries. Mineral-medicinal springs flow near town plazas. When taking all of these details and customs into account, people will see that water has distinctly shaped the lives of Argentona’s locals. Argentona is a wonderful place for people to visit; they can easily leave the city behind and walk into Argentona’s welcoming atmosphere.
TRAVELING THERE:
Catalunya: This site provides information on the Festa del Cantir and surrounding experiences throughout Spain’s northeastern coast, including Barcelona. It is a wonderful option for travelers to learn more about Argentona’s history and travel opportunities.
Mia Gooch
Mia a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, majoring in Media & Journalism with a double minor in Education and Social & Economic Justice. She’s passionate about informal education and creating fun experiences where people of all ages can explore new perspectives and develop new skills. When she’s not in the classroom, she loves contemporary dance classes, spending time with friends and family, baking, and being outdoors!