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University of Rovira i Virgili

University of Rovira i Virgili (Universitat Rovira i Virgili; ) is located in the Catalan cities of Tarragona and Reus, Spain. Its name is in honor of Antoni Rovira i Virgili.

The University of Rovira I Virgili (URV) is a nationally and internationally recognized teaching and research institution with centers in Tarragona, Reus, Vila-Seca, Tortosa, and El Vendrell. In 2018 and 2019 it was ranked the 78th World's Best Young University with less than 50 years (Times Higher Education World University Rankings). In 2020 it was ranked within the top 200 world's universities by the Times Higher Education 2020 ranking, which recognizes universities for their social and economic impact based on 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. At the Spanish level, in 2017 URV was ranked the 4th in publication production by faculty number, and the 7th with Highly Cited Papers by faculty number. In 2014 URV obtained the HR Excellence in Research award from the EC, renewed in 2017. URV offers doctoral studies distributed in 24 programs and annually welcomes 11400 undergraduate, 1300 master, and 1200 PhD students.

History
University education in the Tarragona area goes back to the 16th century when Cardinal Gaspar Cervantes de Gaeta founded a university to teach Grammar, the Arts, and Theology. This Universitas Tarraconensis was practically wiped out by the reprisals of Philip V after the War of Succession. University education did not return to the Tarragona area until the second half of the 20th century when three different paths converged to form the Universitat Rovira i Virgili: The Universitat Laboral (Technical College), created by the Ministry of Employment in 1956, started to teach technical courses for the first time in 1961–62 with specialties in mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering. It depended on the Terrassa School of Engineering. Later, in 1972, the title of "Engineer" was changed to "Technical Engineer", and the Universitat Laboral ceased to depend on Terrassa and dropped its mechanical and engineering courses.

In 1973, the Universitat Laboral, now known as the University School of Industrial Engineering became part of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In 1971, the Universitat de Barcelona set up local branches of the faculties of Philosophy and Letters, and Sciences in the city of Tarragona. From the very beginning, the aim was for these new courses to achieve the highest possible university recognition. As early as 1972, a request was made to convert these branches into a university college so that they could provide complete first-cycle courses. In 1977, medical courses began in Reus, and in 1983 the Spanish Parliament established the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts and the Faculty of Chemistry in Tarragona. It must be noted the collaboration of Artur Juncosa Carbonell.

In 1991, the Catalan Parliament created the Universitat Rovira I Virgili from the university centers already existing in Reus and Tarragona and which depended on the Universitat de Barcelona. The 16th-century Tarragona University was thus recovered. Since then, the university has gradually increased the number of courses on offer by creating such new campuses as Sescelades and Catalunya in Tarragona, and Bellissens in Reus.

Teaching
The Universitat Rovira I Virgili consists of 12 faculties and schools in which 1,500 lecturers and researchers provide degrees to over 11,000 undergraduates and 1,500 master's-degree and doctoral students, who attend courses in all knowledge areas: the sciences, health sciences, social and legal sciences, engineering and architecture, arts and humanities, all adapted to the European Higher Education Area.

Campuses, faculties and schools
The Universitat Rovira i Virgili has 6 campuses that house 7 faculties, 3 technical schools, and 2 university schools, and also the headquarters of Baix Penedès:
 * Campus Catalunya: Tarragona city centre
 * Faculty of Arts
 * Faculty of Law
 * Faculty of Nursing
 * Campus Sescelades: north of Tarragona city
 * Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology
 * Faculty of Chemistry
 * Faculty of Oenology
 * School of Engineering (ETSE)
 * School of Chemical Engineering (ETSEQ)
 * Campus Vapor Nou: Reus city centre
 * Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
 * Campus Bellissens: east of Reus
 * Faculty of Business and Economics
 * School of Architecture (ETSA)
 * Campus Vila-seca: Vila-seca
 * Faculty of Tourism and Geography
 * Campus Terres de l'Ebre: Tortosa
 * Undergraduate courses are provided in Nursing, Business Management and Administration, Infant Education, and Primary Education.
 * Headquarters of Baix Penedès
 * Undergraduate courses are provided in Nursing and Infant Education.

Affiliated centres

 * Centre of Aviation Studies (CESDA) - Reus

Research
The leading research areas are archaeology, chemistry, tourism, oenology, energy, the environment, nutrition and health, the economy, law, and education.

Technology and innovation centres

 * CITEE – Technological Innovation Centre in Electrical Engineering

The Centre for Technological Innovation in Electronic Engineering (CITEE) of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili is a member of CIDEM's IT network of Technological Innovation Centres. It was created in 1999 and its objective is to promote research, development, technology transfer, innovation, and lifelong learning in companies and technology centers.

The CITEE works in the general thematic area of information technologies and, more specifically, in electronic technologies and instrumentation, control and automation, communications, robotics, industrial computing, and electrical engineering.

The CITEE's activity has its origins in the R&D and technology transfer carried out by the Department of Electronic, Electric, and Automatic Engineering since it was founded in 1993.

The center is located in the School of Engineering on the Campus Sescelades in Tarragona.

ATIC works on patents and transfer projects in the fields of biotechnology, the environment, fluid mechanics and health in conjunction with the national and international manufacturing sector. It also provides consultancy and technical reports in its fields of expertise.
 * ATIC – Advanced Technology Innovation Centre

As far as the environment is concerned, the Centre focuses on environmental protection, wind engineering, green engineering, and sustainable chemistry.

In the field of fluid technology, the areas studied are experimental and computational fluid mechanics, mass and heat transport, computational science, and applied mathematics.

Work is carried out on biosensors, immunosensors, nanobiotechnology, biochips, and multisensors, to mention just a few examples.

The Health Area is also certified by the ISO. Its main objective is to develop new knowledge on the confluence of bio-, micro-, and nanotechnology in an attempt to develop diagnostic systems that are economic, non-invasive, and intelligent, and which are potentially applicable to clinical, environmental, and/or food analysis. Among the studies undertaken, of particular importance are the systems for detecting gluten in food and the detection of celiac disease.

AMIC is an innovation center of the Cidem IT Network that works to offer key-in-hand solutions to environmental and industrial problems occurring in the manufacturing sectors. It specializes in heterogeneous catalysis and materials.
 * AMIC – Environmental and Industrial Applications of Catalysis

AMIC designs, synthesizes, characterizes, and evaluates the performance, selectivity, and life of catalysts. It also works on the synthesis of microporous and mesoporous materials such as zeolites, HMS, MCM, SBA, mesoporous cerium oxide, hydrotalcites, activated carbon, high surface area aluminum fluoride, different phases of aluminum oxide, and nanomaterials such as Ag, Au, Pt, Cu and Pd nanocubes and other morphologies.

The Innovation Centre in Catalyst Development for Sustainable Processes is the sixth URV innovation center that belongs to the CIDEM IT Network (Catalan Government). The origins of the Centre lie in the research carried out by the group Organometallics and Homogeneous Catalysis (OMICH) of the URV's Department of Physical and Inorganic Chemistry. This group researches into catalysts and since the middle of the 1980s has mainly worked on homogeneous and enantioselective catalysis. It has always received public funding.
 * TecaT – Innovation Centre in Catalyst Development for Sustainable Processes

 * METEOR - Membrane Technology and Process Engineering

METEOR belongs to the TECNIO d’ACC1Ó network of the Catalan Government and is involved in the following activities:

- Research and development - Technology transfer - Courses The mission of TecnATox is to carry out research and development in the field of environmental protection in Europe and satisfy the needs of government and the manufacturing sectors through knowledge and technology transfer to improve health and the quality of life and protect the environment. TecnATox is a research center that specializes in the transfer of technology in the ambit of toxicology, environmental health, and food. It is a member of Xarxa TECNIO d'ACC1Ó (Network of Support to technological innovation).
 * in technology and microtechnology of membranes
 * in membrane process engineering
 * in polymer synthesis
 * in technology and microtechnology of membranes and polymers
 * in process engineering
 * made to measure on technology and microtechnology of membranes and polymers
 * TecnATox - Centre for Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology

The centre is located at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, in Reus, the School of Chemical Engineering, and the Faculty of Education Sciences and Psychology of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, both in Tarragona.

The Toxicology and Environmental Health Laboratory (LTSM) was founded in 1985 and, at present, is staffed by highly qualified research and technical personnel with considerable experience in the study, development, and industrial implementation of all the services. In 2008, the LTSM was converted into the Centre for Environmental, Food, and Toxicological Technology (TecnATox). The Centre officially became a member of the Xarxa IT (Network for Technological Innovation), which gives support to technological innovation. This network now goes under the name of TECNIO.

TecnATox was one of the first research groups in Catalonia, Spain, and Europe to evaluate the risks to human health of exposure to environmental chemical agents. The center is divided into four areas of expertise:
 * Environmental health and risk assessment
 * Food toxicology
 * Evaluative toxicology
 * Taylor-made courses

And it takes an interest in the following sectors:
 * Chemicals
 * Plastics
 * Waste
 * Pharmacy and cosmetics
 * Detergents
 * Cements
 * Electricity and electronics
 * Water
 * Energy
 * Automotion
 * Food
 * Health

The Universitat Rovira i Virgili and TecnATox have the following objectives: The Technology Centre for Nutrition and Health gives food companies support and assistance in the field of nutrition and health.
 * To carry out research and development in the field of environmental protection in Europe.
 * To satisfy the needs of the government and the manufacturing sectors.
 * To transfer knowledge and technology to improve health and quality of life, and protect the environment.
 * CTNS – Technology Centre for Nutrition and Health

The centre has the institutional support of ACC1Ó (Agency for the Innovation and Internationalization of Catalan Enterprise), the Universitat Rovira I Virgili and the Reus Town Council, as well as 14 representative companies from the sector. It is also a member of the following knowledge, research, transfer and innovation networks: The European NutriGenomics Organisation (NuGO), the Catalan Association of Technology (ACTec), the National Network of Biostatistics (Biostatnet), the Network of Scientific Culture Units (UCC - FECYT) and the Innovative Business Association for Nutrition and Health (AINS).

