Castro Urdiales

Castro Urdiales is a town in the Spanish autonomous community of Cantabria.

Geography and climate

The city is the capital of the homonymous Municipality (Municipio ), it lies on the Costa Occidental and is the third largest city in Cantabria. Thanks to its location on the Bay of Biscay has a temperate maritime weather: humid, with cool summers and mild winters.

Community structure

In addition to the eponymous capital include the following villages of the municipality Castro Urdiales: Allendelagua, Baltezana, Cerdigo, Islares, Lusa, Mioño, Ontón, Oriñón, Otanes Sámano, Santullán, Sonabia and Talledo.

History

Numerous rock paintings in caves indicate a prehistoric settlement. Pliny the Elder mentions in his Naturalis historia a place called Portus Amanus ( port of Amanen ) and the Castrum Vardulies ( bearing the Vardulen ). 74 AD, the Roman colony Flaviobriga founded in the area of ​​both places and named after Vespasian.

Attractions

• Church of Santa Maria
• Fort of Santa Ana

Famous sons and daughters of the town

• Ataúlfo Argenta (1913-1958), pianist and director of the Spanish National Orchestra
• Eladio Laredo (1864-1941), architect
• Pedro Zaballa (1938-1997), football player
• Ricardo Cortes Lastra (born 1969 ), politician
• Eladio Sánchez ( born 1984 ), cyclist