Vitoria-Gasteiz

Coordinates: 42°51′N 2°41′W / 42.850°N 2.683°W / 42.850; -2.683
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the Spanish city. For other uses, see Vitoria (disambiguation).
Vitoria-Gasteiz
Gasteiz (
Plaza Nueva
New Cathedral
Postal code
01001–01015
Official language(s)Spanish, Basque
Websitevitoria-gasteiz.org

Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish: [biˈtoɾja ɣasˈtejθ, -ɣasˈtejs]; Basque: [bitoɾja ɣas̺teis̻]), also alternatively spelled as Vittoria in older English-language sources,[2][3] is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community's House of Parliament, the headquarters of the Government, and the Lehendakari's (Prime Minister's) official residency. The municipality—which comprises not only the city but also the mainly agricultural lands of 63 villages around—is the largest in the Basque Country, with a total area of 276.81 square kilometres (106.88 sq mi), and it has a population of 253,093 (January 2021). The dwellers of Vitoria-Gasteiz are called vitorianos or gasteiztarrak, while traditionally they are dubbed babazorros (Basque for 'bean sacks').

Vitoria-Gasteiz is a dynamic city with strengths in

Azkena rock festival, FesTVal, Vitoria-Gasteiz jazz festival, and the Virgen Blanca Festivities
.

Vitoria-Gasteiz's vicinity is home to acclaimed wineries such as Ysios, designed by world-renowned architect

Tower of Varona
.

Virgen Blanca Square
.

Name

The official name of Vitoria-Gasteiz is a compound name of its traditional names in Spanish and Basque, respectively. By inhabitants, it is still generally referred to as either Vitoria or Gasteiz, depending on the language spoken. More rarely, it may be referred to by Basque speakers as Vitorixe, a Basque form of the Spanish name.

History

Vitoria-Gasteiz in the 17th century

In 581 AD, the

Vitoriano. The town of Armentia, nowadays in the outskirts of Vitoria, has also been proposed as a possible location of Victoriacum.[5] In either case, Victoriacum vanishes from history shortly after its foundation.[6]

In 1181, Sancho the Wise,

Salvatierra/Agurain
.

Cathedral of Santa María de Vitoria, completed in the 17th century

The Battle of Vitoria of the Peninsular War occurred near Vitoria-Gasteiz along the river Zadorra on 21 June 1813. An allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. The victory assured the eventual end of French control in Spain. There is a monument commemorating this battle in the main square of the city known as the Monument to Independence.

When news came to Vienna in late July of that year,

Johann Nepomuk Mälzel commissioned Ludwig van Beethoven to compose a symphony, the op. 91 Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria
(Wellington's Victory, or the Battle of Vitoria) or Siegessymphonie.

Work began on the Institute for Middle Education in 1843, with classes beginning during the 1853–54 academic year. It is now current headquarters of the Basque Parliament and formerly the convent of Santa Clara. The Free University opened in the wake of the revolution of 1868. The university operated from 1869, to just prior to the 1873–1874 term, largely because of the second Carlist War. Some of its most notable academics were Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa, Julián Apraiz and Federico Baraibar. The latter was also among the first teachers of Basque in Vitoria-Gasteiz as an off-syllabus subject.

Spanish Civil War

At the start of the Spanish Civil War Álava and Vitoria were easily captured by the rebel Nationalists led by General Angel García Benítez, assisted by Colonel Camilo Alonso Vega.[8] Vitoria was captured on 19 July 1936.[9] In November 1936 an attempt by Republicans to retake Vitoria was thwarted after being spotted by Nationalist reconnaissance aircraft.[10] The 1937 Nationalist campaign in Vizcaya was supported by 80 German aircraft based at Vitoria,[11] where the Condor Legion fighter wing was concentrated.[12]

Transition to democracy

During the

police shooting on March 3, 1976 during a peaceful labour assembly. Under the orders of Interior Minister Manuel Fraga, the police shot tear-gas into the church where 5,000 demonstrators and others had reunited, firing on them as they struggled their way out of the building. It resulted in five dead and over one hundred wounded by gunshot.[13][14]

On 20 May 1980, by decision of the Basque Parliament, Vitoria-Gasteiz became the place of the common institutions of the

Basque Autonomous Community
.

Climate

Vitoria-Gasteiz has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb). Winters are much cooler than in lowland coastal areas, whilst summers are similar in terms of high temperatures, with cool nights due to the elevation. Summers show a significant influence of mediterranean precipitation patterns, but enough precipitation usually occurs to remain marine in nature. Sunshine levels are low by Spanish standards and the climate is humid year-round.

