Sant Cugat del Vallès

Sant Cugat del Vallès is a town and municipality north of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. Known as Castrum Octavianum in antiquity, it is named after Saint Cucuphas, who is said to have been martyred on the spot now occupied by its medieval monastery. The final part of its toponym, del Vallès, is a reference to the historical county where the town is situated, Vallès.DescriptionThe town's other buildings include the School of Architecture of the Vallès and the Centre d'Alt Rendiment, a famous centre for professional sport training.Sant Cugat has become an affluent suburb of Barcelona due to its location, its natural surroundings, and its pedestrian shopping area. Sant Cugat also offers restaurants, a concert venue, two cinemas, and one large shopping centre. It is also a political stronghold for conservative Catalan nationalism, with Convergència i Unió dominating the town's politics.Sant Cugat has seen its population increase in recent years, with more births than bigger cities like Barcelona . It has also practically merged with the nearby Rubí and Cerdanyola del Valles .