The etymology of Olot is not clear and there are several hypotheses. According to the Crònica Universal de Catalunya, Olot was founded by Ulo, former king of the dynasty of Atlanteans,, with the name of Ulot. Another theory, more widespread, is that the name comes from ala, because the city has been documented with the names Aulot and Alot. For this reason, the coat of arms of Olot has a wing in reference to the name of the city.
Olot is located on a plain surrounded by the mountain ranges of Valentí, Aiguanegra, the plateau of Batet, Marboleny and Sant Valentí de la Pinya. The plain is crossed by the Fluvià river and the Riudaura stream. There are four volcanoes in the city of Olot, called Montolivet, Montsacopa, Garrinada and Bisaroques. The Fluvià discharges 1.07 m3/s into the Mediterranean Sea. The area of Garrotxa is generally more humid than neighbouring regions. The annual rainfall is around 1000 mm. Popularly, it is said that "if it isn't raining in Olot, it isn't raining anywhere". The minimum in Olot in January is around 0 °C, and the maximum in August is around 28 °C.
Population
Main sights
The Montsacopa volcano is one of the main symbols of Olot. It has a cone of volcanic material and a circular crater. From above, a 360° panoramic of the city can be seen. The volcano also has a chapel on its top, dedicated to Saint Francis, and two watchtowers surrounding the crater. The old town, which grew up in the 9th century, has a rich cultural heritage, including the three-storied neo-classical cloister from the Hospici, the church of la Mare de Déu del Tura, the Renaissance cloister of El Carme, and the Sant Esteve Parish Church, which was built in 1763 and it contains several artistic treasures, including an original El Greco. Also in the old town there are examples of Art Nouveau architecture, like the Solà-Morales house. Painting, sculpture and ceramics have been the key elements in the art of Olot, not to mention the tradition of the Nativity Scenes, and the worldwide famous sculptures of saints. Also of importance is the School of Art, which was created in 1783 and nowadays it is the most important school of arts in the province of Girona. The artistic tradition of the city can be seen in several museums, being the Museu Comarcal de la Garrotxa the most relevant. In Olot there are two important natural areas, the Moixina and the Parc Nou, which are characterized by their oak woods, which boast an undestorey of plants that are extremely rare on the south side of the Pyrenees. These woods also inspired many of the painters from the "Olot school". With the city being situated in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, the surrounding area also offers spectacular natural places like the Fageda d'en Jordà or the natural springs of Sant Roc. The city also has a bicycle lane connecting to Girona, which was an old railway. Main products of Olot's local gastronomy are the sweet herbal liquor ratafia, the traditional cakes coca de llardons and tortell de matafaluga, the charcuterie from Olot, the Olot potatoes, and the buckwheat flour. Some of the restaurants of the city have grouped together, offering the so-called "volcanic cuisine".
