# Cervera

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This article is about a Western Catalan city, the capital of Segarra. For other uses of "Cervera", see [Cervera (disambiguation)](/source/Cervera_(disambiguation)).

Municipality in Catalonia, Spain

Cervera Municipality Cervera Flag Coat of arms Cervera Location in Catalonia Coordinates: 41°39′56″N 1°16′17″E / 41.66556°N 1.27139°E / 41.66556; 1.27139 Country Spain Community Catalonia Province Lleida Comarca Segarra Government • Mayor Jan Pomés (PSC) Area [1] • Total 55.2 km2 (21.3 sq mi) Elevation 548 m (1,798 ft) Population (2025-01-01)[2] • Total 9,603 • Density 174/km2 (451/sq mi) Demonyms Cerverí, cerverina Postal code 25200 Climate Cfb Website www.cervera.cat

**Cervera** (Catalan pronunciation: [\[seɾˈβeɾɛ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Catalan)) is the capital of the *[comarca](/source/Catalonia%2FComarques)* of [Segarra](/source/Segarra), in the [province of Lleida](/source/Province_of_Lleida), Autonomous Community of [Catalonia](/source/Catalonia), [Spain](/source/Spain). The title [Comte de Cervera](/source/Count_of_Cervera) is a courtesy title, formerly part of the [Crown of Aragon](/source/Crown_of_Aragon), that has been revived for [Leonor, Princess of Asturias](/source/Leonor%2C_Princess_of_Asturias).[3] The city is also the birthplace of the [Grand Prix motorcycle racing](/source/Grand_Prix_motorcycle_racing) world champions Márquez brothers, nine-time champion [Marc Márquez](/source/Marc_M%C3%A1rquez) and two-time champion [Álex Márquez](/source/%C3%81lex_M%C3%A1rquez). The church of [Sant Miquel de Tudela](/source/Sant_Miquel_de_Tudela) is near Cervera. It has a population of 9,603 (register office, 2025) .

## History

### The town and its medieval origins

In the year 1026, three peasant families built the first settlement in the comarca of [Segarra](/source/Segarra), as in those days it was uninhabited. Later on, the [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona) counts committed ownership of those lands to those people. By this, the counts wanted to establish their power in the area, as the [Segarra](/source/Segarra) was at that time the border between Christian and Muslim territories, thereby establishing the first fortress (*castrum Cervarie*).

When the Western border was established at [Lleida](/source/Lleida) at the year 1149, Cervera grew up into [terraced houses](/source/Terraced_house) on the other side of the border. The inhabitants were freed from the feudal lord's abuses and with the royal privileges, the town gradually became established first as a Confraria (1182), then Consolat (municipal organ) (1202), and from 1267 up to the present, as a Paeria.

The most significant episode was the signature, in 1452, of the nuptial agreement between Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile (the Spanish Catholic Monarchs).

Historically, there was a prosperous [Jewish](/source/Jewish) community in Cervera, dating from the 12th century to the [expulsion of the Jews](/source/Expulsion_of_the_Jews_from_Spain) in the 15th century.[4]

In 1702, the town got the title of city from the king [Philip V](/source/Philip_V_of_Spain), for which the townspeople thanked the king. The king bestowed this title because in a small way during the war, and then more strongly after the war, the local people had demonstrated support for the king's politics.

### The university

With the [Nueva Planta decrees](/source/Nueva_Planta_decrees), all the universities were closed and relocated into the university of Cervera

[Charles II](/source/Charles_II_of_Spain), the last Spanish king from the house of [Austria](/source/Austria), died in 1700, and in his will he designated [Philip V](/source/Philip_V_of_Spain) as his heir. The new king, with the name of [Philip V](/source/Philip_V_of_Spain), was accepted in the kingdom of [Castile](/source/Castile_(historical_region)), as well as in [Crown of Aragon](/source/Crown_of_Aragon). [England](/source/England), which was at the head of the opposing nations proposed [Charles VI](/source/Charles_VI%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor) as the heir of the Spanish throne and in 1702 a European war started (the [War of the Spanish Succession](/source/War_of_the_Spanish_Succession)). An appropriate diplomatic intervention could make the Crown of Aragon finally give support to [Charles VI](/source/Charles_VI%2C_Holy_Roman_Emperor). In Cervera, there were people in favour of both sides.

When the war was finished, Cervera, which had been destroyed, decided to give support to the ones who were governing (the [Bourbons](/source/House_of_Bourbon)) and sent two ambassadors to the Courts with the mission to persuade the ministers of [Philip V](/source/Philip_V_of_Spain) of his absolute support, with the goal to obtain some logical compensation and in one of their 30 requests, they requested one university like the one in the city of Lleida. [Philip V](/source/Philip_V_of_Spain), then, built the [University of Cervera](/source/University_of_Cervera) and closed the rest (the [Nueva Planta decrees](/source/Nueva_Planta_decrees)). The creation of the university gave an economic boost to the town, basically (among other reasons) because students lodged in the town.

### Decay and prosperity

In 1842 the university was relocated to [Barcelona](/source/Barcelona), which portended an important economic loss. However, when train service arrived in the town in 1860 along with improvements to some public services (such as the water supply) and as the establishment of some industries and an important wine trade, there was an improvement in the local economy. When the [Phylloxera](/source/Phylloxera) arrived, this caused a lot of people with vineyards to go bankrupt, due to a major crisis with the Cervera wine trade, which recovered somewhat with the creation of the Sindicat Agrícola (1919).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-idescat_1-0)** ["El municipi en xifres: Cervera"](http://www.idescat.cat/emex/?lang=en&id=250729). [Statistical Institute of Catalonia](/source/Institut_d'Estad%C3%ADstica_de_Catalunya). Retrieved 2015-11-23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** National Statistics Institute (13 December 2025). ["Municipal Register of Spain of 2025"](https://www.ine.es/dynt3/inebase/index.htm?padre=525).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Paeria (Town Hall) de Cervera"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120620090042/http://www.cervera.cat/). Archived from [the original](https://www.cervera.cat/) on 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2010-12-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Cervera, Spain"](https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/cervera). *Jewish Virtual Library*. Retrieved 28 June 2024.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Cervera](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Cervera).