The Chemistry Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTQC) is a non-profit making private foundation that was created in 2008 with the purpose of providing services, carrying out RDI projects, and creating, adapting and transferring innovative technologies.
 * CTQC – Chemistry Technology Centre of Catalonia

Among the centre's priorities are research into new materials, water technology and the application of European environmental directives to the chemical industry.

The centre is a member of the Catalan Government's ACC1Ó Network of Technology Centres, and the Southern Catalonia Campus of International Excellence (CEICS).

Research centres
CRAMC is a URV research centre made up of researchers from the Department of Psychology. It specializes in generating and/or applying instruments for assessing and measuring behaviour. In its session of 22 December 2005, the URV's Governing Council approved the creation of the centre in response to the quality of the research being undertaken.
 * CRAMC – Research Centre for Behavioural Assessment

The Research Center in Engineering of Materials and Micro/NanoSystems, EMaS, belongs to the University of Rovira i Virgili. Its research work focuses on the field of the science and engineering of new materials and their nanostructuration, and on their application to the design and development of micro and nanosystems. The EMaS Research Center has more than 80 researchers in such fields as physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, optics, photonics, electronic engineering, and environmental engineering.
 * EMAS - Research Center on Engineering of Materials and Micro/NanoSystems

The Alcalde Pere Lloret Centre for Environmental Law Studies in Tarragona (CEDAT) was founded in 2007 and is a project that involves Tarragona City Council, EMATSA (Tarragona Water Board), EMT (the Tarragona Municipal Transport Company) and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. It arose out of a long history of cooperation on issues of environmental law between the Tarragona City Council and the Faculty of Law and the Department of Public Law of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, and it represents the institutionalization of this cooperation.
 * CEDAT - Tarragona Centre for Environmental Law Studies

The Centre bears the name of Alcalde Pere Lloret, a famous jurist and mayor of Tarragona, in recognition of his defence of democratic principles and human values in the governance of the city of Tarragona.

The Research Centre on Industrial Economics and Public Economics (CREIP) is organized around two topics of economic analysis: industrial organization and public economics. The former studies the interaction between the productive agents in markets, with particular emphasis on the economic implications of the decisions taken in the public sector.
 * CREIP - Research Centre on Industrial Economics and Public Economics

The Universitat Rovira i Virgili's Centre for Climate Change (C3), located on the Terres de l’Ebre Campus, is continuing the research and teaching tradition of the Research Group in Climate Change of the Predepartmental Unit of Geography.
 * C3 - Centre for Climate Change

Among its areas of activity are research, teaching, scientific consultancy, knowledge transfer and the communication of these activities.

C3 undertakes research projects and discloses its results in publications and at scientific congresses, symposia and seminars. It helps to organize and teach master's degree and doctoral programmes, and other specialist and training courses for professionals. It carries out scientific and technical projects, and channels the transfer of results to individuals and public and private institutions within the framework of the legislation in force. It also organizes scientific outreach events and provides scientific and technological services.

University institutes
The Institute of Education Sciences (ICE) is a university institute that provides such services as teacher training, educational innovation and technical consultancy at a variety of educational levels.
 * Institute of Education Sciences of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (ICE)

The Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology is a public research centre created in the year 2000 by the Catalan Government and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, with the participation of the Inter-university Council of Catalonia. It aims to carry out research, teach advanced courses and provide information about classical civilization and culture. It is housed in a building belonging to the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and the Tarragona City Council.
 * Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICAC)

As well as organizing various lines of research in classical archaeology, the institute also provides a master's degree in classical archaeology in conjunction with the Universitat Rovira I Virgili and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

The Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution is a transdisciplinary, advanced research institute that was founded in 2006. Its objectives are to carry out scientific research programmes in the earth and life sciences, promote their socialization and use the results in prospective social research of an evolutionary nature.
 * Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
 * Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES)

On the basis of the institute's research, third-cycle courses are taught at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili.

The Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV) promotes, conducts, manages and communicates health and biomedical research, and research training. To achieve this last objective, IISPV organizes a programme in research training and it has entered into collaboration agreements with health institutions and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili to share initiatives and resources.
 * Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV)

The institute conducts various lines of research. One of them is nutrition and health, a field in which it has leading groups in both hospitals and the university. There is a project underway to link the research and business activity that is taking place within the Tecnoparc, in Reus, to which the IISPV will contribute all of its human and technical potential.

The URV is a member of the IREC board, the aim of which is to contribute to the sustainable development of society and increase the competitiveness of companies through innovation and the development of new technological products. It is also involved in medium- and long-term research, and scientific development and technological knowledge in the field of energy.
 * Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC)

The main goals of IREC, then, are to -	promote and carry out research into energy to obtain results of high scientific and technological value in the medium and long term; -	drive the development of the research lines in energy technology approved by the Institute and adapt them to the demands of the sector; -	provide engineering services with high added value to companies in the energy sector; -	act as a strategic consultant for the government on energy issues; -	construct a collaboration network with the major national and international energy technology and research centres; -	provide companies and entrepreneurs with the technological innovations resulting from the institute's research; -	take part in the specialized training of Catalan university students; and -	make the institute's laboratories and equipment available to university departments.

The technological and research areas of IREC are lighting, thermal energy and building, bioenergy and biofuels, offshore wind energy, power electronics and electrical networks, and advanced materials for energy.

University hospitals

 * Sant Joan University Hospital - Reus
 * Pere Mata Psychiatric University Hospital - Reus
 * Joan XXIII University Hospital - Tarragona

The Sant Joan University Hospital first started operating in the city of Tarragona in October 1967. At present it has 399 beds and 36 services.

URV Foundation

The URV Foundation is the institution created by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili to promote the relation between the university and society.

Since it was founded in 1999, the URV Foundation has provided a structure for about one hundred research groups and it has provided more than 14,000 students with courses taught by more than 3,000 academics and professionals.

Rankings

 * World University Rankings, Times Higher 2017 - 401-500th
 * QS rankings 2017 - 401-500th.

title: University of Rovira i Virgili


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Levittown

Levittown is the name of several large suburban housing developments created in the United States (including one in Puerto Rico) by William J. Levitt and his company Levitt & Sons. Built after World War II for returning white veterans and their new families, the communities offered attractive alternatives to cramped central city locations and apartments. The Veterans Administration and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) guaranteed builders that qualified veterans could buy housing for a fraction of rental costs.

The first Levittown house sold for $7,900 and in a short period of time 17,000 units were sold, providing homes for 84,000 people. In addition to single-family dwellings, Levittowns provided private meeting areas, swimming pools, public parks, and recreational facilities.

Production was modeled on assembly lines in 27 steps with construction workers trained to perform one step. A house could be built in one day, with 36 workers, when effectively scheduled. This enabled quick and economical production of similar or identical houses with rapid recovery of costs. Standard Levittown houses included a white picket fence, green lawns, and modern appliances. Sales in the original Levittown began in March 1947. 1,400 houses were purchased during the first three hours.

The houses were, by later standards, bare bones: 750 sqft, with no basement or porch.

Places

 * Levittown, New York – the first Levittown (built 1947–1951)
 * Levittown, Pennsylvania – the second Levittown (1952–1958)
 * Willingboro Township, New Jersey – originally and colloquially known as Levittown (started 1958)
 * Levittown, Puerto Rico (1963)
 * Bowie, Maryland (1964)

Controversy
William J. Levitt refused to sell Levittown houses to non-Caucasians. The FHA, upon authorizing loans for the construction of Levittown, included racial covenants in each deed, making each Levittown a segregated community.

The first black family to buy one of the houses, the Myers, who bought a second-hand house in Pennsylvania's Levittown in 1957, experienced attacks on their house, and up to 500 people gathering outside. Martin Luther King Jr. met with the family, and their plight led to legislative change. They stayed for four years, until William Myers, a World War II veteran, got a job elsewhere.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Levittown


text:
Baldwin

Baldwin may refer to:

People

 * Baldwin (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname

Canada

 * Baldwin, York Regional Municipality, Ontario
 * Baldwin, Ontario, in Sudbury District
 * Baldwin's Mills, Quebec

United States

 * Baldwin County, Alabama
 * Mount Baldwin (California)
 * Baldwin, Florida
 * Baldwin, Georgia
 * Baldwin County, Georgia
 * Baldwin, Illinois
 * Baldwin, Iowa
 * Baldwin City, Kansas
 * Baldwin, Louisiana
 * Baldwin, Maine
 * Baldwin, Maryland
 * Baldwin, Cambridge, Massachusetts
 * Baldwin, Michigan
 * Baldwyn, Mississippi
 * Baldwin (town), New York, in Chemung County
 * Baldwin (hamlet), New York, in Nassau County
 * Baldwin station
 * Baldwin, North Dakota
 * Baldwin, Pennsylvania
 * Baldwin, Wisconsin
 * Baldwin (town), Wisconsin

Other places

 * Baldwin Street, in Dunedin, New Zealand, the world's steepest street
 * Baldwin Hills, neighborhood in Los Angeles, California
 * Montgomery, Powys, named in Welsh "Trefaldwyn", meaning "The Town of Baldwin"

Companies

 * Baldwin Locomotive Works, one of the world's largest builders of steam locomotives in the 19th and 20th centuries
 * Baldwin Piano Company, once the largest manufacturer of pianos and keyboard instruments in the US

Schools

 * Baldwin Boys' High School, Bangalore, India
 * Baldwin Girls' High School, Bangalore, India
 * The Baldwin School, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Other uses

 * Baldwin (apple)
 * The Baldwin Brothers, a Chicago-based electronica band
 * Baldwin the Eagle, official mascot of Boston College
 * Baldwin's Tower in Tsarevets, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
 * Baldwin's rules, guidelines about the formation ring closure reactions
 * Baldwin effect, a process by which environmental adaptation becomes a genetic one
 * Baldwin guinea pig, a hairless breed similar to a Skinny pig

title: Baldwin


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Parliament-Funkadelic

Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their eclectic style has drawn on psychedelia, outlandish fashion, and surreal humor. They have released albums such as Maggot Brain (1971), Mothership Connection (1975), and One Nation Under a Groove (1978) to critical praise, and scored charting hits with singles such as "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker" (1975) and "Flash Light" (1978). Overall, the collective achieved thirteen top ten hits in the American R&B music charts between 1967 and 1983, including six number one hits. Their work has had an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and techno artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology has helped pioneer Afrofuturism.