Climate data for Foronda-Txokiza 513m (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.7
(65.7) 		21.5
(70.7) 		26.6
(79.9) 		29.1
(84.4) 		33.0
(91.4) 		37.4
(99.3) 		38.4
(101.1) 		40.8
(105.4) 		37.2
(99.0) 		29.3
(84.7) 		22.2
(72.0) 		20.3
(68.5) 		40.8
(105.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.7
(47.7) 		10.3
(50.5) 		13.7
(56.7) 		15.4
(59.7) 		19.3
(66.7) 		23.0
(73.4) 		25.7
(78.3) 		25.9
(78.6) 		23.1
(73.6) 		18.3
(64.9) 		12.4
(54.3) 		9.1
(48.4) 		17.1
(62.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.9
(40.8) 		5.7
(42.3) 		8.2
(46.8) 		9.8
(49.6) 		13.3
(55.9) 		16.6
(61.9) 		19.0
(66.2) 		19.2
(66.6) 		16.6
(61.9) 		12.9
(55.2) 		8.2
(46.8) 		5.5
(41.9) 		11.7
(53.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.2
(34.2) 		1.1
(34.0) 		2.7
(36.9) 		4.1
(39.4) 		7.2
(45.0) 		10.2
(50.4) 		12.3
(54.1) 		12.5
(54.5) 		10.1
(50.2) 		7.5
(45.5) 		4.0
(39.2) 		1.9
(35.4) 		6.2
(43.2)
Record low °C (°F) −17.8
(0.0) 		−15.4
(4.3) 		−9.2
(15.4) 		−3.8
(25.2) 		−2.2
(28.0) 		1.0
(33.8) 		3.2
(37.8) 		0.8
(33.4) 		0.2
(32.4) 		−2.7
(27.1) 		−9.4
(15.1) 		−11.5
(11.3) 		−17.8
(0.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 75
(3.0) 		63
(2.5) 		63
(2.5) 		73
(2.9) 		70
(2.8) 		43
(1.7) 		38
(1.5) 		39
(1.5) 		41
(1.6) 		71
(2.8) 		91
(3.6) 		82
(3.2) 		742
(29.2)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 10 10 8 11 9 6 4 5 6 9 11 11 99
Average snowy days 3 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 11
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		83 79 72 72 71 70 70 70 72 77 82 84 75
Mean monthly sunshine hours 83 108 148 163 196 218 244 226 178 144 92 75 1,886
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meterología[15]

Subdivisions

Councils

Basilica of San Prudencio, located in Armentia

The municipality of Vitoria has subsumed a number of rural villages, which are preserved as concejos, retaining a certain degree of administrative autonomy.[16][17]

Politics

In 2019, Gorka Urturan (EAJ-PNV), was re-elected to a four-year term as Mayor in coalition with the PSOE. The current municipal council composition is as follows:

