San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia (Basque) | |
---|---|
Donostia / San Sebastián | |
UTC+2 (CEST) | |
Postal codes | 20001–20018 |
Area code | +34 943 (Gipuzkoa) |
Website | City Council |
San Sebastián, officially known by the bilingual name Donostia / San Sebastián (Basque: [doˈnos̺ti.a], Spanish: [san seβasˈtjan]),[4][5] is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, 20 km (12 miles) from the France–Spain border. The capital city of the province of Gipuzkoa, the municipality's population is 188,102 as of 2021,[6] with its metropolitan area reaching 436,500 in 2010.[7] Locals call themselves donostiarra (singular), both in Spanish[8] and Basque. It is also a part of Basque Eurocity Bayonne-San Sebastián.
The economic activities in the city are dominated by the
Etymology
In spite of appearance, both the
Geography
The city is located in the north of the Basque Country, on the south-eastern coast of the Bay of Biscay. San Sebastián has three beaches, Concha, Ondarreta, and Zurriola, and is surrounded by hilly areas: Urgull (adjacent to the old part of the city), Mount Ulia (extending east to Pasaia), Mount Adarra (south of the city) and Igeldo (overlooking Concha Bay from the west).
San Sebastián lies at the
Climate
San Sebastián features an oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb)[15] with warm summers and cool winters. Like many cities with this climate, San Sebastián typically experiences cloudy or overcast conditions for the majority of the year, typically with some precipitation. The city averages roughly 1,650 mm (65 in) of precipitation annually, which is fairly evenly spread throughout the year. However, the city is somewhat drier and noticeably sunnier in the summer months, experiencing on average approximately 100 mm (3.94 in) of precipitation during those months. Average temperatures range from 8.9 °C (48.0 °F) in January to 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) in August.
Climate data for San Sebastián Airport Hondarribia, (15 km (9 miles) east of San Sebastián) (1991–2020, extremes since 1955) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 24.6 (76.3) |
28.6 (83.5) |
29.0 (84.2) |
32.4 (90.3) |
36.6 (97.9) |
43.5 (110.3) |
42.2 (108.0) |
40.0 (104.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
33.4 (92.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
26.0 (78.8) |
43.5 (110.3) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) |
13.8 (56.8) |
16.2 (61.2) |
17.8 (64.0) |
20.8 (69.4) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.1 (77.2) |
25.9 (78.6) |
23.9 (75.0) |
20.9 (69.6) |
16.2 (61.2) |
13.8 (56.8) |
19.3 (66.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.9 (53.4) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.5 (61.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.8 (71.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
16.7 (62.1) |
12.3 (54.1) |
10.0 (50.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) |
5.4 (41.7) |
7.6 (45.7) |
9.3 (48.7) |
12.3 (54.1) |
15.4 (59.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
17.8 (64.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
12.4 (54.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
6.2 (43.2) |
11.1 (52.0) |
Record low °C (°F) | −12.0 (10.4) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
7.8 (46.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
4.6 (40.3) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−13.0 (8.6) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 172.6 (6.80) |
141.2 (5.56) |
132.8 (5.23) |
142.6 (5.61) |
126.0 (4.96) |
105.6 (4.16) |
91.7 (3.61) |
112.9 (4.44) |
143.4 (5.65) |
173.9 (6.85) |
227.0 (8.94) |
177.7 (7.00) |
1,747.4 (68.81) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 13.7 | 11.9 | 12.4 | 13.4 | 12.3 | 10.4 | 9.9 | 10.0 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 14.0 | 12.8 | 143.3 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 87 | 109 | 146 | 164 | 190 | 190 | 204 | 207 | 178 | 138 | 91 | 80 | 1,784 |
Source: Météo Climat[16] |
Climate data for San Sebastián Airport Hondarribia, (15 km (9 miles) east of San Sebastián) (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) |
13.8 (56.8) |
16.1 (61.0) |
17.5 (63.5) |
20.7 (69.3) |
23.1 (73.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
25.7 (78.3) |
24.0 (75.2) |
21.0 (69.8) |
16.2 (61.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
19.2 (66.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