The collective's origins date back to the doo-wop group the Parliaments, formed by Clinton during the late 1950s in suburban New Jersey. By the late 1960s, Clinton had gained experience as a producer-writer for Motown Records and, inspired by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, and Frank Zappa, he relocated to Detroit and enlisted musicians from his New Jersey days in his own two sister bands Parliament and Funkadelic; the first would go on to develop a commercially successful style of science fiction–inspired funk, while the second pursued a heavier sound which blended funk with psychedelic rock. The name "Parliament-Funkadelic" became the catch-all term for the dozens of related musicians recording and touring different projects in Clinton's orbit, including the female vocal spinoff groups the Brides of Funkenstein and Parlet. Financial and label issues slowed the collective's recorded output in the 1980s while Clinton and other members began solo careers, with Clinton also consolidating the collective's multiple projects and touring under names such as George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars. In the 1990s, their sound became the chief inspiration for the West Coast hip hop subgenre G-funk.

Prominent collective members have included bassist Bootsy Collins (who formed the spinoff group Bootsy's Rubber Band), keyboardist Bernie Worrell, guitarists Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel, Michael Hampton, and Garry "Diaper Man" Shider, and horn players Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker. Some former members of Parliament perform under the name "Original P". Sixteen members of Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2019, the group was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Parliaments
The P-Funk story began in 1956 in Newark, New Jersey, with a doo-wop group formed by fifteen-year-old George Clinton. This was The Parliaments, a name inspired by Parliament cigarettes. By the early 1960s, the group had solidified into the five-man lineup of Clinton, Ray "Stingray" Davis, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Calvin Simon and Grady Thomas. Later, the group rehearsed in a barbershop in Plainfield, New Jersey co-owned by Clinton and entertained the customers. After having performed for almost ten years, the Parliaments had added a rhythm section in 1964 -- for tours and background work -- consisting of guitarist Frankie Boyce, his brother Richard on bass, and drummer Langston Booth; The Parliaments finally achieved a hit single in 1967 with "(I Wanna) Testify" while Clinton began commuting to Detroit as a songwriter and producer for Motown Records.

The West End of Plainfield, New Jersey, was once home to the Silk Palace, a barbershop at 216 Plainfield Avenue owned in part by Clinton, staffed by various members of Parliament-Funkadelic and known as the "hangout for all the local singers and musicians" in Plainfield's 1950s and 1960s doo-wop, soul, rock and proto-funk music scene.

Funkadelic and Parliament
By the late 1960s Clinton had assembled a touring band to back up the Parliaments, the first stable lineup of which included Billy Bass Nelson (bass), Eddie Hazel (lead guitarist), Tawl Ross (guitarist), Tiki Fulwood (drums), and Mickey Atkins (keyboards). After a contractual dispute in which Clinton temporarily lost the rights to the name "The Parliaments", Clinton brought the backing musicians forward. When the band relocated to Detroit, their guitar-based, raw funk sound, with its heavy psychedelic rock influences, inspired "Billy Bass" Nelson, who coined the name "Funkadelic". Clinton signed Funkadelic to Westbound Records, and the five Parliaments singers were credited as "guests" while the five musicians were listed as the main group members. The debut album Funkadelic was released in 1970.

Meanwhile, Clinton regained the rights to the name "The Parliaments" and initiated another new entity, now known as Parliament, with the same five singers and five musicians but this time as a smoother R&B-based funk ensemble that Clinton positioned as a counterpoint to the more rock-oriented Funkadelic. Parliament recorded Osmium for Invictus Records in 1970, and after a hiatus in which Clinton focused on Funkadelic, Parliament was signed to Casablanca Records and released its debut for that label Up for the Down Stroke in 1974. The two bands began to tour together under the collective name "Parliament-Funkadelic".

By this time the original ten-member lineup of Parliament-Funkadelic had begun to splinter, but many others joined for various album releases by either band, leading to a collective with a fluid and rapidly expanding membership. Notable members to join during this period include keyboardist Bernie Worrell, bassist Bootsy Collins, guitarist Garry Shider, bassist Cordell Mosson, and The Horny Horns.

In the 1975–1979 period, both Parliament and Funkadelic achieved several high-charting albums and singles on both the R&B and Pop charts. Many members of the collective began to branch out into side bands and solo projects under George Clinton's tutelage, including Bootsy's Rubber Band, Parlet, and The Brides of Funkenstein, while longtime members like Eddie Hazel recorded solo albums with songwriting and studio help from the collective. The Parliament albums of this period had become concept albums with themes from science fiction and afro-futurism, elaborate political and sociological themes, and an evolving storyline with recurring fictional characters. Parliament-Funkadelic stage shows (particularly the P-Funk Earth Tour of 1976) were expanded to include imagery from science fiction and a stage prop known as the Mothership. These concepts came to be known as the P-Funk mythology.

By the late 1970s, several key members departed acrimoniously over disagreements with Clinton and his management style. Original Parliaments members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas departed in 1977 after becoming disillusioned with the influx of new members, and later recorded an album under the name Funkadelic. Other members departed and formed new funk bands that detached themselves from P-Funk and even criticized the collective, such as Quazar (formed by guitarist Glenn Goins) and Mutiny (formed by drummer Jerome Brailey). Due to financial difficulties and the collapse of Casablanca Records (Parliament's label), Clinton dissolved Parliament and Funkadelic as separate entities. Many members of the collective continued to work for Clinton, first on his solo albums and later as Parliament-Funkadelic or the P-Funk All Stars.

Modern day Parliament-Funkadelic
In the early 1980s George Clinton continued to record while battling with financial problems and well-publicized drug problems. The remaining members of Parliament-Funkadelic recorded the 1982 hit album Computer Games, which was released as a George Clinton solo album. Included on this release was the much-sampled #1 hit single "Atomic Dog". The following year, Clinton formed the P-Funk All Stars, who went on to record Urban Dancefloor Guerillas in 1983. The P-Funk All Stars included many of the same members as the late-1970s version of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, and was so named because of various legal issues concerning use of the names Parliament and Funkadelic after 1980. The name P-Funk All Stars is still in use to the current day, and group has included a mix of former Parliament-Funkadelic members as well as guests and new musicians.

As the 1980s continued, P-Funk did not meet with great commercial success as the band continued to produce albums under the name of George Clinton as solo artist. P-Funk retired from touring from 1984 until 1989, except for extremely sporadic performances and TV appearances. It was at this time that hip hop music began to extensively sample P-Funk music, so remnants of the music were still heard regularly, now among fans of hip hop. By 1993, most of the Parliament and Funkadelic back catalog had been reissued. The same year saw the return of a reconstituted P-Funk All Stars, with the re-release of Urban Dancefloor Guerrillas under the title Hydraulic Funk, and a new hip hop influenced album Dope Dogs. In 1994, the group toured with the Lollapalooza festival and appeared in the film PCU.

The 1996 album T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership), released under the name George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, served as a reunion album featuring contributions from the band's most noteworthy songwriters from the earlier eras, such as Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Junie Morrison. It would be ten years before another album would be released. In the intervening time, successive tours would slowly restore some of the broken ties between the original band members, together with an accumulation of new talent. On July 23, 1999, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, including noteworthy former members Bootsy and Catfish Collins and Bernie Worrell, performed on stage at Woodstock '99. The collective continued to tour sporadically in to the 2000s, with participation from some of the children and grandchildren of the original members.

Legacy
In May 1997, George Clinton and 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the largest band yet inducted. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Parliament-Funkadelic #56 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". In February 2002, Spin ranked Parliament-Funkadelic #6 on their list of the "50 Greatest Bands of All Time". Besides their innovation in the entire genre of funk music, George Clinton and P-Funk are still heard often today, especially in hip-hop sampling. The Red Hot Chili Peppers video for their 2006 single "Dani California" featured a tribute to Parliament-Funkadelic. Parliament-Funkadelic's musical influence can also be heard in rhythm and blues, soul, electronica, gospel, jazz, and new wave.

Parliament-Funkadelic was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2013.

In December 2018, the Recording Academy announced that Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic would be given Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards were presented on May 11, 2019.

