Murcia
Murcia [ muɾθja ] is a city in southeastern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Murcia and is assigned to the Levante in Spain. It is one of the largest university cities in Spain and with 438 246 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) is the city ranked seventh on the list of cities in Spain.
- 2.1 Population development
- 6.1 Culture
- 6.2 Sports
- 6.3 Specialty
- 8.1 Sons and daughters
Geography
Murcia is located in the valley of the River Segura. To the south rises a small mountain range with the Cresta del Gallo and the Valle Perdido. There is also the Ermita de la Fuensanta, the main sanctuary of the Region of Murcia. To the west of the city the Sierra Espuña is somewhat northwest of the city lies the Sierra espartal with the Revolcadores, the highest mountain in the province of Murcia.
Climate
The Murcia region is one of Europe's driest and hottest regions. In a semi-desert area, temperatures can reach in the summer with ease, the 40 ° C mark. The winters are relatively pleasant, yet from time to freezing temperatures in the single digits be achieved.
History
Murcia has long been a crossing region, which is why Murcia was in constant change between Moorish and Christian rule.
Murcia city was founded under the name Mursiya in 825 by Abd -El - Rahman II. Through the then superior technology Moorish valuable pasture land could be obtained from the inhospitable area, which the city grew in wealth.
1265 Murcia was conquered during the Reconquista final of Christian Spain.
1651 Murcia was completely flooded by the river Segura, in which over 1,000 people lost their lives.
Since provinces in Spain were established as administrative units in the 19th century, Murcia is the capital of the province of Murcia. With the formation of the Autonomous Communities, it was 1982, the capital of which is identical to the province of Murcia.
In recent decades, the population grew by leaps and bounds, so that Murcia is now the seventh largest city in Spain is.
Population Development
1991 to March 1; 1996 of May 1; 1998: as at 1 January
Economy
In addition to the now much less significant agriculture, most of the gross national product of the city of Murcia is generated in the service sector.
Traffic
Murcia has an international airport and used as a military base airport in San Javier, about 40 kilometers from the Mar Menor lagoon.
The opening of what had long been finished new airport Murcia- Corvera, 20 km southwest of Murcia, will be delayed further.
Otherwise has not changed the status of Murcia as a transit region much. There is an extremely high density of highways, including the Autovia del Mediterraneo (A7 ), which runs along the entire Mediterranean coast. Direct motorway connections there are to Madrid and Granada.
The train system is not very well developed. There is a non-electrified route from Cartagena Murcia to Alicante and from there to Barcelona, which is traveled by local trains ( Cercanías ) and individual long-distance trains. Another route leads to Lorca. Links to the Spanish AVE high-speed network, however, is in the planning stage or under construction. The train station of the city, Murcia del Carmen, located just south of the old town in the district of Del Carmen.
Since 2007, a 2.2 km long tram line was in trial operation with four stops along the Avenida Juan Carlos I. It is traveled with borrowed car from Madrid (No. 151 and 152 ). Since May 29, 2011 is now the V- shaped line 1 with 16.7 kilometers and 24 stations in operation.
Attractions
- The cathedral has elements from different centuries.
- The casino is still a club for rich citizens.
- On the mountain Monteagudo an old Roman fort, the remains of an Arab castle and a statue of Christ similar to the one in Rio. In the immediate vicinity there are two Arab castles (Castillo de Larache and Palace of Ibn Mardanisch ).
- In the courtyard of the convent of Santa Clara in the center considerable remains of an Arabian Palace ( Alcazar Seguir ) can be seen.
- The Jardín de San Estebán an entire Arab neighborhoods were recently excavated than you wanted to build on the site of a parking garage. After heavy civil protests and a legal adoption, the project was stopped in December 2009.
- Many interesting churches, some of which have survived the civil war relatively undamaged.
Regional peculiarities
Patron saint of the city is María de la Fuensanta, which is also a name that suggests clearly Murcian origin in Spanish.
Culture
The most important festival of the city is the Bando de la Huerta, which initiates the Fiestas de Primavera and concluded with the Burial de la Sardina. All this takes place shortly after the Semana Santa ( Holy Week ), which is celebrated with numerous processions. These are characterized by the fact that (the monas typical sweets and baked goods ) are distributed in most small gifts. In addition, on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, the so-called Saetas - religious Bittgesänge - sung.
In May, the festival Murcia Tres Culturas takes place, which at the three formerly dominant cultures in the city - to remember - Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
The 1997 released film " Pajarico " by Carlos Saura playing in Murcia 70s. The city does play a major role. The nearly perfect illusion of the 70s is generated inter alia by the then not yet pedestrianized square Cardenal Belluga.
Murcia also has an active music scene, especially in the rock and pop field, including M Clan, Second and Klaus Kinski and.
Sports
Murcia Real Murcia has a club that plays in the Segunda División B. The Basketball Club Polaris World Murcia is represented in the Spanish top flight, the Liga ACB. In Futsal provides the city with El Pozo Murcia Turistica the Spanish champions 2005/2006 and 2006/07. In volleyball, the women's team CAV Murcia 2005, the city represents.
Annually launches the bicycle race Vuelta a Murcia in Murcia. 2010, the city was the destination of a stage of the Vuelta a Espana.
Specialty
Murcian specialties are, inter alia,
- Morcilla ( black pudding with cinnamon and pine nuts)
- Zarangollo ( a stew of zucchini, egg and potatoes)
- Pisto (a kind of ratatouille )
- Pastel de Carne ( a pastry filled with meat )
- Me Irones
- Paparajote ( be baked in fat lemon leaf with pastry case )
- Migas
Twinning
Twin cities of Murcia are:
Personalities
Sons and daughters
- Ibn Arabi (1165-1240), Sufi
- Francisco Salzillo y Alcaraz (1701-1783), Baroque sculptor ( religious art )
- Blas Parera (1776-1840), composer
- José Selgas (1822-1882), writer
- Juan de la Cierva (1895-1936), inventor of the first helicopter ( Giro )
- José Nieto (1902-1982), Spanish actor
- Ramón Gaya (1919-2005), painter
- Nana Lorca ( b. 1937 ), dancer and prima ballerina
- Esperanza eel ( b. 1971 ), artist
- Francisco Pérez (born 1978 ), cyclist
- Óscar Sánchez Fuentes ( born 1979 ), football player
- Eloy Teruel ( b. 1982 ), cyclist
- Luis León Sánchez Gil ( b. 1983 ), cyclist
- Nicolás Almagro ( born 1985 ), tennis player
- Andrés Fernández Moreno ( born 1986 ), football goalkeeper
- Maria José Alcaraz (* 1987), cyclist