13.0 (55.4) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
16.4 (61.5) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
14.8 (58.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.7 (40.5) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.5 (47.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
14.8 (58.6) |
16.9 (62.4) |
17.2 (63.0) |
14.7 (58.5) |
11.8 (53.2) |
7.8 (46.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 157 (6.2) |
135 (5.3) |
124 (4.9) |
156 (6.1) |
120 (4.7) |
95 (3.7) |
85 (3.3) |
117 (4.6) |
132 (5.2) |
167 (6.6) |
188 (7.4) |
174 (6.9) |
1,649 (64.9) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 138 |
Average snowy days | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
75 | 72 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 75 | 74 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 88 | 108 | 141 | 159 | 182 | 188 | 198 | 197 | 170 | 134 | 96 | 81 | 1,750 |
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[17]
|
History
Prehistory
The first evidence of human stationary presence in the current city is the
Antiquity
There were Roman settlements (from around 50-200 AD) in what is now the Old Part of the city, according to excavations carried out in the convent of Santa Teresa, on the slopes of Urgull.[19]
San Sebastián is thought to have been in the territory of the Varduli tribe in the Roman times. 10 km (6 mi) east of the current city lay the Basque Roman town of Oiasso (Irun) which was subsequently incorrectly identified with San Sebastián for some time by many historians.[citation needed]
Middle Ages
No written records about the place are known until, in 1014, the monastery of Saint Sebastian with its apple orchards for cider production, then located within the boundaries of the town of
In 1200, the city was conquered by
In 1265, the use of the city as a seaport was granted to Navarre as part of a wedding pact. The large quantity of Gascons inhabiting the town favoured the development of trade with other European ports and Gascony. The city steered clear of the destructive War of the Bands in Gipuzkoa, the only town in doing so in that territory. In fact, the town only joined Gipuzkoa in 1459 after the war came to an end.[20] Up to the 16th century, Donostia remained mostly out of wars, but by the beginning of the 15th century, a line of walls of simple construction is attested encircling the town. The last chapter of the town in the Middle Ages was brought about by a fire that devastated Donostia in 1489. After burning to the ground, the town began a new renaissance by building up mainly with stone instead of bare timber.
Modern Age
The advent of the Modern Age brought a period of instability and war for the city. New state boundaries were drawn that left Donostia located close to
After these events, Gascons, who had played a leading role in the political and economic life of the town since its foundation, began to be excluded from influential public positions by means of a string of regional sentences upheld by royal decision (regional diets of
In 1660, the city was used as the royal headquarters during the marriage of the Infanta to Louis XIV at Saint-Jean-de-Luz nearby. After a relatively peaceful 17th century, the town was besieged and taken over by the troops of the French Duke of Berwick up to 1721. However, San Sebastián was not spared by shelling in the French assault and many urban structures were reconstructed, e.g. a new opening in the middle of the town, the Plaza Berria (that was to become the current Konstituzio Plaza).
In 1728, the Guipuzcoan Company of Caracas was founded and boosted commerce with the Americas. Thanks to the profit the company generated, the town underwent some urban reforms and improvements and the new Santa Maria Church was erected by subscription. This period of wealth and development was to last up to the end of 18th century.[21]: 56/58
In 1808,
Contemporary history
After these destructive events, reconstruction of the city was commenced in the original location with a slightly altered layout. A modern octagonal layout as drafted by the architect P.M. Ugartemendia was turned down and eventually M. Gogorza's blueprint was approved, then supervised and implemented by the Ugartemendia. This area, the old town, has a neoclassical, austere and systematic style of architectural construction. Constitution Square was built in 1817 and the town hall (currently a library) between 1828 and 1832.[14]: 100 Housing in the old town was built gradually alongside the rest of the area.