Afrofuturism
About the album Mothership Connection, Clinton said "We had put black people in situations nobody ever thought they would be in, like the White House. I figured another place you wouldn't think black people would be was in outer space. I was a big fan of Star Trek, so we did a thing with a pimp sitting in a spaceship shaped like a Cadillac, and we did all these James Brown-type grooves, but with street talk and ghetto slang." Like Sun Ra, Clinton wanted to see black people in space.

Key members
George Clinton (band leader, vocals, songwriter, producer; born July 22, 1941). George Clinton has been, since its inception, the driving force behind the development of the P-Funk sound, having led the collective since forming The Parliaments as a doo-wop group in the late 1950s. The funk sound, socially conscious lyrics, and P-Funk mythology developed primarily by Clinton have been especially influential for later R&B, hip hop, and rock music.

Bernie Worrell (keyboards, vocals, songwriter, arranger; producer; April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016). Bernie Worrell officially joined Funkadelic after the release of their first album and became an integral member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective thereafter. His classical training on piano and innovative use of synthesizers has proven to be extremely influential, particularly his pioneering use of the Moog synthesizer, which replaced the conventional electric bass on songs like "Flash Light" and "Aqua Boogie". He was responsible for many P-Funk rhythm and (with trombonist Fred Wesley) horn arrangements. Worrell left the band in 1981, but continued to contribute to P-Funk studio albums and occasionally appear live with Parliament-Funkadelic as a special guest.

William "Bootsy" Collins (bass guitar, vocals, drums, songwriter, producer; born October 26, 1951). Bootsy Collins was a major songwriter, rhythm arranger, and bassist for Parliament-Funkadelic during the seventies and was a major influence in the band's sound during that time. His style of bass playing has become especially influential. Collins later focused his attention on his own Bootsy's Rubber Band but continues to make occasional contributions to studio albums by members of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective.

Eddie Hazel (guitar, vocals, songwriter; April 10, 1950 – December 23, 1992). Eddie Hazel was the original lead guitarist for Funkadelic and was a major force on the first several albums by that group. His Hendrix-inspired style has become very influential. After the early 1970s he contributed sporadically to various Parliament-Funkadelic projects. A key early Funkadelic song that captured both the band's unique sound and Hazel's talent was the ten-minute guitar solo "Maggot Brain" from the 1971 Funkadelic album of the same title.

Maceo Parker (saxophone; born February 14, 1943). Maceo joined James Brown's band with brother Melvin Parker in 1964. In 1970, Parker, his brother Melvin, and a few of Brown's band members left to establish the band Maceo & All the King's Men, which toured for two years. In January 1973, Parker rejoined with James Brown. He also charted a single "Parrty – Part I" (#71 pop singles) with Maceo & the Macks that year. In 1975, Parker and some of Brown's band members, including Fred Wesley, left to join George Clinton's band Parliament-Funkadelic.

Walter "Junie" Morrison (keyboards, multi-instrumentalist, vocals, songwriter, arranger, producer; born June 28, 1954 – January 21, 2017 ). Junie Morrison joined P-Funk in early 1978 as musical director after having success in the early Ohio Players and as a solo artist. Though primarily a keyboardist, Junie composed or co-wrote several of the band's hits at the height of their popularity and served as a lead vocalist, producer, and arranger on many songs for the collective. Morrison stopped touring with the band after 1981, but contributed to many subsequent albums. During his time with P-funk, some of his work was credited under the name J.S. Theracon.

Garry "Diaperman" Shider (vocals, guitar; July 24, 1953 – June 16, 2010). As a child, Garry Shider was a customer at the barbershop where The Parliaments rehearsed and performed, and after some time with his own group United Soul, he was recruited by George Clinton into Funkadelic in 1972. Shider became a frequent lead vocalist on several Parliament and Funkadelic albums and along with his "gospel" vocal and guitar style, was most recognized for wearing his trademark hotel-towel "diaper".

Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton (guitar; born November 15, 1956). Mike Hampton has been the lead guitarist for P-Funk since 1973, when he was recruited at age 17 to replace Eddie Hazel, after an impromptu performance of Hazel's signature song "Maggot Brain". Hampton is known for his advancement of rock and heavy metal guitar used by Parliament-Funkadelic and later the P-Funk All Stars, leaving the collective in 2015.

Glenn Goins (vocals, guitar; January 2, 1954 – July 29, 1978). Glenn Goins was recruited into Parliament-Funkadelic in 1975 and was an important contributor, and like bandmate Garry Shider, was known for his "gospel" singing and guitar style. In 1978, Goins and bandmate Jerome Brailey departed acrimoniously, and immediately began recording and producing a new band, Quazar, featuring his younger brother Kevin Goins. Shortly after his departure, Goins died from Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 24.

Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey (drums and percussion; born August 20, 1950). Brailey was the most prominent drummer in the Parliament-Funkadelic collective during their period of greatest success in the mid-to-late 1970s. Brailey (and bandmate Glenn Goins) left the collective acrimoniously, forming his own band Mutiny, in which he criticized George Clinton's management style.

Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (drums, vocals; May 23, 1944 – October 29, 1979). Tiki Fulwood was the original drummer for Funkadelic. He originally quit the band in 1971 but reappeared on several Parliament-Funkadelic releases during the remainder of the 1970s. After also working briefly for Miles Davis, Fulwood died of cancer in 1979.

"Billy Bass" Nelson (bass, guitar; born January 28, 1951). Billy Nelson was a teenage employee at George Clinton's barbershop in the 1960s and was the first musician hired to back The Parliaments in the band that would eventually become Funkadelic. Nelson then brought his friend Eddie Hazel into the band and coined the name "Funkadelic" when Clinton moved the collective to Detroit. Nelson quit Funkadelic in 1971 but contributed to P-Funk releases sporadically for the next few years. Starting in 1994, he toured with the P-Funk All Stars for ten years.

Cordell "Boogie" Mosson (bass, guitar, drums; October 16, 1952 – April 18, 2013). Mosson joined Funkadelic in 1972 along with his friend and previous United Soul bandmate Garry Shider. Mosson was the primary bassist for Funkadelic starting in 1972 and Parliament starting a few years after Bootsy Collins began to focus on his solo career. Since the late 1970s, Mosson most frequently played rhythm guitar and continued to tour with the P-Funk All Stars until his death.

Ray "Stingray" Davis (vocals; March 29, 1940 – July 5, 2005). Davis was the bass singer and a member of The Parliaments. His distinctive voice can be heard on "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" and on George Clinton's solo hit single "Atomic Dog". Aside from Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave in 1977. In the eighties, Davis recorded and toured with George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars in support of "Atomic Dog" and with Zapp in support of "I Can Make You Dance", but his vocal range made him an obvious choice as replacement bass vocalist for Melvin Franklin in the Temptations. Davis left the Temptations in 1995 (after being diagnosed with cancer), but continued to perform with former P-Funk members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas under the name Original P.

Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins (vocals, guitar, drums; June 8, 1941 - March 17, 2023). Haskins was a member and first tenor of The Parliaments. In addition to writing, playing drums and guitar, Haskins is known for his "gospel" singing style. He left P-Funk in 1977. In the nineties, he formed Original P with the other Parliaments (Davis, Thomas and Simon), and retired in 2011.

Calvin Simon (vocals, percussion; May 22, 1942 – January 6, 2022). Simon was an original member of The Parliaments, before leaving in 1977. In the nineties, he formed Original P with the other Parliaments (Davis, Thomas and Haskins), and retired in 2005. He was the owner of a record label.

"Shady Grady" Thomas (vocals; born January 5, 1941). In the late 1950s, Thomas started as bass vocalist for The Parliaments. When Parliament members moved from Newark to Plainfield, New Jersey to "conk" hair at The Silk Palace, The Parliaments began a friendly rivalry with local doo wop group Sammy Campbell and the Del-Larks, who featured bass vocalist Raymond Davis. Thomas persuaded Davis to take over as bass vocalist in the Parliaments, which enabled Thomas to move to baritone. Thomas (along with Worrell) is responsible for the addition of drummer Jerome Brailey. After Thomas, Haskins, and Simon left P-Funk in 1977, Thomas formed his own band called The Shady Bunch. Word of Thomas's drummer, Dennis Chambers, and bassist Rodney "Skeet" Curtis got back to Clinton, and Chambers and Curtis were invited, and joined Parliament-Funkadelic. After Thomas' brief return to The P-Funk Allstars in the nineties, Thomas cofounded Original P with original Parliaments (Davis, Haskins, and Simon). Thomas is the leader of Original P.

Notable songs

 * "Maggot Brain" (Funkadelic), 1971
 * "Up for the Down Stroke" (Parliament), 1974
 * "Chocolate City" (Parliament), 1975
 * "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" (Parliament), 1975
 * "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)" (Parliament), 1976
 * "Do That Stuff" (Parliament), 1976
 * "I'd Rather Be With You" (Bootsy's Rubber Band), 1976
 * "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" (Parliament), 1977
 * "Funkentelechy" (Parliament), 1978
 * "The Pinocchio Theory" (Bootsy's Rubber Band), 1977
 * "Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)" (Parliament), 1978
 * "Bootzilla" (Bootsy's Rubber Band), 1978
 * "Flash Light" (Parliament), 1978
 * "One Nation Under a Groove" (Funkadelic), 1978
 * "(Not Just) Knee Deep" (Funkadelic), 1979
 * "The Electric Spanking of War Babies" (Funkadelic), 1981

title: Parliament-Funkadelic


text:
Poblet Abbey

Poblet Abbey, otherwise the Royal Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet (Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet), is a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1151, located at the foot of the Prades Mountains, in the comarca of Conca de Barberà, in Catalonia (Spain). It was founded by Cistercian monks from France. The main architect was Arnau Bargués.