- [Paeria de Cervera (Town Hall)](https://www.cervera.cat) (in Catalan)

- [Cervera's Tourist Office](http://www.turismecervera.cat/Home/_H4QS29qxa73nmDvPTGz_NxdFjKwfV2jwOhGbFBj9RkM)

- [Government data pages](http://aplicacions.municat.gencat.cat/index.php?page=consulta&mostraEns=2507290004) (in Catalan)

- [City hall (Paeria) description](https://web.archive.org/web/20110927033012/http://cat.lleida.com/municipi/?municipi=2507290004)

- [Jewish history of Cervera](https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/cervera)

Places adjacent to Cervera Els Plans de Sió Torrefeta i Florejacs Tarroja de Segarra Sant Ramon Granyanella Cervera Les Oluges Estaràs Granyena de Segarra Montoliu de Segarra Ribera d'Ondara

v t e Municipalities of Segarra Cervera Estaràs Granyanella Granyena de Segarra Guissona Ivorra Massoteres Montoliu de Segarra Montornès de Segarra Les Oluges Els Plans de Sió Ribera d'Ondara Sanaüja Sant Guim de Freixenet Sant Guim de la Plana Sant Ramon Talavera Tarroja de Segarra Torrefeta i Florejacs

v t e Municipalities of the province of Lleida Abella de la Conca Àger Agramunt Aitona Albatàrrec Albesa Alcanó Alcarràs Alcoletge Alfarràs Alfés Algerri Alguaire Alins Almacelles Almatret Almenar Alpicat Alt Àneu Alàs i Cerc Alòs de Balaguer Anglesola Arbeca Arres Arsèguel Artesa de Lleida Artesa de Segre Aspa Baix Pallars Balaguer Barbens Bassella Bausen Belianes Bell-lloc d'Urgell Bellaguarda Bellcaire d'Urgell Bellmunt d'Urgell Bellpuig Bellver de Cerdanya Bellvís Benavent de Segrià Biosca Bossòst Bovera Cabanabona Cabó Camarasa Canejan Castell de Mur Castellar de la Ribera Castelldans Castellnou de Seana Castellserà Castelló de Farfanya Cava Cervera Cervià de les Garrigues Ciutadilla Clariana de Cardener Coll de Nargó Conca de Dalt Corbins Cubells El Cogul El Palau d'Anglesola El Poal El Pont de Bar El Pont de Suert El Soleràs El Vilosell Els Alamús Els Omellons Els Omells de na Gaia Els Plans de Sió Els Torms Es Bòrdes Espot Estamariu Estaràs Esterri d'Àneu Esterri de Cardós Farrera Fondarella Foradada Fulleda Fígols i Alinyà Gavet de la Conca Gimenells i el Pla de la Font Golmés Granyanella Granyena de Segarra Granyena de les Garrigues Guimerà Guissona Guixers Gósol Isona i Conca Dellà Ivars d'Urgell Ivars de Noguera Ivorra Josa i Tuixén Juncosa Juneda L'Albagés L'Albi L'Espluga Calba La Baronia de Rialb La Coma i la Pedra La Floresta La Fuliola La Granadella La Granja d'Escarp La Guingueta d'Àneu La Molsosa La Pobla de Cérvoles La Pobla de Segur La Portella La Sentiu de Sió La Seu d'Urgell La Torre de Cabdella La Vansa i Fórnols Les Les Avellanes i Santa Linya Les Borges Blanques Les Oluges Les Valls d'Aguilar Les Valls de Valira Linyola Lladorre Lladurs Llardecans Llavorsí Lleida Lles de Cerdanya Llimiana Llobera Maials Maldà Massalcoreig Massoteres Menàrguens Miralcamp Mollerussa Montellà i Martinet Montferrer i Castellbò Montgai Montoliu de Lleida Montoliu de Segarra Montornès de Segarra Nalec Naut Aran Navès Odèn Oliana Oliola Olius Organyà Os de Balaguer Ossó de Sió Penelles Peramola Pinell de Solsonès Pinós Ponts Prats i Sansor Preixana Preixens Prullans Puiggròs Puigverd d'Agramunt Puigverd de Lleida Rialp Ribera d'Ondara Ribera d'Urgellet Riner Riu de Cerdanya Rosselló Salàs de Pallars Sanaüja Sant Esteve de la Sarga Sant Guim de Freixenet Sant Guim de la Plana Sant Llorenç de Morunys Sant Martí de Riucorb Sant Ramon Sarroca de Bellera Sarroca de Lleida Senterada Seròs Sidamon Solsona Soriguera Sort Soses Sudanell Sunyer Talarn Talavera Tarroja de Segarra Tarrés Tiurana Tornabous Torre-serona Torrebesses Torrefarrera Torrefeta i Florejacs Torregrossa Torrelameu Torres de Segre Torà Tremp Tàrrega Térmens Tírvia Vall de Boí Vall de Cardós Vallbona de les Monges Vallfogona de Balaguer Verdú Vielha e Mijaran Vila-sana Vilagrassa Vilaller Vilamòs Vilanova de Bellpuig Vilanova de Meià Vilanova de Segrià Vilanova de l'Aguda Vilanova de la Barca Vinaixa

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cervera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervera) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervera?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.