Valls

People have lived in and around Valls since prehistoric times. The site at Picamoixons shows early human occupation, and later Iberian and Roman settlements are confirmed by the El Vilar archaeological site and the Ibero-Roman kiln at Fontscaldes. The town itself took shape in the first half of the 12th century, after the defeat of the Saracens at Siurana and the Prades mountains.

By 1194 a parish church dedicated to Sant Joan was already documented. In 1210 King Pere el Catòlic granted the town weekly market rights, and by 1229 Valls had its own municipal ordinances — among the oldest in Catalonia — pointing to an already complex social and economic life. The town had two focal points: the Romanesque church of Sant Joan and the castle, which from 1391 became the property of the archbishop after King Joan I sold him jurisdiction over the town. It was in this period that the old town walls were built, fixing the limits of the medieval city.

In 1410 Sant Vicent Ferrer preached in Valls, and that same year Pope Benedict XIII of Avignon visited in a solemn reception. Over the 15th and 16th centuries Valls grew into the second largest town in the Campo de Tarragona. The new parish church of Sant Joan was built between 1569 and 1583. The 17th century brought repeated crisis — war with France and the Guerra dels Segadors both took their toll, and in 1694 a revolt of the poor spread from Valls to Solivella.

The War of Spanish Succession brought further upheaval. In 1709 Archduke Charles granted Valls the title of city in recognition of its support, but the title was lost when Felipe V prevailed. The 18th century also saw economic recovery built on viticulture, the founding of the Mozos de Escuadra police corps by the Veciana family of Valls, and in 1791 the establishment of the Decennial Festivals of the Virgen de la Candelaria — the same era that saw the first recognisable expressions of the castellers tradition.

The 19th century opened with French invasion: the Battle of the Puente de Goi on 25 February 1809 left the city sacked, and Valls appears inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris for that reason. King Fernando VII visited on 3 April 1814 and, watching castellers from the town hall balcony, reportedly said: "This is a magnificent school for thieves." The century continued with Carlist wars, uprisings in 1834 and 1845, revolutionary episodes in 1868 and 1869, and recurring clashes between employers and workers.

Today Valls has around 25,518 inhabitants (INE 2025), more than half the population of the entire Alt Camp comarca. The Museu Casteller de Catalunya is currently under construction in the city.

The closest airport is Reus, near Tarragona, about 25 km away. Barcelona El Prat Airport is 95 km distant. The high-speed rail station Camp de Tarragona also serves the town.

By road, Valls sits at a significant junction: the Zaragoza–Barcelona motorway, the Tarragona–Bilbao road, the Salou–Andorra road, and the Valls–Manresa road all converge around the city, with a motorway linking it directly to Tarragona. As of April 2026, Valls and its approach roads have 5G coverage from all Spanish carriers.