The liberal and bourgeois San Sebastián became the capital of
At the beginning of the 19th century, the local government was still ruled by the principle of nobility, while inhabitants of foreign origin or descent had always been numerous in the town, especially among the trading community. Although San Sebastián benefited greatly from the charter system established in the Southern Basque Country (foruak, with borders in the Ebro river and no duties for overseas goods), the town was at odds with the more traditional Gipuzkoa, even requesting secession from the province and annexation to Navarre in 1841.
In 1863, the
However, in 1875, war came to the town again, and in 1876 shelling over the city by
After much debate in the city over whether to pursue an economy based on tourism or manufacturing, Donostia developed into a fully-fledged seaside resort, but some industry developed in the district of Antiguo and on the outskirts of the city. Following the outbreak of World War I, San Sebastián became a destination for renowned international figures of culture and politics,
San Sebastián was one of earliest towns hit by the 1918 Influenza epidemic, dealing with a first wave outbreak in February of that year. Officials feared for the city's reputation and attempted to keep the disease's spread quiet, to no avail, and the outbreak soon spread throughout Spain.[25]
Various rationalist architectural works, typically white or light-coloured, were built in the 1920s and 1930s, such as La Equitativa, Nautico, and Easo. In 1924–1926, canalisation work was carried out on the Urumea river at the southern edge of the city. However, after the city's Belle Epoque in the European wartime, repression under Miguel Primo de Rivera's dictatorship was not favourable for the city. In 1924, gambling was prohibited by the authoritarian regime, causing existential problems for the Grand Casino and the Kursaal (1921).
In 1930, Spanish republican forces signed up to the
In the aftermath of war, the city was stricken by poverty, famine and repression, coupled with a thriving smuggling trade. Many republican detainees were held at the beach-side Ondarreta Prison in grim and humid conditions, until the building was demolished in 1948. However, industrial development paved the way for urban expansion in the Egia and Amara Berri districts, on the marshes and riverbed of the Urumea, at the end of the 1940s and beginning of the 1950s.
In 1943, the first Basque language schools were established by Elvira Zipitria, who taught in Basque from her home in the Old Town. In 1947, the Grand Casino was converted into the City Hall.[14]: 95 In 1953, city businessmen organised the first San Sebastián International Film Festival to stimulate the economic life and profile of the city.
Mass immigration from other parts of Spain, spurred by growing industrial production, greatly increased the population, initiating rapid and chaotic urban development on the outskirts of the city (Altza, Intxaurrondo, Herrera, Bidebieta). Social, cultural and political conflicts followed, leading to popular dissatisfaction. Protests and street demonstrations became more common, driven by Basque nationalists (especially the armed separatist organisation ETA) and various underground unions, triggering the first state of emergency in Gipuzkoa in 1968. Several more were imposed by the Francoist authorities in the period immediately preceding Franco's death in 1975.
Amid the fragile economic situation and real estate speculation, the Kursaal and the Chofre bullring in Gros were demolished in 1973.[23] From 1975 to 1977, sculptor Eduardo Chillida and architect Luis Peña Ganchegui's landmark The Comb of the Winds was built at the western tip of the bay. The 1970s to the mid-1980s were years of general urban and social decay marked by social and political unrest and violence.
In 1979, the first democratic municipal elections were held, won by the
From the 1990s, a major makeover of the city centre began, aimed at enhancing and revamping the neoclassical and modernist side of San Sebastián's architecture. Other regeneration projects included the reshaping and enlargement of Zurriola beach and promenade, the opening of the
Districts of the city
New districts developed after the walls of the city were demolished in 1863, as the city expanded in several directions, first into the flatlands shaped by the river Urumea and later up the hills. The first expansion of the old town was towards the river's mouth, on the old quarter called Zurriola (a name later given by Council decision to the sand area and the avenue across the river).[14]: 13, 322
The
Parte Vieja / Parte Zaharra
The Parte Vieja (Spanish) or Alde Zaharra
There is a small fishing and recreation port, with two-floor houses lined under the front-wall of mount Urgull. These houses are relatively new, resulting from the demilitarization of the hill,[14]: 218 sold to the city council by the Ministry of War in 1924.
