All landscapes have character, which is to say they have a personality, an idiosyncrasy, an identity that makes them different from any other. The character of a place is such a powerful landscape concept that it ends up explaining why people feel connected to one place and not another, reinforcing their collective imagination. This book, jointly published by the Landscape Observatory and the Town Hall of Olot, shows, through landscape and architecture, the character of the city of Olot and its surroundings. It reflects a collective sensitivity, shared across all layers of society, where the aura of the School of Art undoubtedly lingers, encompassing everything from official culture to hobbies. And it also highlights the unresolved contradiction between the idealization of the bucolic landscape by landscape painters and the industrial development of the city, driven by artisans trained in the very same school.

• Alot Olot. Arquitectura, paisatge i deliri garrotxí. (14Mb)