Map of Bigues i Riells del Fai (Vallès Oriental, Barcelona)

=> Photos from March 2024

Bigues i Riells del Fai (until July 2021 it was called Bigues i Riells) is a municipality in the center of the province of Barcelona, in Catalonia (Spain, Europe). It belongs to the comarca of Vallès Oriental (comarcal capital: Granollers) and to the judicial district of Granollers, the judicial district No. 3 of the province of Barcelona. Furthermore, it is also part of the consortium of municipalities in the Vall del Tenes (Valley of Tenes).

The municipality of Bigues i Riells del Fai, as its name suggests, is composed of two main towns, Bigues (the current capital of the municipality) and Riells del Fai (in the 19th century, the capital of the municipality was located in Riells del Fai), in addition to a large number of residential developments with homes ('towers') the vast majority of which are second residences. Indeed, since the mid-20th century, the capital of the municipality has been shifted from Bigues to the new urban center of Rieral de Bigues, the current capital of the municipality; although the neighbors still believe that Rieral de Bigues is the town of Bigues when that is not actually the case as what remains of the original town of Bigues is the parish church of San Pedro and San Pablo (Sant Pere i Sant Pau) and several traditional homes next to the church.

The various population centers and several residential developments in Bigues i Riells del Fai are: Rieral de Bigues (the current true capital of the municipality), Bigues, Riells del Fai, la Parròquia, Can Barri, Can Traver, Font del Bou, Font Granada, Castell de Montbui, Can Febrera, Diamant del Vallès, Can Regassol, el Turó, Can Carreres, els Manantials, el Racó del Bosc, Can Castanyer, la Vall Blanca, la Vall Roja, els Saulons d’en Déu, la Pineda, Boscos de Can Riells (or Boscos de Riells), Mont-Paradís, Bon Repòs, Can Badell, Vinya de Can Pruna, Vallderròs, and Sant Bartomeu de Mont-ras.

The municipality of Bigues i Riells del Fai has a population (according to data from February 2024) of 10,144 inhabitants and an area of 28.6 km². In terms of population centers, Rieral de Bigues has a population of 1,777 inhabitants and Riells del Fai has 889 inhabitants (all population data is compiled by the INE in 2023); I have not yet been able to find the exact population of the original nucleus of Bigues.

The two parish churches in the municipality are the Parish Church of San Pedro and San Pablo of Bigues (Sant Pere i Sant Pau de Bigues) (consecrated in 1156 and originally built in Romanesque style) and the Parish Church of San Vicente de Riells (Sant Vicenç de Riells) (raised in the 16th century in Renaissance and Neoclassical styles).

The two main festivals (festes majors) of the municipality are the Festa Major of Bigues, in honor of San Pedro (Sant Pere), celebrated at the end of June, and the Festa Major of Riells del Fai, in honor of San Vicente (Sant Vicenç), celebrated at the beginning of August.