Attractions

San Miguel Arcangel Church
and the Virgen Blanca Square
Museum of Fine Arts of Alava
  • Cathedral of Santa Maria (Old Cathedral), a 14th-century Gothic building with a 17th-century tower. Under the pórtico are three open doorways decorated with statues and reliefs. In the interior, chapels containing Gothic, Flemish and Italian Renaissance images including paintings by Rubens and van Dyck. The cathedral is undergoing restoration and has been studied by experts from around the world for its architectural curiosities, including those deformations which it has suffered due to previous restorations.
  • Gothic revival
    style.
  • Andre Maria Zuriaren plaza/Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. It is a square to which converge some of the most typical streets of the old town and the 19th-century city expansion and is surrounded by old houses with glass verandas. At its center stands a monument commemorating the Battle of Vitoria.
  • Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Álava, located in Cathedral of María Inmaculada ambulatory, houses samples of religious art heritage of the province, divided into sections of stone carving, wood carving, painting on wood, paint on canvas, jewelry and furniture liturgical.
  • Church of St. Peter the Apostle
    (14th century) in Gothic style. The Old Portico, with a set of reliefs depicting scenes from the lives of St. Peter and the Virgin Mary, run under the pictures of the Virgin and the apostles.
  • Church of St. Michael the Archangel (14th–16th centuries), in Gothic-Renaissance style. Its portico has an image of the Virgen Blanca, patron saint of the city. Inside is an altarpiece by Gregorio Fernández
    .
  • Church of San Vicente Mártir
    . A late Gothic building from the 15th and 16th centuries.
  • Church of the Carmen. A neoclassical temple built between 1897 and 1900.
  • Basilica of San Prudencio. Its original construction dates to the 12th century, but it was rebuilt in the 18th century. The temple houses sculptural samples from different eras and artists.
  • Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora of Estibaliz. Located in the town of Argandoña, 8 kilometres (5 miles) from Vitoria-Gasteiz, it dates to the 11th century.
  • Convent of Saint Anthony. A Clares nunnery from the 17th century.
  • Convent of Santa Cruz. Dominican nunnery from the 17th century.
  • Former hospice (16th–17th centuries), originally the Colegio de San Prudencio.
  • Old Portico, Church of San Pedro.
  • Catholic Monarchs stayed here, and Adrian VI
    was named Pope while residing here.
  • Basque Museum of Contemporary Art (Artium). Its permanent collection is considered one of the best and most important contemporary art in Basque and Spanish. It was inaugurated on April 26, 2002.
  • Museum of Natural Sciences, located in the Tower of Otxanda Andrea, an example of medieval architecture. It is also a center for research and dissemination of Natural Sciences.
  • Museum of Archaeology, located in a house of wood lattice from the 16th century. The exhibition includes dolmens, Roman sculptures found in Álava, and medieval pieces.
  • playing cards
    . More than 6,000 cards are displayed in the museum.
  • Museum of Fine Arts, housed in a Renaissance mansion. It displays 14th-century carvings, Flemish 16th-century triptychs, panels of Spanish masters such as Jusepe de Ribera and modern Spanish paintings.
  • Arms Museum of Álava is home to weapons from various ages, from prehistoric axes to 20th-century handguns. There is a large collection of medieval weaponry and reconstruction of the Battle of Vitoria.
  • Montehermoso Cultural Center, housed in restored 16th-century buildings, formerly headquarters of the Diocese of Vitoria. In 1997, with the annexation of the former water tank, the property became the Montehermoso Cultural Center, designed as a space for art exhibitions and musical performances.
  • Plaza de España or Plaza Nueva
    . A large arcaded plaza designed by the architect Antonio de Olaguibel in 1781 and designed to unite the old town with the new Story, then under construction.
  • Plaza de los Fueros. A triangular square used as a market and for other entertainment activities. It was designed by Eduardo Chillida.
  • The Arkupe/Arquillos. This road was built with porticoes between the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • Ajuria Enea, the seat of President of the Basque Government (Lehendakari) since 1980. It was built in 1918 as the main residence of the family of the local entrepreneur Serafin Ajuria, and it is a fine example of the Basque architecture of the period.
  • Ataria, an information and interpretation centre for the wetlands of Salburua, an important nature park on the eastern edge of the city.
  • Sequoia of Vitoria-Gasteiz, a 40-metre tall tree dating back to 1860
  • At the
    Errekaleor Bizirik, there are murals by artists including Blu.[19]
  • Victims of Terrorism Memorial Centre, opened by the King and Queen of Spain on 1 June 2021.[20]

Economy and demographics

The economy of Vitoria-Gasteiz is diverse, and many manufacturing companies and logistic centers have operations there, including

Gamesa, and Heraclio Fournier, the latter being headquartered there. The city is often ranked as one with the highest standard of living among all cities in Spain, and first as to green areas[21]
and cultural places per capita.

Culture

Vitoria-Gasteiz Jazz Festival
over the years
Andre Maria Zuriaren jaiak festival

Music

Vitoria-Gasteiz hosts two annual international music festivals:

Further information on the rap music group: Kodigo Norte

Local festivities

The Andre Maria Zuriaren jaiak/Fiestas de la Virgen Blanca festival is celebrated every year from the 4th to the 9th of August in honour of the patron saint of the city, and features a programme of special events, activities and free open-air concerts.

San Prudencio Festival
is also celebrated in late April.

Each neighborhood has its festival, most of them between April and September.

Universities

The liberal arts section of the University of the Basque Country is based in the south part of the city. Focusing on history and linguistics, the Álava campus is also home of the Faculty of Pharmacy, as well as some other technical, teaching and business related degrees. Its origins date back to 1847 when the first Escuela Normal de Maestros de Álava was established. A number of other colleges and faculties were adopted in 1978 by the emerging University of the Basque Country.