Antiguo
This part is located on the western side of the city beyond the Miramar Palace. The monastery of San Sebastián el Antiguo ('the Old') is mentioned in historical documents from the time of the foundation of the city in the 12th century.[14]: 35 In the mid 19th century, industrial enterprises developed in the district, such as Cervezas El León, Suchard, and Lizarriturry,[31] and it subsequently came to be populated by workers. Industry has since been replaced by services and the tourism sector. The Matia kalea provides the main axis for the district.
Amara Zaharra
Amara Zaharra ("Old Amara") is named after the Amara farmhouse.[14]: 30 Over time it has mostly merged with the city centre, as the former Amara lay on the marshes on the left of the River Urumea. The core of this district is the Easo plaza, with the Euskotren railway terminal closing the square at its south.
Amara Berri
This southern expansion of the city began from the 1940s, after the completion of works to canalize the river.[14]: 30–31, 92 Nowadays the name Amara usually refers to this district, which has exceeded Amara Zaharra both in size and population. The district revolves around the axis of Avenida Sancho el Sabio and Avenida de Madrid, and is the main road entrance to the city. Facilities of many state run agencies are established here, as well as many business offices.
Gros
The district is built on the sandy terrain across the river from the old town. In the 19th century, shanties and workshops began to appear in this area, which was eventually named for Tomás Gros, one of the main proprietors.[14]: 148–149 The former monumental bullring in the area, Chofre, was demolished in 1973, and the site is now occupied by a housing estate. A relatively recent major landmark of the district is the Kursaal Congress Centre overlooking Zurriola Beach.
Aiete
One of the newest parts of the city, Aiete retained a rural character until not long ago.[when?][14]: 60–61 The post-war city council purchased the compound of the Aiete Palace for the use of Francisco Franco in 1940, immediately after the Civil War. The palace became Franco's summer residence until 1975,[14]: 62 and is now home to the Bakearen Etxea (Peace Memorial House).
Egia
Egia, stemming from (H)Egia (Basque for either bank/shore or hill), is a district of San Sebastián on the right side of the Urumea beyond the train station. At the beginning of the 20th century, a patch of land by the railway started to be used as a football pitch, eventually turning into the official stadium of the local team Real Sociedad before it was transferred in the 1990s to Anoeta,[14]: 111 south of Amara Berri (nowadays the site harbours houses). The former tobacco factory building Tabakalera, which has been converted into a Contemporary Culture Centre, conjures up the former industrial past of the area.[14]: 111 Right opposite to this building lies the Cristina Enea park, a public compound with a botanic vocation. Egia holds the city cemetery, Polloe, at the north-east fringes of the district, stretching out to South Intxaurrondo.
Intxaurrondo
This part (meaning 'walnut tree' in Basque) is a large district to the east of the city. The original nucleus lies between the railway and the Ategorrieta Avenue, where still today the farmhouse Intxaurrondo Zar, declared "National Monument", is situated since the mid-17th century. The railway cuts across the district, the southern side being the fruit of the heavy development undergone in the area during the immigration years of the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, further housing estates have been built up more recently souther beyond the N-1 E-5 E-80 E-70 ring road (South Intxaurrondo). The police force Guardia Civil runs controversial barracks there (works for new housing are underway).