This monastery was the first of three sister monasteries, known as the Cistercian triangle, that helped consolidate power in Catalonia in the 12th century. (The other two are Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus.)

Significance
Poblet was one of the two royal pantheons of the kings of the Crown of Aragon since James I of Aragon (along with Monastery of San Juan de la Peña). Some of the most important royal sepulchres have alabaster statues that lie over the tomb. The kings have lion sculptures at their feet, while the queens have dogs.

Peter IV of Aragon (1319 – 1387) made it a condition, under solemn oath at the moment of crowning, that all the Aragonese kings be buried there. Only Ferdinand II of Aragon broke the oath, after his kingdoms had been merged with the Crown of Castile, and was buried in Granada.

At the height of its splendor, the monastery was home to more than 300 monks and had numerous "Cistercian farms" run by lay brothers who exploited its agricultural land and forests. The monastery buildings occupy about 12,000 m2.

Burials
The following kings and queens of Aragon are buried at Poblet Monastery:

 * Alfonso II (1196)
 * James I (1276)
 * Peter IV (1387), and his first three wives Maria of Navarre, Eleanor of Portugal, and Eleanor of Sicily
 * John I (1396), and his wives, Martha of Armagnac and Violant of Bar
 * Martin (1410), and his first wife, Maria de Luna
 * Ferdinand I (1416), and his wife, Eleanor of Alburquerque
 * Alfonso V (1458)
 * John II (1479), and his second wife, Joana Enríquez

Additional notable figures interred here include the Hungarian queen Beatrice of Naples (1508), Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton (1731) and Archduke Karl Pius of Austria, Prince of Tuscany, Carlist-Carloctavismo pretender as "Carlos VIII" (1953).

The tombs of the royals were restored by the Catalan sculptor Frederic Marés in 1948.

Ruin and rebuilding
The monastery, which had already suffered damage during the First Carlist War, was closed down due to the Ecclesiastical Confiscations of Mendizábal in 1835 during Isabella II of Spain's rule. The Desamortización or secularization of the place brought monastic life to an end. On 24 July of the same year the monastery was plundered by representatives of the Mendizábal's government and unruly mobs. During the events all valuable paintings and furniture were removed and dispersed. Also parts of the monastery were destroyed by fire.

In the years that followed, the Monastery fell into disrepair and ruin; some of the main roofs caved in. The tombs of the rulers of the Crown of Aragon were desecrated and the remains were transferred and kept for a while in the Cathedral of Tarragona, thanks to the intervention of Rev. Antoni Serret from the neighboring town of L'Espluga.

Finally the monastery was refounded in 1940 by Italian monks of the same order and repair and reconstruction began. Close to the entrance of the church one building has been kept in a ruined state as a reminder. Remains of the deceased of the ancient Royal House of Aragon were put back in sepulchres, but are now co-mingled.

Poblet belongs to the Cistercian Congregation of the Crown of Aragon, along with Santa Maria de Solius and convents such as Santa Maria de Vallbona and Santa Maria de Valldonzella. The Abbot of Poblet is the ex officio chairman of the Congregation. Today the monastic community of Poblet is composed of 29 professed monks, 1 regular oblate, 1 novice and 2 familiars.

Poblet Monastery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The altar (1527) was sculpted by Damián Forment.

In 2010, Spanish architect Mariano Bayón designed the Poblet Monastery Guesthouse.

Abbots
The current abbot is the 105th abbot.
 * 1954–1966 :Edmon Maria Garreta i Olivella
 * 1966–1970 :Robert Saladrigues
 * 1970–1998 :Maurus Esteva Alsina
 * 1998–2015 :Josep Alegre i Vilas
 * 2015–current :Octavi Vilà i Mayo

title: Poblet Abbey


text:
Asheron's Call

Asheron's Call (AC) was a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows PCs, developed and published by Turbine Entertainment Software. Though it was developed by the Turbine team (with Microsoft's extensive assistance), it was published as a Microsoft title until 2004. The game was set on the island continent of Dereth and several surrounding smaller islands and archipelagos on the fictional planet of Auberean. The game was played in a large seamless 3D virtual world which could host thousands of players' characters (or avatars) at a time.

Released on November 2, 1999, it was the third major MMORPG to be released, and was developed at the same time as those earlier games: Ultima Online and EverQuest. After initial success, its subscription numbers dropped as newer MMORPGs moved into the market. Its host servers remained online for over 17 years after the game's original launch.

Asheron's Call closed all its servers on January 31, 2017. Despite several attempts by the community to purchase or lease the intellectual property (IP) for the game, it closed at 12 EST.

Gameplay
Set in a heroic fantasy world, Asheron's Call allowed players to create a character, or avatar, from one of six in-game races. The players could allocate a limited number of attribute points to attributes such as "Strength", "Coordination", and "Quickness" and select skills such as "Unarmed Combat", "War Magic", and "Melee Defense" for their character, with those base skills starting at a level determined by the character's attributes. Unlike many other games of the genre characters were not locked into a specific class, and could even reallocate previously selected skills to acquire other skills later in the game. Gameplay involved earning experience points ("XP") through a variety of activities, including engaging and defeating monsters in combat, fulfilling quests, and interacting with NPCs. Those earned experience points could be then invested to improve the character's abilities by spending them on attributes or skills. Additional skill points were awarded after the character reached certain levels, and these skill points could be used to acquire or train new skills. In addition to earning experience, questing and combat often yielded recoverable loot such as armor, weapons, health potions, and spell scrolls. Many types of loot could be improved or imbued with special spells and effects via Asheron's Call's "tinkering" crafting system.

With their monthly updates, including supplementary content, and occasional live "world events", Asheron's Call offered episodic narrative content, periodic new quests, and special events. The game's currency was the Pyreal. The world itself was large at over 500 sqmi. Unlike many other games in the genre, there were no zones or "instances" on the world's surface. This meant that players could cross the world on foot, without loading screens or invisible barriers, and any terrain that was seen in the distance was a real object in the world. The world was also dotted with a system of one-way portals which expedite travel. Some of the portals also led to intricate dungeons. Many of the dungeons were part of quests and contained unique treasures. The original magic system had specific formulae for each spell that the caster had to discover through trial and error. Magic was challenging and rare. This system of spell components was later phased out and replaced with a simpler system wherein magic casters could carry a "foci" for each of the magic schools they were trained in (creature, item, life and war) and a series of taper candles and scarabs. Each spell was learned from a scroll, either purchased or found as treasure. The old system was left in the game as an alternative.

Players could connect their avatars to "lifestones", where the avatar was to be resurrected if killed. Resurrected characters lost half their pyreals, one or more valuable items, and (temporarily) a certain percentage of their constitution—their primary and secondary strengths and characteristics—in what is known as a "vitae penalty". The players then brought their resurrected avatar to the place where the death occurred and recovered the item(s) from their own lingering "corpse". In player-killer ("PK") battles, the victor was allowed to take the dropped items from the vanquished. Regardless, the resulting "vitae penalty" was removed by gaining a modest amount of additional experience, or "XP". Player Killers ("PKs") were players who have chosen to change their characters' status in order to enable them to attack, or be attacked by, other PKs in Player vs Player combat. On most servers, players by default were prevented from attacking each other and they voluntarily changed their status to "PK". Asheron's Call featured a unique allegiance and fealty system that created formal links between players and rewarded cooperative play. A player of equal or lower level could swear allegiance to a player of the same or higher level, becoming a vassal of a patron. The patron earned a small percentage of bonus experience based on what the vassal made, while the vassal was motivated to seek a patron in exchange for money, items, game knowledge or protection. Players could also join in fellowships, temporarily splitting the experience they could gain amongst themselves.

Characters created many useful items using the Alchemy skill, such as oils that imbued missiles with elemental qualities (fire, acid, etc.) and gems that increased resistance to different types of damage. Alchemists could create infusions that applied to food items to increase the amount of stamina recovered, or recover health or mana. Alchemy was also used to brew health, magic, and stamina potions. Players could craft ammunition and cook foods such as cake, beer, nougat and rations. These were combined with oils to increase health, mana and stamina.

Synopsis
The story of Asheron's Call spans across several worlds and thousands of years. The primary worlds in the story are Ispar, the world where the human characters in the game originated, and Auberean, the gigantic world where Dereth, a small island continent and the game's setting, is located. The game's monthly updates composed a story. The history of Auberean spans back 35,000 to 40,000 years. A race of beings known as the Empyreans dominated the world for most of its history. They were tall slender humanoids with lifespans of 1,000 years and were divided into several cultures including Falatacot, Dericost, Haebrous, and Yalaini. These cultures had many conflicts over the years, but eventually, in a world of many oceans and seas, the "Seaborne Empire" of the Yalaini became the dominant society. A Yalaini and member of the royal family, Asheron Realaidain, was born approximately 2,500 years prior to the time when the story starts for players, when they "arrive" in Dereth. Shortly after Asheron's birth, a war began between the Yalaini people and an army of Shadows, creatures of darkness and chaos, led by a demonic nemesis named Bael'Zharon, the Hopeslayer. The war with the Shadows lasted over 500 years and the Yalaini, pushed back from the rest of Auberean to the island of Dereth, were nearly defeated. As a last resort, Asheron and the Yalaini council of five mages were able to stave off their doom and eventually defeat Bael'Zharon through the arts of planar magic - the kind of magic pertaining to the planes of existence and the space in between them known as portal space. Using a crystal array, the council was able to seal Bael'Zharon in another plane. The sealing caused a great explosion, and all members of the council were killed, but Asheron survived, protected by Falatacot Blood rites performed by his mother and a Falatacot-blooded "witch" named Adja just prior to the explosion. With Bael'zharon banished, the Shadow armies retreated and the Yalaini people were saved.