European University Gasteiz, a private initiative with a focus on health and sport sciences and new technologies, opened in 2022 in the district of Salburua, after receiving official recognition from the Basque Parliament.[22][23]

Transportation

Railway station of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Public transport within the city consists of a

city bus service operated by TUVISA[24] (10 lines) and a tram network operated by Euskotren (2 lines sharing part of the way).[25]

Roads

Vitoria-Gasteiz is well connected by road with the other Basque capitals and with

A-1 motorway from Madrid to San Sebastián serves Vitoria-Gasteiz. Since 2009, the tolled AP-1 motorway has served as an alternative route towards San Sebastián and Burgos.[27]

Railways

high-speed lines to reach Madrid in 3 hours 7 minutes.[28] There are also connections to Barcelona. There is a complete lack of rail services to Andalusia[citation needed] and no direct rail link with Bilbao.[29]

The Basque Y high-speed rail network is planned to connect Vitoria-Gasteiz with the French border, San Sebastián and Bilbao within 35 minutes. However, work on this project has been slow and there is no date for its inaugural run.[30]

Aviation

Vitoria Airport is 4th in Spain in cargo traffic,[31] it also offers some domestic and international passenger destinations.[32] Bilbao Airport is 50 minutes away by car, a direct bus line from Vitoria-Gasteiz will start operations in 2024.[33]

Urbanism

Streets in Vitoria-Gasteiz
Salburua

From an urban point of view, Vitoria-Gasteiz is a mid-sized city, the line of which is adapted to the traditions of each historical moment. The medieval town is set in almond-shape around the hill foundation, which by its privileged position as the only elevation in the plain of Álava, became a defensive stronghold coveted by the kingdoms of Navarre and Castilla during the 11th and 12th centuries. The walled enclosure was built prior to the war between Castile and Navarre in the 11th century to defend the village. The defensive walls of old Gasteiz were built between the years 1050 and 1100. Because of that first defensive role, its narrow streets surrounding the oval resulted in compact rows of houses parallel both to each other and the medieval walls (of which only some sections and gates are preserved). Between the years 1854 and 1856, an epidemic of cholera served as the excuse for tearing down the gates, fortresses which provided access to the streets Run (fort of Nanclares), Shoe (fort of Soto) and Blacksmith (fort of Abendaño) and which served to protect every neighbourhood association. The entrance of the current Plaza de la Virgen Blanca was the site of Santa Clara, which was joined by the wall at the Convent of San Antonio. In the 19th century, in recognition that the city was small, an expansion was planned in the neoclassical style, and little by little planning for the city has given Vitoria-Gasteiz its current form.

The Old Quarter (Alde Zaharra/Casco Viejo), has many architectural jewels such as Bendaña Palace, the Fournier Museum of cards (erected in 1525 by Juan Lopez de Arrieta, on the site occupied before by the defensive tower built by Maeztu). The Ezkoriatza-Eskibel Palace, built by Claudio de Arciniega in the 15th century. The Villa Suso, where Martin Salinas, ambassador of Charles V dwelt (16th century). And the greatest historical treasure of Vitoria-Gasteiz: the Cathedral of Santa Maria (Old Cathedral).

The history of the Cathedral of Santa María (commonly known as Old Cathedral), is itself a synthesis of the history of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Built on the cemetery of the primitive village of Gasteiz (which today can be accessed through the excavations), the church of Santa María collapsed with the fire of 1202 and Alfonso VIII of Castile (who had conquered the city just 2 years earlier), ordered that it be rebuilt on the site of a former church. It was now to serve two very different purposes: regular religious services and weapon storage. Thus was born the Cathedral of Santa Maria, a fortress-like church that served as the entrance to the city. The project changed with the centuries, so that each modification was made without taking into account the previous. This was the case in the 15th century (when the church became collegiate), and finally in the 1960s, when it was decided to reverse the previous works of strengthening of the external walls and widen the windows, made purely for aesthetic reasons, which had severely damaged the stability of the building. Today, the cathedral is open again, and offers visitors guided trips exposing the recent archaeological findings. It has become one of the main attractions of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Ken Follett, author of "The Pillars of the Earth", said after his stay in the city that Santa Maria was one of the three most interesting cathedrals of the world.[citation needed]

From the Middle Ages to the 18th century, the population of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the layout of its streets remained almost unchanged. And it was not until the late 18th century, when growth required the expansion of the city outside. To solve the problem of the difference in height between the original kernel on the hill, and the plain below, the arches were erected and the Plaza De España or Plaza Nueva was built, which soften the transition from the old city to the 19th century neoclassical expansion of wide streets and gardens, the greatest examples of which are seen in the La Florida Park, and the Andre Maria Zuriaren Enparantza/Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, with its façade pulled viewpoints.

Finally, the new quarters of Vitoria-Gasteiz were built, in accordance with a development plan favouring parks, recreation areas and quality of life. While aiming to maintain the identity of the city, and drawing on the district of San Martín, the need to accommodate the growing population has led the city to concentrate its growth in the new neighbourhoods of Lakua, Salburua and Zabalgan. The city of Vitoria-Gasteiz has received several international awards for its urban development. Also worth mentioning is the green ring, a network of parks and green spaces around the city, destined to be the lung of the future Vitoria-Gasteiz, and link the city with the countryside. This ring is formed of the parks Salburua, Zabalgana, Armentia, Alegria river, Gamarra, Abetxuko and Atxa-Landaberde.

