Miranda de Ebro
Miranda de Ebro | ||
---|---|---|
Municipality and town | ||
Postal code 09200 | ||
Website | Official website |
Miranda de Ebro (Spanish: [miˈɾan̪da ðe ˈeβɾo]) is a city on the
The city has an industrial economy focusing on the chemical industry. It is an important transportation hub, especially as a railroad junction. Within 80 kilometres (50 miles) are the cities of Bilbao, Burgos, Logroño and Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Geography
The city of Miranda de Ebro is located in the northeastern part of the
The city is divided into two parts by the river Ebro. The old part is named Aquende and the new part is named Allende.
History
The first settlements in the area date from the Iron Age. The Roman ruins of Arce are located only 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Miranda. There, according to the most recent studies, the Roman city of Deóbriga was built. Roman ruins are also found in the nearby municipalities of Cabriana and Puentelarrá.
The earliest mention of the name of Miranda de Ebro is in the Codex Vigilanus, which describes the famous expedition that Alfonso I of Asturias undertook in 757. This codex discusses destroyed localities, one of which was Miranda.
After the assassination of
In 1254,
The arrival of the railway in 1862 marked the beginning of the industrial revolution in the city. The junction of the lines from Madrid to Irun and Castejón to Bilbao was at Miranda railway station, making it the most important rail junction in northern Spain.
In 1907,
During the
Since 1992,
Politics
The mayoress of the city is Aitana Hernando, member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). The People's Party (PP) and the United Left Party (IU) have minority representation. Another local party is Izquierda Mirandesa.
Group | Leader | Seats | Situation | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party | Aitana Hernando | 10 | Government | ||
People's Party | Borja Suárez | 7 | Opposition | ||
United Left | Guillermo Ubieto | 2 | Opposition | ||
Miranda Can ( Podemos ) |
María Esperanza Muñoz | 1 | Opposition | ||
Let's Win Miranda ( Equo ) |
José Ignacio Redondo | 1 | Opposition |
Economy and demographics
The
The
In 1969 the first industrial estate of Bayas was conceived, but not until 1981 were various businesses established. It marked the beginning of many projects for the industrial and commercial development of the city. Other companies in the region produce food, aeronautical, iron and steel products.
Traditional commerce has made way for new enterprises for business and leisure. Companies like E.Leclerc, Inditex, Eroski, Mercadona and others have settled in the city. No commercial center exists and the commerce of Miranda is harmed due to the competition generated from nearby Vitoria.
The last data gathered by the INE (2008) indicate that Miranda de Ebro has a population of 39,586 inhabitants. After a gradual reduction of population during the 1990s, Miranda has gained inhabitants each year due in part to arrivals from neighboring Álava in search of cheap housing. There has also been an increase in the immigrant population (10.8% of the total).
Transport
Its geographic location straddling the northern plateau of Ebro Valley and Basque territory makes Miranda de Ebro an important transport hub, especially for rail traffic.
Intercity transport
Numerous
The Miranda de Ebro railway station is considered first class within the national rankings. Two lines,
The Miranda de Ebro bus terminal will be located on Railway Circle in the city centre, a few metres from the station. Construction is expected to start in 2009.[3]
Although Miranda de Ebro has no airport of its own,
Local transport
A fleet of buses operate a single route between the hospital and El Lago, though two new lines are expected in 2009.[4]
Miranda de Ebro also has its own fleet of taxis covering services to Vitoria and Plaza de la Estación. In recent years the city has been creating a network of bicycle lanes expected to extend 27 kilometres (17 miles) and, since September 2008, the city has provided a bike rental service, Biciudad Miranda, similar to those of other major cities.
Main sights
Civil structures
- Carlos III Bridge. Constructed in 1777 under the direction of Francisco Alejo of Aranguren, it consists of 6 arches and includes jetties at each end to reduce the impact of the waves. Since 1786 two lions have guarded the bridge, the work of sculptor Juan Antonio de Moraza; one of them clutches the royal shield and the other that of the city.
- The present City Hall has stood in the Plaza de España since 1778. This building is also the work of Francisco Alejo of Aranguren and was modified by Ventura Rodríguez. The building is in the neoclassic style, constructed of pillowed masonry blocks and finished with triangular and semicircular bays.
- Castle of Miranda de Ebro, of which only a few walls remain. Built in the 14th century by Count Don Tello, it remained in operation until the Carlist Wars of the nineteenth century. In the early twentieth century it was dismantled and filled in with earth, and many of its stones were used to build the now defunct bullfighting arena.[citation needed]
- Several mansions dot the old town of Miranda de Ebro. The impressive House of Chains (Casa de las Cadenas) of the sixteenth century hosted Ferdinand VII of Spain, who in 1828 installed the chains as a memento of their stay. Another remarkable building is the Urbina House (Casa de los Urbina), also of the sixteenth century, with its protruding defensive turrets. It hosted King Philip IV of Spain on his journey to France, and Margarita of Savoy, Vicereine of Portugal, who died there in 1655.