Altza
Altza (Basque for alder tree) is the easternmost district of San Sebastián, along with Bidebieta and Trintxerpe. In 1910 it was a quaint village comprising scattered farmhouses and a small nucleus, with 2,683 inhabitants, but the arrival of thousands of immigrants in the 1960s and 1970s led to rapid and chaotic housing and building activity, resulting in a maze of grey landscape of skyscrapers with a population of 32,531 in 1970. The population is 20,000 as of 2013[update].[32]
Ibaeta
Ibaeta stands on the former location for various factories (e.g., Cervezas El León) of San Sebastián, with the buildings of the old industrial estate being demolished in the late 20th century. The levelling of this large flat area paved the ground for a carefully planned modern and elegant housing estate, featuring a new university campus for the public University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU)[24] and institutions such as the Donostia International Physics Center or the Nanotechnology Center. A stream called Konporta flows down along the eastern side of the area, but it was canalized under the ground almost all along to its mouth on the bay pushed by urban building pressure.
Loiola
It lies by the Urumea at the south-east end of the city. It comprises a small patch of detached houses (Ciudad Jardín) and a core area of 6-odd floor buildings. The district has recently gone through a major makeover, with works finishing in 2008. The road axis coming from important industrial areas (Astigarraga-Hernani) crosses the district heading downtown. A military base stands across the river,[33] home to an uprising in 1936. Attempts by the city council to close it have been unsuccessful so far.
Riberas de Loiola
New modern district erected in the 2000s next to the city's inner bypass and south road entrance to San Sebastián. A pedestrian bridge spans the Urumea river onto the Cristina Enea Park.
Martutene
The Martutene district bordering to the south on the town of Astigarraga comes next to Loiola in the south direction. This part of the city features an industrial area, a football pitch for lower leagues, a disused vocational training building and enclosure as well as a prison, much in decay and due to be transferred soon to a new location, probably in the municipality's exclave of Zubieta, while this option is coming in for much opposition.
Ulia
This part stands on the east side of the city at the foot of the
Añorga
Former area of caserios on the outskirts of San Sebastián, the establishment in 1900 of the Cementos Rezola company in the neighborhood transformed Añorga into an industrial-type neighborhood, although it will lose its rural character that it once had. Even considering Añorga a single neighborhood, three distinct neighborhoods are generally distinguished: Añorga (Añorga Haundi), Añorga-Txiki and Rekalde. According to the National Institute of Statistics, it had 1769 inhabitants in 2013.
Zubieta
The exclave Zubieta (meaning 'place of bridges') was a village until recent years, with a number of houses, a pelota pitch (with a single wall as opposed to the regular two) and a church. However, it has since undergone much urban development, and is now a built-up area with paved streets and due equipment.[citation needed] There are two contested proposals for a new solid-waste incinerator and a prison in the area.[citation needed] In the wake of the 1813 burning, inhabitants of San Sebastián held a meeting at a house in the village to decide the reconstruction of the town.
Culture and events
San Sebastián has a dynamic cultural scene, and was selected as European Capital of Culture for 2016 (shared with Wrocław, Poland) with the motto, "Waves of people's energy".
Cultural events including traditional city festivals, music, theatre, and cinema take place throughout the year, especially in summer. In the last week of July, the city hosts the
Other cinema festivals in the city include: Street Zinema, an international audiovisual festival exploring contemporary art and urban culture; the Horror and Fantasy Festival in October; and the Surfilm Festival, a cinema festival featuring surfing footage, especially shorts.
