Piera to Host Talk on Founder of Venezuela’s Barcelona

Event Shines Light on Historical Ties to Venezuela

On Wednesday 7 October at 7 PM, the Piera Library will host a presentation on Joan Orpí (1593–1645), the Piera-born explorer who founded Nueva Barcelona del Cerro Santo in present-day Venezuela. The settlement later became the city of Barcelona, now capital of Anzoátegui state and home to over one million people in its metropolitan area. The discussion forms part of the Piera km0 series, a local heritage initiative by the Centre d’Estudis Pierencs and Piera Library to promote knowledge of the town’s history, culture, and natural environment.

This is more than just a historical curiosity, it’s a living connection between our town and a major Venezuelan city.

Book Launch Explores Catalonia-Venezuela Links

The event will feature the premiere of journalist Marc Serena’s new book L'altra Barcelona (The Other Barcelona), to be published the following day by La Campana. The work examines the deep-rooted ties between Catalonia and Venezuela, with a focus on Piera, where the main square has borne Joan Orpí’s name since the 1960s. Serena, a Manresa native, is known for his immersive non-fiction, including La volta dels 25, Això no és africà!, and the photobook Microcatalunya, now in its third edition. Participants in the Piera discussion will include local historian Raúl Moreno and Adrianna Quena, a member of the Col·lectiu Eixarcolant from Jorba, who has Venezuelan roots and strong ties to the Anoia region.