- Railway Station, built in 1862 by English architect Charles Vignoles, one of the oldest stations in northern Spain. It houses the junction of the Madrid–Irun and Castejón–Bilbao lines. Its remarkable Victorian-style iron porticos were cast in London's Frederick Brabyfoundries.
- Riojan architect Fermin Alamo. Its historicistdecorations, such as its busts erected on the windows and its ornamental plants, are outstanding. The adjoining building is in the same style and will be joined to the theater after renovation.
- La Picota. Sculpted in 1569 by local master Maese Miguel Aguirre, this is the village rollo, a stone pillar symbolizing judicial power in times past.
- Plaza de Abastos, dedicated in 1917 in the heart of the city. Noted for its solidness of construction and authentic Islamic appointments.
- Old Convent of the Three Kings Augustinian Recollects. In 1911 the Troconiz family built a northern style chalet, later selling it to Three Kings Augustinian Recollects, who in 1950 extended it with a chapel of similar style. It features a pyramidal tower and pillowed stone façade. It has belonged to the Government of Castile and Leónsince 1998.
Religious structures
- Church of the Holy Spirit. Known in antiquity under the name of its patron Saint Nicholas, this Roman-style temple is mentioned in the 1099 Miranda Charter. Its façade and Gothic nave from the sixteenth. It suffered major damage before the Spanish Civil War(May 1936), and has been called by its present name since being renovated.
- Saint Mary's Church, built in the 16th century in Late Gothic-Renaissance. In its interior lies the mummified body of Pascual Martinez, known as "El Chantre" ("The Cantor").
- Church of the Sacred Hearts. Located in the historic convent of San Francisco, the church was built in the sixteenth century. It is noted for its baroque-style steeple, built in 1693.
- Old Church of Saint John, in ruins since 1875. Nevertheless, in its interior are preserved the principal naves decorated in colors, the baptismal font, and the compound ogive windows.
- St. Nicholas's Church. Built in 1945, its construction project came in second in the National Architecture Competition that year. It includes three basilica-type naves, an apse, and a large rose window in its façade. Its interior features large tapestries painted by Manuel Navarro and his brother, hung from the apse wall.
Parks and gardens
Miranda de Ebro has not historically been known for having many areas of greenery within the city, but in recent years a series of parks and gardens have been created to correct this shortcoming. In January 2009 the city had 646,377 square meters of green areas, amounting to 16.35 square meters per inhabitant.
- Antonio Machado Park, built in 1915, is the centermost park in Miranda de Ebro and has an area of 12,500 square meters. The park combines two very different styles: While its central crossing, with its embankments and wide paths, is clearly of French style the four gardens in its corners stand out for their stately tall trees and great expanses of lawn typical of English parks. In 1927 a kiosk was erected in the middle of the park, which three years later would be covered with a cupola designed by Fermin Alamo. Also found in the park are monuments to the Municipal Band, to Francisco Cantera, and to the ninth centennial of the Miranda Charter.
- Miranda de Ebro Botanical Garden, adjacent to the old convent of the Servants of Jesus in the historical district, covers some 2,400 square meters of terraces on the slopes of La Picota. The garden houses 700 distinct species identified by common name, scientific name, variety, family, and place of origin.
Sports
The town of Miranda de Ebro features most of its sports facilities in Anduva Municipal MultiSports (Polideportivo Municipal de Anduva), which contains tennis courts, a covered court, a heated pool, outdoor pools, multi-sport fields, a gymnasium, a running track, and soccer pitches with both natural and artificial grass. Other sporting facilities in the city include
Sports clubs
- Club Deportivo Mirandés (or simply "Mirandés") is an association football team founded in 1927. Mirandés competes in the Spanish second division and has its home ground at the Anduva Municipal Stadium. Its supporters are known as the "marea rojilla", or "red tide".
- Club Voley Miranda was a volleyball club that currently competes in the Women's Superleague 2.
Sporting events
- Cross National Prince of Spain
- Motos concentration
- Vuelta a Burgos
Celebrations and events
There are many celebrations and fairs held in Miranda de Ebro throughout the year. The first event of the year is the March Fair or Fair of the Angel, which is celebrated on 1 March and whose origin dates back to the 14th century. The first weekend of May is the May Fair, which has coincided since 1997 with the Medieval market.
The main celebration in Miranda de Ebro is the
Education
Twin towns – sister cities
- Vierzon, France
Notes
- ^ Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles, Spanish National Railway Network
- ^ Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias, Railway Infrastructure Administration
References
- ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
- ^ "Miranda asume ya desde su nuevo puesto de mando el control ferroviario del norte del pais". El Correo (in Spanish). March 20, 2007. Archived from the original on February 11, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
- ^ "Adif saca a licitación el proyecto de estación de autobuses de Miranda de Ebro (Burgos)". Europa Press (in Spanish). November 14, 2008. Retrieved January 14, 2008.
- ^ Crespo, María Ángeles (November 18, 2008). "Miranda esperimentará con dos nuevas líneas de autobuses urbanos en 2009". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved January 14, 2008.
External links
- Official website (in Spanish)
- Cámara de Comercio de Miranda de Ebro (in Spanish)
- Center os History of Miranda de Ebro (in Spanish)