San Sebastián Day
Every year on 20 January, the feast of Saint Sebastian, the people of San Sebastián celebrate a festival known as the "Tamborrada", the most celebrated festival of the year for residents of the town. At midnight, in the Konstituzio plaza in the "Alde Zaharra/Parte Vieja" (Old Part), the mayor raises the flag of San Sebastián. For 24 hours, the entire city is filled with the sound of drums. The adults march around the city dressed as chefs and soldiers throughout the night as part of the March of San Sebastián.[33]
On this day in the early 19th century, a procession was held from the Santa Maria Church in the Old Part to the San Sebastián Church in the district of
Adults usually have dinner in
La Semana Grande/Aste Nagusia
A festival, La Semana Grande in Spanish and Aste Nagusia in Basque ("The Big/Main Week"), is held every year in mid-August. A major international fireworks competition is held during the festival, in which teams representing various countries and cities put on a fireworks display each night over the bay, with the winner of the contest announced at the end. The displays are sometimes accompanied by a full live orchestra performing on the boardwalk. Attendees often claim spots along the beach and bay hours in advance.[33] The festival also includes a parade of marching bands, entertainers on stilts, and Basque processional giants every afternoon. Semana Grande attracts a lot of domestic and international tourism. [34]
Basque Week
Running for several decades at the beginning of September, Basque Week features events related to Basque culture, such as performances of traditional improvising poets (
Santa Ageda Bezpera
Saint Agatha's Eve is a traditional event taking place at the beginning of February or end of January in many places around the
Caldereros
This is a local festival held on the first Saturday of February linked to the upcoming Carnival, where different groups of people dressed in Romani tinkers attire take to the streets banging rhythmically a hammer or spoon against a pot or pan, and usually bar-hop while they sing the traditional songs for the occasion. They were just male voices some time ago, but women participate and sing currently too, and the main event is at the City Hall, where the city band plays marches while the crowds bang the pots and pans. The festival began in 1884.[citation needed]
Santo Tomas
The Santo Tomas festival takes place on
Olentzero
As in other Basque cities, towns and villages, on Christmas Eve the Olentzero and the accompanying carol singers usually dressed in Basque farmer costume take over the streets, especially in the city centre, asking for small donations in bars, shops and banks after singing their repertoire. Sometimes Olentzero choirs roam around the streets in later dates, on the 31st for example, and are often related to cultural, social or political associations and demands.
Economy
The main economic activities are commerce and tourism. San Sebastián is one of the best-known tourist destinations in Spain.[9]
The international technology organisation Ikusi is based in San Sebastián.
Transport
The city is served by
Gastronomy
San Sebastián is renowned for its Basque cuisine. San Sebastián and the surrounding area is home to a high concentration of restaurants with
It is also the birthplace of Basque gastronomical societies, with the oldest recorded mention of such a txoko back in 1870. In addition, San Sebastián hosts the first institution to offer a university degree in Gastronomy, the Basque Culinary Center.[38]
University
Donostia / San Sebastián has become an important University town. Four universities and a superior conservatory are present in the city:
- University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU): San Sebastián hosts the Gipuzkoa Campus of the public university.
- University of Navarra: The private university has an engineering-centered campus, Tecnun, in San Sebastián.
- University of Deusto: Built in 1956, the San Sebastián campus of the private university offers different university degrees.
- Mondragon University: The pioneering Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences of this private university is located in San Sebastián.
- Musikene: The Higher School of Music of the Basque Country is located in San Sebastián.
The secondary studies activity is having an increasing impact on social, cultural, technological and economical levels of the city and surroundings. With its pushing innovative and research centers and its research strategies it is becoming one of Spain's main Science production locations, along with Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Seville and Valencia, among others. Donostia / San Sebastián's scientific production covers areas like Materials Science, Cancer Research, Alzheimer and Parkinson, Architecture, Polymer Science, Biomaterials, Nanotechnology, Robotics or Informatics.
Sport
The principal
Each summer the city plays host to a well known cycling race, the one-day Clásica de San Sebastián ("San Sebastián Classic"). Cycling races are popular in Spain, and the Clásica de San Sebastián professional is held during early August. It has been held annually in San Sebastián since 1981. The race is part of the UCI World Tour and was previously part of its predecessors UCI ProTour and UCI Road World Cup. A women's version of the race has been held since 2019.
Notable people
- Mikel Arteta (born 1982), current manager and former player of Premier League club Arsenal.
- Aritz Aduriz (born 1981), former footballer who played for Athletic Bilbao and winner of the 2015 Zarra Trophy as best domestic goalscorer in La Liga.