Asheron continued to research planar magic. Eventually, the Yalaini mastered this art of magic and were able to use it to create portals from one location to another. They used these portals to explore all of Auberean, and eventually began exploring other worlds, including the home world of humans known as Ispar. In their explorations, the Yalaini came to a world dominated by numerous giant insect species. One of these species were known as the Olthoi, which killed one of the explorers. The Emperor of the Yalaini demanded that Olthoi be brought back for research and possibly used as weapons for the empire. This action, along with the mistake of a wizard named Gaerlan, would be the doom of the Yalaini. The Olthoi rebelled and the Yalaini lost the war. After 100 years, all surviving Yalaini were pushed back to the island of Dereth, and almost 80 years later, one single Olthoi Queen arrived on the island and began to breed. With their last place of safety invaded, the remaining Yalaini retreated from the world. Asheron and his disciples cast a powerful planar magic spell known as The Sundering, which sent the Yalaini people into portal space in a state of stasis. After sending his disciples in as well, Asheron retreated to the last place of safety - his castle on a small island - and alone began working on a way to defeat the Olthoi.

More than 500 years had passed when the first humans arrived on Dereth. These humans were quickly enslaved by the Olthoi. Many tried to escape, but few survived. One group did, led by Elysa Strathelar and Thorsten Cragstone. They rescued some others and found an Empyrean catacomb, which came to be known as the Underground City. An ancient text in the city told of Asheron and his castle's location. Their leaders left for Asheron, who gave them a poison to kill the Olthoi Queen, which they did at the cost of Cragstone's life. The Olthoi retreated and the humans began to thrive.

Players originally entered Dereth as one of three "Isparian" races: the Aluvians, the Sho, and the Gharu'ndim, based roughly on medieval Britain, Japan, and Egypt. The second expansion added Viamontians (based on medieval France) as a playable race. Later updates added former enemy races Shadows, Tumerok, (Empyrean) Undead, Lugian, and Gearknights, alongside native Empyreans. Olthoi were also added as a special PVP only race.

Development
Asheron's Call was developed by Turbine Entertainment Software and published by Microsoft. It had a multimillion-dollar development budget of $4 million. It was designed by Toby Ragaini (lead designer), Chris Foster, Eri Izawa, and Chris Pierson. The development team consisted of 30+ full-time developers, including 6 artists, 4 game designers, 15 software engineers and 5 QA testers. Asheron's Call was technically innovative for its time. It did not use zoning, a technique of partitioning the game world into zones that ran on different computers on a cluster. This caused delay when moving between zones. Instead Asheron's Call had a single seamless world. It used dynamic load balancing to determine which computer in the cluster controlled location area. If one area became overpopulated, the sluggish control of part of that location would pass to another computer with a lighter load. Critical development software included Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0, Visual SourceSafe 5.0, Lightwave 5.5, and Photoshop 4.0 Asheron's Call used Microsoft SQL Server for persistent game data. The original Asheron's Call client allowed computers to use either 3D or software graphics acceleration. The modern client required a DirectX 9.0 compatible video adapter w/ hardware T&L.

Asheron's Call took 40 months plus 8 months of beta testing to complete. It was originally scheduled to ship during the fourth quarter of 1997. Production was delayed over a year because of the inexperience of the production team. The finished product contained approximately 2 million lines of code. There were six servers available at launch. Asheron's Call launched nine months after EverQuest on November 2, 1999. In the United States, it sold 57,143 copies and earned revenues of $2.64 million by early 2000. Asheron's Call had 80,000 players by the end of its first year. By the end of 2000 its subscription rate was third behind Ultima Online and EverQuest, with 90,000 subscribers from 200,000 box sales. While neither Turbine nor Microsoft have been forthcoming in releasing exact subscription counts, it is believed that Asheron's Call peaked in popularity in early 2002 at about 120,000 accounts and has since dropped to below 10,000. Dark Age of Camelot had 200,000 subscribers in May 2002, taking Asheron's Call's spot as third most popular virtual world.

Reception
Michael Wolf for Next Generation gave the game three stars out of five, and called it a deep, complex game, but not as easy or fun as EverQuest.

Asheron's Call received generally positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator GameRankings, the game received an average score of 81% based on 26 reviews. On Metacritic, the game received an average score of 81 out of 100 based on 15 reviews.

Asheron's Call appealed to explorers and people who appreciated story arcs.

Awards included:
 * CNET's Gamecenter Best RPG award for 1999.
 * 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: won "Computer Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year", along with a nomination for "Online Game of the Year" (lost to EverQuest).
 * 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: nominated for "Massive Multiplayer/Persistent World", "PC Game of the Year", and "Game of the Year".
 * 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: the expansion Dark Majesty received a nomination in the "Massive Multiplayer/Persistent World" category.
 * Gameindustry.com: 1999 Best All Around Game
 * Gamezilla: Editor's Choice for Best Online/Multiplayer Title 1999
 * Gamersvoice: 1999 Gamer's Choice Award in the category of "Best Online/Multiplayer Game"
 * MPOGD: Game of the Month February 2003

The editors of Computer Gaming World nominated Asheron's Call for their 1999 "Role-Playing Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Planescape: Torment.

Post-release
A first expansion, Dark Majesty, was released in 2001. In 2002, the full-fledged sequel Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings was released, which would be closed in 2005 but then reactivated in 2012. In December 2003, Turbine purchased the rights to the Asheron's Call franchise from Microsoft and assumed full responsibility for content development, customer service, billing and marketing in 2004. A second expansion, Throne of Destiny - which included a graphics upgrade, new player race and new landmass - was released on July 18, 2005. In addition to the expansion packs, the in-game story was advanced by monthly updates, which introduced new quests and gameplay dynamics as part of the subscription package. Both expansions included the full version of the game. Asheron's Call franchise was unique in providing complimentary monthly content updates and "events" that added new quests, skills, landmasses, monsters, gameplay dynamics and bug fixes for all subscribers. Storylines linked multiple episodes to form distinct "story arcs".

Asheron's Call originally charged a monthly subscription fee, which was eventually discontinued. The title then became free to play and in maintenance mode. No further content would be released and there were plans to provide players with the ability to host their own servers. The last content patch was released on March 4, 2014, and after that the patches were limited to maintenance and bug fixes.

Closure
The game spent over two years in maintenance mode with no updates, although the occasional server and account issues were dealt with by Turbine staff. The largest event to occur in this time was the chat being permanently disabled on the Darktide server in order to prevent ingame abuse.

By December 2016, Turbine was no longer developing MMORPGs, and the servers and account system were transitioned over to a newly formed studio called Standing Stone Games, but the Asheron's Call IP remained with Turbine and their owner Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game closed on January 31, 2017.

New account creation was disabled in December 2016, although players with an account were free to keep playing the game. The closure not only affected Asheron's Call, but also its sequel. In 2012, Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings was resurrected, but would also close on January 31, 2017.

The servers closed at 12 EST on January 31. Shortly after the servers closed, the website and forums were taken down along with the official Facebook page.

title: Asheron's Call


text:
Toledo

Toledo most commonly refers to:

 * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain
 * Province of Toledo, Spain
 * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States

Toledo may also refer to:

Belize

 * Toledo District
 * Toledo Settlement

Bolivia

 * Toledo, Oruro

Brazil

 * Toledo, Minas Gerais
 * Toledo, Paraná

Colombia

 * Toledo, Norte de Santander
 * Toledo, Antioquia

Philippines

 * Toledo, Cebu

Spain

 * Taifa of Toledo (1010–1085)
 * Kingdom of Toledo (1085–1833)
 * Province of Toledo, Spain
 * Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toledo
 * Toledo (Congress of Deputies constituency)

United States

 * Toledo, Georgia, an unincorporated community
 * Toledo, Illinois, a village
 * Toledo, Iowa, a city
 * Toledo, Kansas, an unincorporated community
 * Toledo, Callaway County, Missouri, an unincorporated community
 * Toledo, Ozark County, Missouri, an unincorporated community
 * Toledo, Ohio, a city
 * Toledo, Oregon, a city
 * Toledo, Washington, a city
 * Toledo, Texas, an unincorporated community in Fayette County, Texas
 * Toledo Township, Tama County, Iowa
 * Toledo Township, Chase County, Kansas

Uruguay

 * Toledo, Uruguay

Ships

 * USS Toledo (PF-33), a patrol frigate that was renamed USS Dearborn in 1943
 * USS Toledo (CA-133), a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy active during the Korean War
 * USS Toledo (SSN-769), a Los Angeles-class submarine still in service as of 2012

Other uses

 * Toledo (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
 * University of Toledo, a university in Ohio
 * Toledo Rockets, the university's athletics teams
 * Mettler Toledo or Toledo Scale Company
 * SEAT Toledo, a compact automobile by Spanish automaker SEAT
 * Toledo (air defense system), an air defense system consisting of Skyguard components including Aspide launchers, but with a Skydor fire control unit from Navantia
 * Triumph Toledo, a (defunct) compact automobile by British Leyland
 * Toledo (Naples Metro), a station on Line 1 of the Naples Metro

title: Toledo


text:
Spring Valley

Spring Valley may refer to:

Canada

 * Spring Valley, Ontario
 * Spring Valley, Prince Edward Island
 * Spring Valley, Saskatchewan

Kenya

 * Spring Valley, Nairobi

United States

 * Spring Valley, Arizona
 * Spring Valley, San Diego County, California
 * Spring Valley, Lake County, California
 * Valley Springs, California, formerly Spring Valley
 * Spring Valley, Illinois
 * Spring Valley, Kentucky
 * Spring Valley, Minnesota
 * Spring Valley, Nevada, in Clark County
 * Spring Valley (White Pine County, Nevada), a valley in northeastern Nevada
 * Spring Valley Wind Farm, built in the valley in 2012
 * Spring Valley, New Jersey
 * Spring Valley, New York
 * Spring Valley, Ohio
 * Spring Valley (Oregon)
 * Spring Valley Historic District, Pennsylvania
 * Spring Valley Rural Historic District, Virginia
 * Spring Valley, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community
 * Spring Valley, Wisconsin, a village in Pierce and St. Croix counties
 * Spring Valley (town), Wisconsin, in Rock County
 * Spring Valley Village, Texas
 * Spring Valley (Washington, D.C.)