Sports

Green Capital

Olarizu, part of Vitoria-Gasteiz's green belt
See also: Green Belt of Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz held the title of European Green Capital in 2012 due to the high proportion of green public areas, ensuring that the entire population lives within 300m of an open green space, its biodiversity and ecosystems services, as well as for the city's green policies.[34]

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Spain

Vitoria-Gasteiz is twinned with:[35][36]

Notable people

References

  1. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. ^ Smith, Benjamin E., ed. (1895). The Century Cyclopedia of Names: A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of Names in Geography, Biography, Mythology, History, Ethnology, Art, Archæology, Fiction, Etc. ... New York: The Century Co. p. 1041.
  3. ^ Ripley, G.; Dana, C.A., eds. (1863). The new American Cyclopædia. Vol. 16. New York: D. Appleton and Company. p. 136.
  4. ISBN 9788496849402
    – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Nova Victoria - Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia".
  6. ^
    ISBN 9788496849402
    – via Google Books.
  7. ^ S. Villimer: Vitoria, historia de una ciudad, p. 160 (Vitoria 1977).
  8. ISBN 978-0-141-01161-5
    .
  9. ISBN 978-0-7538-2165-7
    .
  10. ^ Beevor (2006) p.251
  11. ^ Thomas (2012) p.596
  12. ^ Beevor (2006) p.253
  13. ^ "Masacre del 3 de marzo en Vitoria-Gasteiz (1976)". Artium. 2010. Retrieved 2016-07-14.
  14. ^ Malaina, Guillermo (2008-02-13). "Los fantasmas de Fraga". Público. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  15. AEMET
    . Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  16. ^ Junta Electoral del territorio histórico de Álava. Boletín Oficial del Territorio Histórico de Álava. 10 de diciembre de 2013. Consultado el 26 de abril de 2016.
  17. ^ "Nombres oficiales de municipios y entidades de población". www1.euskadi.net. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  18. ^ "Sitio web del Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz - El Pleno - Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz". www.vitoria-gasteiz.org. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  19. ^ "Escif and Blu for Errekaleor Bizirik". Juxtapoz Magazine. 30 August 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  20. ^ "Inauguration of the Victims of Terrorism Memorial Centre in Vitoria". Government of Spain.
  21. ^ "Las diez ciudades españolas con más superficie verde por habitante" (in Spanish). 14 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  22. ^ López de Pariza, Sara (11 November 2021). "El Parlamento da el espaldarazo definitivo a la universidad Euneiz que abrirá en 2022". El Correo (in European Spanish). Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  23. ^ Rego, María (14 September 2022). "Euneiz arranca en Vitoria con 110 alumnos y la intención de duplicar su oferta en un año". El Correo (in European Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  24. ^ "TUVISA. Autobuses urbanos". Ayuntamiento de Vitoria-Gasteiz (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  25. ^ "El tranvía de Vitoria cumple 10 años con el 90% de los viajeros satisfechos". El Correo (in Spanish). 19 December 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  26. ^ "El precoz temporal causa dos muertos y colapsa el tráfico". El País (in Spanish). 10 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  27. ^ "La autopista Eibar-Vitoria se abrió ayer al tráfico tras una década de obras". El Correo (in Spanish). 23 May 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Vitoria recupera el Alvia a Madrid de primera hora". Cadena SER (in Spanish). EFE. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Infraestructuras de Transportes, Comunicaciones y Energía". euskadi.eus (in Spanish). Basque Government. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  30. ^ Gorospe, Pedro (21 December 2016). "The Basque Y: the very slow tale of a very fast train". El Pais. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  31. ^ Recuero, Marisa (9 March 2020). "Begoña Llarena, la primera mujer en dirigir un aeropuerto en España: "Mi día a día es darlo todo"". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  32. ^ Echeazarra, Saioa (3 December 2022). "Foronda ofrecerá más frecuencias en sus vuelos y nuevos chárter en 2023". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  33. ^ del Campo, José Luis (22 December 2022). "Vitoria soporta al año el paso de más de 20.000 autobuses interurbanos". Noticias de Álava (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  34. ^ "European Green Capital".
  35. ^ "Vitoria se hermana con la Capital colombiana de la música". gasteizhoy.com (in Spanish). Gasteiz Hoy. 2013-05-31. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  36. ^ "El octavo hermanamiento". noticiasdealava (in Spanish). Noticias de Álava. 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2021-12-21.

External links

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