city, Barcelona provincia (province), in the comunidad autónoma (autonomous community) of Catalonia, northeastern Spain. The city, a northern industrial suburb of Barcelona, produces metallurgical goods, textiles, chemicals, bicycles, and paper. Nearby is the Torre Pallaresa, a 16th-century (late Gothic) country house. Archaeological finds have shown Santa Coloma to be the site of a pre-Roman settlement. In 1471 the Catalans were defeated there by John II of Aragon. Pop. (2007 est.) mun., 116,765.