Balsareny

Balsareny is a municipality in the North of the comarca of Bages in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the river Llobregat, with its typical forests of Aleppo pines. It is connected by road with Súria and Avinyó.

The name is thought to be derived from the Catalan words balç and areny; the castle and the village have their origins on an escarpment in a sandy plane. The first written mention of the settlement dates from 966.The village developed around the castle, which was built at a strategic point at the confluence of the river Mujal with the Llobregat, but most people lived in dispersed masias. At the end of the 16th century, Baron Ferran Oliver sold some land around the castle and three streets were created: Carrer Vell, Carrer Nou and Carrer de la Creu.