- Xabi Alonso (born 1981), former professional footballer born in Tolosa but raised in San Sebastián. Part of the Spain national team that won the 2010 World Cup and current manager of German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.
- José Luis Álvarez Enparantza "Txillardegi" (1929–2012), Basque linguist, politician and writer.
- Alicia Amatriain, ballet dancer
- Gretel Ammann (1947–2000), philosopher, essayist, activist, radical feminist, lesbian separatist.
- Luis Arconada, (born 1954) former football player who played for Real Sociedad and the Spain national team as a goalkeeper.
- José de Arteche (1906–1971), author[40]
- Serafin Baroja (1840–1912), writer, Basque culture advocate and liberal. Father of Pio Baroja.
- Pío Baroja (1872–1956), writer belonging to the Generation of '98.
- Carlos Bea, (born 18 April 1934), federal judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Alvaro Bermejo (born 1 August 1959) writer and journalist, author of best sellers like The Tibetan Gospel or The Labyrint of Atlantis.
- Indalezio Bizkarrondo "bertsolari closely attached to the city. Died after being hit by Carlistshelling.
- Achille Broutin (1860–1918), fencer and collector of weapons.
- Eduardo Chillida (1924–2002), sculptor, notable for his monumental abstract works.
- Language Technology and Natural language processing for Basqueand other languages.
- Catalina de Erauso(1585 or 1592–1650), former nun who travelled around Spain and the Americas as a man.
- Marina de Gabaráin (1917–1972), mezzo-soprano opera singer
- Alberto Iglesias (born 1955), music composer.
- Mikel Laboa (1934–2008), Basque singer-songwriter.
- Juana Larando (fl. 1630), Basque privateer
- Imanol Larzabal (1947-2004), Basque singer-songwriter.
- Ramon Lazkano (born 1968), composer.
- Jesús María de Leizaola (1896–1989), President of the Basque Government in exile after 1960.
- Rebeca Linares (born 1983), Spanish pornographic actress
- Gilbert Mackereth (1892–1962), British World War I hero, holder of Military Cross for gallantry. Retired to live in San Sebastián and died there 1962, interred at San Sebastián.
- Iker Martínez de Lizarduy Lizarribar(1977–), Olympic sailor.
- Julio Medem (born 1958), film director.
- musicologist
- Alex Ubago(born 1981), pop songwriter and singer. Born in Vitoria but raised in San Sebastián.
- Juan Ugarte (born 1980), former professional footballer for Real Sociedad, Wrexham and Crewe Alexandra.
- Julio Urquijo Ibarra(1871–1950), Basque linguist.
- Andrés Vilariño (born 1951), racing driver
- Spanish New Mexicobetween 1665 and 1668.
International relations
Twin towns – sister cities
San Sebastián is twinned with:[41]
- Cape Bojador, Western Sahara
- Marugame, Japan
- Plymouth, England, United Kingdom
- Reno, United States
- Trento, Italy
- Wiesbaden, Germany
In addition, San Sebastián has a friendship declaration with Stepanakert, Republic of Artsakh (2015).[42]
Explanatory notes
References
- ^ "Eneko Goia, nuevo alcalde de San Sebastián". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish).
- ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
- ^ "Gross domestic product (GDP) at current market prices by metropolitan regions". ec.europa.eu.
- ^ Donostia (Basque) / San Sebastián (Spanish), El Diario Vasco, Thursday 29 December 2011. (in Spanish)
- ^ "Orden Foral de 27 de julio de 2012, de la Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa, por la que se modifica el nombre oficial del municipio (incluida su capital) de Donostia-San Sebastián". Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (230). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 67877. 24 September 2012.
- ^ "Instituto Nacional de Estadística. (Spanish Statistical Institute)". www.ine.es. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ Proyecto Audes. Archived 22 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Diccionario de la Real Academia Española.
- ^ a b "Geography and Economy of Donostia-San Sebastián". Retrieved 3 July 2011.