Other

 * Spring Valley (Yoplait)
 * Spring Valley High School (South Carolina)

title: Spring Valley


text:
Hospital de Sant Pau

The former Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (, Hospital of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul) in the neighborhood of El Guinardó, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, is a complex built between 1901 and 1930. It is one of the most prominent works of the Catalan modernisme architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. The complex was listed as a Conjunto Histórico in 1978. Together with Palau de la Música Catalana, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Composed of 12 pavilions connected through long underground galleries within its large green space, Sant Pau is the largest complex built in Art Nouveau style. It was a fully functioning hospital until June 2009, when the new hospital opened next to it. It underwent restoration for use as a museum and cultural center, and re-opened in 2014. An important historical and architectural masterpiece, the building also offers workspace to high-profile social organizations such as the WHO, Banco Farmacéutico, Barcelona Health Hub, EMEA, UN-HABITAT and more. The cultural center also has a historical archive where records and documents of remarkable occurrences related to the hospital and the city can be found. The archives are open to visitors and offer information to users and researchers with an information and reprographics service, in addition to a reading room.

History

Although the hospital's current 26 buildings date from the 20th century, the Hospital de la Santa Creu (the last part of its name, "Sant Pau", was added in honour of the banker, Pau Gil, who paid for the new buildings in the 20th century) was founded in 1401 when six small medieval hospitals merged. The hospital's former buildings near the center of Barcelona date from the 15th century, and now house an art school (Escola Massana) and the Biblioteca de Catalunya (National Library of Catalonia).

The initial building's construction started in 1401 and was completed in 1450. Later, in the 17th century, the Casa Convalescència building was added to the complex. With the expansion of the city and weariness of the medieval buildings, the construction of a new hospital designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner began in 1902. Domènech's original plan had 48 buildings, 27 of which were actually constructed. In 1991, the hospital was awarded the St. George's Cross by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

In 2003, a new hospital building was erected to the north of Domènech i Montaner's Modernista pavilions, where almost all departments moved. However, a few departments such as the Blood and Tissue Bank, the radiography department and the physical therapy department remain in some of the old buildings.

Restoration
A meticulous restoration of the complex began in 2009. A Heritage Committee coordinated the process and ensured the quality of the interventions. Over 30 teams of experts and architects took part in the restoration. The original configuration of the buildings was brought forth through examining historical archives prior to the interventions.

A built area of 29,517 m2 and an outdoor space of 31,052 m2 were included in the restoration. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Generalitat de Catalunya, the Spanish Government, IDAE, Barcelona City Council, Barcelona Provincial Council, CEB and the private foundation Hospital de la Sant Creu i Sant Pau, the project had a total budget of 100 million €.

The restoration project had three main objectives.
 * restore the building to its original state by strengthening the structure and removing any elements added in the later stages of its lifetime.
 * emphasize the ornamental elements with materials suitable to the original design of the buildings.
 * adapt the complex for contemporary needs and possible alternative uses without relinquishing its authenticity.

The objectives in relation to the restoration of the buildings were carried out in three steps. First, the original structure and plan was recovered by eliminating the structures that were not in the original plan. Afterward, the infrastructure and support structures such as iron beams and framing were strengthened. New underground rooms and a new perimeter of columns was built to contribute to the functionality of the building without disrupting its façade.

Even though the premises have been open to visitors since 2014, the restoration project was expected to be fully completed in 2020.

title: Hospital de Sant Pau


text:
Palau de la Música Catalana

Palau de la Música Catalana (, Palace of Catalan Music) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a choral society founded in 1891 that was a leading force in the Catalan cultural movement that came to be known as the Renaixença (Catalan Rebirth). It was inaugurated on 9 February 1908.

The construction project was mainly financed by Orfeó Català, but important financial contributions also came from Barcelona's wealthy industrialists and bourgeoisie. The palace won the architect an award from the Barcelona City Council in 1909, given to the best building built during the previous year. Between 1982 and 1989, the building underwent extensive restoration, remodeling, and extension under the direction of architects Oscar Tusquets and Carles Díaz. In 1997, the palace de la Música Catalana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Hospital de Sant Pau. Today, more than half a million people a year attend musical performances in the Palau that range from symphonic and chamber music to jazz and Cançó (Catalan song).

Architect
The Palau de la Música Catalana was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Montaner was a Catalan architect and politician. He was born in Barcelona in December 1850. He studied physics and natural sciences in Madrid, and completed his architectural studies in 1873 at the University of Barcelona. He spent 45 years as a professor and director at the Escola d'Arquitectura, the school of architecture in Barcelona. His personal designs fit in with the Art Nouveau movement, and featured decorative elements such as mosaics and stained glass.

Location
The palace is located in the corner of a cramped street, Carrer Palau de la Música, and Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt, in the section of old Barcelona known as Casc Antic. Most of the other prominent modernista buildings, those designed by Antoni Gaudí, for example, are located in the chic 19th-century extension of the city known as the Eixample.

Design
The design of the palace is typical of Catalan modernism in that curves predominate over straight lines, dynamic shapes are preferred over static forms, and rich decoration that emphasizes floral and other organic motifs is used extensively. In contrast to many other buildings built in the modernisme style, however, it must also be said that the design of the palace is eminently rational. It pays strict attention to function and makes full use of the most up-to-date materials and technologies available at the beginning of the 20th century (e.g., steel framing). As Tim Benton has commented:

 * "To eyes unaccustomed to the architecture of Barcelona, the impression of a riot of ornament lacking any logic or control seems overwhelming. And yet the building follows exactly the exhortations of the [architectural] rationalists.  The structure, in brick and iron, is clearly expressed." Actually, its walls are the first example of curtain wall structures.

The wealthy citizens of Barcelona, who were becoming ever more sympathetic to the Renaixença at the time the palace was built, asked its architect for building materials and techniques that symbolized the Catalan character. In response, he commissioned and gave great creative freedom to a variety of local artisans and craftsmen to produce the fabulous ornamentation, sculpture, and decorative structural elements for which the palace is famous.

Façade
The rich decoration of the façade of the palace, which incorporates elements from many sources, including traditional Spanish and Arabic architecture, is successfully married with the building's structure. The exposed red brick and iron, the mosaics, the stained glass, and the glazed tiles were chosen and situated to give a feeling of openness and transparency. Even Miguel Blay's massive sculptural group symbolizing Catalan music on the corner of the building does not impede the view into or out from the interior (see photograph). As Carandell and co-authors (2006, 20) have pointed out, in the palace "the house as a defense and protected inner space has ceased to exist".

Two colonnades enjoy a commanding position on the second-level balcony of the main façade. Each column is covered uniquely with multicolored glazed tile pieces in mostly floral designs and is capped with a candelabrum that at night blazes with light (see photograph). Above the columns are large busts of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Ludwig van Beethoven on the main façade and Richard Wagner on the side. The top of the main façade is graced by a large allegoric mosaic by Lluís Bru that represents the members of the Orfeó Català, but it is impossible to see it clearly from the narrow street below.

Entrance
Originally, guests entered the palace from the street through two arches supported by thick pillars that opened into the vestibule. The former ticket windows, which are located in the center pillar, are beautiful concentric arches adorned with floral mosaics of various materials created by Lluís Bru.

Vestibule, staircases, and foyer
The ceiling of the vestibule is decorated with glazed ceramic moldings that are arranged in the shape of stars. From the vestibule, on the left and right, grand marble staircases ascend from between crowned lamps on columns to bring visitors to the second floor. The balustrades of the staircases, also marble, are supported by unusual transparent yellow glass balusters. The underside of the staircases is covered with tiles that form gleaming canopies on either side of the vestibule.

Today, guests generally enter the palace through the foyer, which was created in the renovations of Tusquets and Díaz from what originally were the headquarters of the Orfeó Català. The large space of the foyer is more soberly decorated than the rest of the palace, but the wide exposed brick arches with their marvelous glazed green, pink, and yellow ceramic flowers recapitulate the ornamentation of the rest of building. The foyer features a large counter where tapas and beverages can be served to concert-goers or visitors who are touring the building. The bar is situated between massive pillars of brick and is illuminated from behind by expansive stained-glass panes that are suspended above it. A glass case in the foyer displays the Orfeó Català's banner, which bears its crest embroidered on fabric in the modernisme style.

Lluís Millet hall
The Lluís Millet hall is a salon located on the second floor of the palace that is named after one of the founders of the Orfeó Català. The hall is a popular gathering place for concert-goers and also serves as a teaching area for visitors touring the building. From floor to ceiling the hall is two stories high and affords views of the intricate mosaics on the two rows of columns outside its windows that are much better than those available from the street.

It is ornated by several bronze busts of musicians related to the palace: Lluís Millet and Amadeu Vives (Orfeó Català founders), Pablo Casals, Eduard Toldrà (founder and first conductor of the Orquestra Municipal de Barcelona), Just Cabot (Orfeó Català president) and pianist Rosa Sabater.