- ^ European Commission (31 December 2015). "Wroclaw and San Sebastian: European Capitals of Culture in 2016". Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- ISBN 0-415-13116-2
- ^ (in Spanish) Koldo Mitxelena: Apellidos vascos, 1955, page 96.
- ^ (in Spanish) «Donostia-San Sebastián: Onomástica», Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia.
- ^ ISBN 978-84-7148-399-7.
- ^ Meteorología, Agencia Estatal de. "Evolución de los climas de Köppen en España en el periodo 1951-2020 - Agencia Estatal de Meteorología - AEMET. Gobierno de España". www.aemet.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "Météo climat stats Moyennes 1991/2020 Espagne (page 2)" (in French). Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "VValores climatológicos normales. Hondarribia, Malkarroa". November 2015.
- ^ "Hallan un centenar de objetos de hace 22.000 años en el parque de Ametzagaina". El Diario Vasco. 23 March 2007. Article in Spanish
- ISBN 978-84-930344-8-1, 164-7
- ^ a b c "LOS GASCONES EN GUIPÚZCOA" (in Spanish). IMPRENTA DE LA DIPUTACION DE GUIPUZCOA. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
- ^ ISBN 84-7148-318-1. Book in Spanish
- ^ L. Woodford (ed.), A Young Surgeon in Wellingtons Army: the Letters of William Dent (Old Woking, 1976), p. 39.
- ^ a b c d e f Berruso Barés, Pedro. "San Sebastián en los Siglos XIX y XX". Geografía e historia de Donostia-San Sebastián. Ingeba. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ^ a b Gomez Piñeiro, Javier. "La Estructura Urbana". Geografía e historia de Donostia-San Sebastián. Ingeba. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ^ Gina Kolata (2000). Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. p. 9.
- ^ Hugh Thomas(2001). Spanish Civil War.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-00-638695-7.
- ^ EiTB. "Inaugurada la nueva estación de autobuses de Donostia". www.eitb.eus (in European Spanish). Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ "Parte Zaharra", the Basque name of the old town in the Basque-language page in the Donostia/San Sebastián City Council official website.
- ^ "Donostiako alderdi bati, ezagunetan ezagunena, Parte Zaharra deitzen genion guztiok, urtea joan eta urtea etorri, eta lasai bizi ginen, halaz ere. Orain berriz, Alde Zaharra bihurtu zaigu, mintzatzen ez den herriaren ondorioz [...]."
(Translation: "The most known part of San Sebastián was called by all of us Parte Zaharra, year after year, and we lived quietly, nonetheless. Now, however, it has become Alde Zaharra, due to the people who do not speak [the Basque language].")
Koldo Mitxelena: «Atarikoak», in Ibon Sarasola (1997), Euskal Hiztegia, Kutxa, ISBN 8471733021. - ^ Segurola Lázaro, Carmen. "La Actividad Económica". GEOGRAFIA E HISTORIA DE DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN. Ingeba. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ^ "Auzoak eta Herriak: Altza". Donostiako Udala – Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Saez Garcia, Juan Antonio. "La Tamborrada y otras Fiestas". Geografía e historia de Donostia-San Sebastián. Ingeba. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- ^ "Great Week - San Sebastian Tourism". sansebastianturismoa.eus. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ "Donostia-San Sebastián Michelin restaurants". Via Michelin. 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
- ^ "The 20 Most Michelin-Starred Cities in the World (PHOTOS)". The Huffington Post. 16 August 2011.
- ^ "The World's 50 Best Restaurants (1–10)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. William Reed Business Media Ltd. 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
- ^ "Home – Basque Culinary Center". bculinary.com.
- ^ "Real Sociedad & Levante Promoted To Primera Liga". Goal.com. 13 June 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ José Arteche Aramburu, dbe.rah.es, accessed 21 August 2021
- ^ "Ciudades Hermanadas" (in Spanish). Donostia Kultura. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "International Cooperation | NKR". Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2019.