Concert hall

 * The concert hall is one of the most beautiful in the world (...) without exaggeration. It is one of its most important architectural treasures.  Its pace, simple, complex, mystical and paradoxical, defies accurate description.

-David Mackay

(Quoted in Carandell et al. 2006, 62)

The concert hall of the palace, which seats about 2,200 people, is the only auditorium in Europe that is illuminated during daylight hours entirely by natural light. The walls on two sides consist primarily of stained-glass panes set in magnificent arches, and overhead is an enormous skylight of stained glass, designed by Antoni Rigalt, whose centerpiece is an inverted dome in shades of gold surrounded by blue that suggests the sun and the sky. The architectural decoration in the concert hall is a masterpiece of creativity and imagination, yet everything has been carefully considered for its utility in the presentation of music. The hall is not a theater, because the massive sculptures flanking the stage make the use of scenery nearly impossible. Likewise, even though a noble pipe organ graces the apse-like area above and behind the stage, the hall is not a church.

The dominant theme in the sumptuous sculptural decor of the concert hall is choral music, something that might be expected in an auditorium commissioned by a choral society. A choir of young women surrounds the "sun" in the stained-glass skylight, and a bust of Anselm Clavé, a famous choir director who was instrumental in reviving Catalan folk songs, is situated on the left side of the stage, under a stone tree. Seated beneath this statue are sculpted girls singing the Catalan song Les Flors de Maig (The Flowers of May).

The whole arch over the front of the stage was sculpted by Dídac Masana and Pablo Gargallo. On the right side is depicted the 'Ride of the Valkyries' from Wagner's opera Die Walküre. Under the Valkyries and among two Doric columns is a bust of Beethoven. The arch thus represents folk music on the left and classical music on the right, both united at the top of the arch.

In a semicircle on the sides of the back of the stage are the figures of 18 young women popularly known as the 'muses'. The upper bodies were sculpted by Eusebi Arnau and the mosaic work of their lower bodies was created by Lluís Bru. The monotone upper bodies of the women protrude from the wall and their lower bodies are depicted by colorful mosaics that form part of the wall. Each of the women is playing a different musical instrument, and each is wearing a different skirt, blouse, and headdress of elaborate design. In the middle between the two groups is a mosaic of the coat of arms of Catalonia. The muse to the right of the Catalan coat of arms is the only one that depicts on her dress the coat of arms of Austria and double-headed eagle of the Spanish Habsburgs dynasty.

The sculptures of winged horses that enjoy a commanding position in the upper balcony are in honour of Pegasus, the horse of Greek mythology and the symbol of high-flying imagination.

In each of the vaults between the pillars and the glass walls, there is a white tile medallion, bordered with laurel green leaves, with the names of notable musicians. To the left of the stage, starting from it: Palestrina, J. S. Bach, Carissimi, Beethoven and Chopin; to the right: Victoria, Handel, Mozart, Gluck and Wagner. On the wall between the ceilings of the main room and that of the back of the second floor of the same room, there are four more ceramic medallions, which synthesize the history of Catalan music: Joan Brudieu, Mateu Fletxa el Vell, Anselm Viola i Valentí, Domènec Terradellas and Josep Anselm Clavé.

Robert Hughes has noted how the non-soundproof glass walls of the palace impact the acoustics of the hall:

 * "...there was never a shortage of complaint about its acoustic conditions - which, since its glass walls carry music like drum skins, have always been awful."

Remodeling and extension
Between 1982 and 1989 parts of the building were restored to their original state, technically upgraded and expanded to allow additional uses. The new work did not compromise the decorative or structural integrity of the original building. Stone, brick, iron, glass, and ceramics were used in the same way that Domènech i Montaner used them. One of the most important expansions is the adjoining building of six stories that houses dressing rooms, a library, and an archive.

From 2006 to 2008, further restoration was carried out: the lantern on the top of the tower on the corner of the building was reinstalled, as were some ornamental features of the façade.

Petit Palau
Opened in 2004, the Petit Palau ("small palace") is 11 metres below the square that was created in the work of 1982-1989 between the palace and the neighbouring church. It has a seating capacity of 538 people and is equipped with variable acoustics for different types of music and spoken word. It also possesses the latest in audiovisual technology. Like the other additions, it was designed in the spirit of Domènech i Montaner. It is light and transparent like the palace proper, but at the same time it is modern in its great flexibility for different cultural, social, and business uses.

Appearances in film
On 7 September 2018, the palace appeared in BBC TV's Release Date trailer for Season 11 of Doctor Who. The trailer shows Jodie Whittaker, as the first female Doctor, literally 'shattering the glass ceiling' of the palace's striking skylight.

Artistic history
From the opening of the palace in 1908 special attention was given to the promotion of local composers and artists. After World War I the Orquestra Pau Casals performed at the palace, and among composers featured gave presentations of the music of Enrique Granados from 1921 onwards. Pablo Casals and Alicia de Larrocha are among the many soloists and singers who have performed there.

Premières performed
As the main concert hall in the city, the palace has staged many world premières of musical compositions, including the following

 * 1908 Enric Granados' symphonic poem Dante.
 * 1911 Enric Granados' first book of his piano suite Goyescas and his Allegro de concierto and Cant de les estrelles (Song of the stars), for chorus and orchestra; Isaac Albéniz's Azulejos, prelude for piano finished by Enric Granados.
 * 1914 Enric Granados' Tonadillas en estilo antiguo, song cycle for voice and piano.
 * 1921 Eduard Toldrà's string quartett Vistes al mar (Sight to the sea) (31 May).
 * 1923 Joaquín Turina's Tres arias for soprano and piano.
 * 1925 Manuel de Falla's Psyché, and Frederic Mompou's Charmes, núm. 4-6.
 * 1926 Jaume Pahissa's Suite intertonal (October 26); Joaquín Turina's Dos canciones (October 29) for soprano and piano; Manuel de Falla's Harpsichord Concerto (November 5).
 * 1928 Eduard Toldrà's opera El giravolt de maig (The May sunflower); Frederic Mompou's Comptines, three songs for voice and piano; Joaquín Turina's Ritmos: fantasia coreográfica for orchestra (Rhythms: a choreographic fantasy) (October 23), and Evocaciones for piano (October 29).
 * 1929 Roberto Gerhard's Concertino for strings, Wind quintet, and other of the author's early works.
 * 1932 Manuel Blancafor]'s El rapte de les sabines (The Sabine women abduction) (other Blancafort's works were premiered here after: Ermita i panorama (Hermit and panorame) (1946), Concert omaggio a Franz Liszt (1944), Concert ibèric (Iberian concerto) (1950), Simfonia en mi (1951), Cantata Verge Maria (Virgin Mary cantata) (1968), Rapsòdia catalana (Catalan rhapsody) (1972), etc.)
 * 1936 Alban Berg's Violin concerto (April 19); Roberto Gerhard's suite from the ballet Ariel.
 * 1938 Roberto Gerhard's Albada, interludi i dansa (Sunrise, interlude and dance) (May 14)
 * 1940 Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez (November 9).
 * 1945 Xavier Montsalvatge's Cinco canciones negras (only the four first songs; the first performance of the five songs was given a few months after at the Ateneu Barcelonès); many other of the Montsalvatge's works have had their premieres at the palace.
 * 1946 Joaquín Rodrigo's Quatre cançons en llengua catalana (Four songs in Catalan language). and Tríptic de Mossèn Cinto (Jacint Verdaguer's triptych), both song cycles for soprano and orchestra.
 * 1948 Xavier Montsalvatge's Simfonia mediterrània (Mediterranean Symphony).
 * 1952 Frederic Mompou's Cantar del alma, choral version.
 * 1954 Salvador Bacarisse's 3rd Piano Concerto.
 * 1957 Salvador Espriu's play Primera història d'Esther.
 * 1959 Joaquín Nin-Culmell's ballet Don Juan.
 * 1960 Xavier Montsalvatge's Càntic espiritual.
 * 1961 Frederic Mompou's Variacions sobre un tema de Chopin for orchestra; Joan Brossa's play Or i sal.
 * 1963 Xavier Montsalvatge's Desintegració morfològica de la xacona de J. S. Bach (Morphological disintegration of J.S. Bach's chaconne); Josep Carner's play El Ben Cofat i l'altre.
 * 1966 Joaquin Homs' String quartet no. 6; other of Homs's works have had their premieres at the palace: Invention for orchestra (1965), Presències for orchestra (1970), Dos soliloquis (1976), Brief symphony (1978), Nonet (1979).
 * 1967 Cristòfol Taltabull's oratorio La Passió (Passion).
 * 1971 Krzystof Penderecki's Prélude for winds, percussion and double basses.
 * 1974 Josep Soler's opera-oratorio Oedipus et Iocasta (many of Soler's works were first performed at the palace); Cristóbal Halffter's Oración a Platero for choir and orchestra.
 * 1977 Joaquín Rodrigo's Sonata a la breve, for cello and piano.
 * 2017 Guido Lopez-Gavilan's Una Cancion de Amor (24 July), for choir (commissioned by the IFCM for the Ansan City Choir, on the occasion of the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music); Xavier Pages-Corella's Audito e un Canto (24 July), for choir (commissioned by the IFCM for The Rose Ensemble, on occasion of the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music); Jaakko Mantyjarvi's Juliet November Tango (27 July), for choir (commissioned by the IFCM for Elektra Women's Choir, on occasion of the 11th World Symposium on Choral Music).

title: Palau de la Música Catalana