A Coruña
Encyclopedia
A Coruña or La Coruña (la koˈɾuɲa) (still sometimes known as Corunna in English, and archaically as The Groyne) is a city and municipality
of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country. The city is the provincial capital of the province of the same name
, having also served as political capital of the Kingdom of Galicia
from the XVIth to the XIXth centuries, and as a regional administrative centre between 1833 and 1982, before being replaced by Santiago de Compostela
.
A Coruña is a busy port located on a promontory
in the entrance of an estuary in a large gulf (the Portus Magnus Artabrorum of the classical geographers) on the Atlantic Ocean. It provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. Although much of the heavy industry is based on the shipyards and metalworks of the neighbouring city of Ferrol, there is an oil refinery
in A Coruña itself.
in the Peninsular War
. Archaically, the city was known as The Groyne, probably from French "La Corogne", although this name could also be as much a geographical description given the city occupies a small peninsula protruding out into the Atlantic.
In Spain, currently the only official form of the name is the Galician
one, "A Coruña". Nonetheless, the Spanish form, La Coruña, is still widespread, and it is the traditional name in Spanish recommended by the Real Academia Española
for texts in Spanish. It is usually used in extra-official documents and in conversations between Spanish-speakers.
Now several groups of people are advocating elevating the form "A Corunha" to official status, pointing to the provisions of the Spanish Constitution of 1978
. They claim that the Constitution is violated by not allowing freedom of use, another orthography, to name a city in official documents, and that no Autonomous Regional law can prevail over the Constitution. Nevertheless, the Local Regime Law, a state law, stipulates that the name of the municipalities can be in Spanish, regional language or both, so it is totally legal and constitutional that the only official form of the name is the Galician one.
(12th century) the name Crunia was documented for the first time. As usual in Galician-Portuguese (as well as in Castilian Spanish), the cluster ni naturally evolved into the sound ɲ, written n or nn in old Galician orthography, nn (later abbreviated to ñ, as well as the original Latin cluster "nn") in Spanish, and nh in Portuguese. 'A' is the Galician article equivalent to English 'the'; compare Castilian Spanish 'La' ('the').
A more poetic explanation sustains that "Coruña" derives from Gaelic (the language of Celtic tribes) "Cork Orunnach", which would mean "The harbour of the brave men". However, this explanation could have some relation to the Lebor Gabála Érenn
(The Book of the Taking of Ireland), which recounts the story of how the Celtic or Milesian king Breogan
founded the city of Brigantia
(now Coruña) here and his descendants Ith
who spies Ireland from the top of Breogán's Tower (thought to have been at the current location of the Torre de Hercules), journeys north across the Celtic Sea
to Ireland to investigate his discovery.
A proposed etymology derives Crunia from Cluny
, the town and religious order from France. During its height (c. 950–c.1130) the Cluniac movement was one of the largest religious forces in Europe. There is another town named Coruña in Burgos Province
.
A folk etymology incorrectly derives Coruña from the ancient columna, or Tower of Hercules
, which still exists, having been converted into a light-house in 1791.
A Coruña is one of only eight pairs of cities in the world that has a near-exact antipodal
city. Half of these antipodal pairs are in Spain/Morocco
and New Zealand – with Christchurch
, New Zealand as A Coruña's antipode.
A Coruña has five parroquias: A Coruña, Elviña, Viñas, Visma, Oza.
and heavily moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. In short, the climate more closely resembles the oceanic climate
that is common in the Pacific Northwest
region of North America. Autumn and winter are often unsettled and unpredictable with strong winds and abundant rainfall, coming from Atlantic depressions
and it is often overcast. The ocean keeps temperatures mild, and frost and snow are rare. In summer, it is quite dry and sunny with only occasional rainfall, temperatures are warm but rarely uncomfortably hot due to the sea's cooling influence during the day. Spring is usually cool and fairly calm.
stands, onto the mainland. The oldest part, known popularly as Cidade Vella (Old City), Cidade Alta (High City) or the Cidade (City), is built on an ancient Celtic castro. It was supposedly inhabited by the Artabrians, the Celtic tribe of the area.
, which forced the population to flee towards the interior of the Estuary of O Burgo.
, A Coruña still had a commercial port connected to foreign countries, but contacts with the Mediterranean were slowly replaced by a more Atlantic-oriented focus.
The process of deurbanization that followed the fall of the Roman Empire also affected A Coruña. Between the 7th and 8th centuries, the city was no more than a little village of laborers and sailors.
The 11th-century Chronica iriense names Faro do Burgo (ancient name of A Coruña) as one of the dioceses that king Miro granted to the episcopate of Iria Flavia
in the year 572:
The Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula left no archeological evidence in this area, so it cannot be said whether or not the Muslim invaders ever reached the city. As Muslim rule in early 8th century Galicia consisted little more than a short-lived overlordship of the remote and rugged region backed by a few garrisons, and the city was no more than a village amidst Roman ruins, the invaders showed the same lack of interest in the ruined city as they did generally for the region.
As the city began to recover during the Middle Ages
the main problem for the inhabitants was the Norman raids, as well as the ever present threat of raids ("razzies") from Al-Andalus
to the south. During 9th century there were several Viking
attacks on the city, called at that time Faro or Faro Bregancio.
In the year 991, King Vermudo II
began the construction of defensive military positions on the coast. At Faro, in the ruins of the Tower of Hercules
, a fortress was built, which had a permanent military garrison. To pay for it, he gave power over the city to the bishop of Santiago. The bishop of Santiago became the most important political post in Galicia, and remained so until the 15th century.
In 1208, Alfonso IX re-founded the city of Crunia. Some privileges, such as those of disembarking and selling salt
without paying taxes, were granted to the city, and it enjoyed a big growth in fishing and mercantile business. The city grew and extended through the isthmus. In 1446 John II of Castile
granted to A Coruña the title of "City". The Catholic Monarchs
established the Royal Audience of the Kingdom of Galicia in the city, instead of Santiago
. A Coruña also became the headquarters of the Captaincy General.
, the city was an important port and centre for the manufacturing of textiles. In 1520, king Charles I of Spain (future Emperor Charles V of Germany), met in the Courts of A Coruña and embarked from its harbor to be elected Emperor. Charles I allowed the Government of the Kingdom of Galicia to distribute space in Europe between 1522 and 1529. Commerce with the Indies
was allowed between 1529 and 1575. The Castle of San Antón was built as a defense of the city and its harbour.
From the port of Ferrol in the Province of A Coruña
, Philip II
left to marry Mary Tudor
in 1554, and much later, in 1588, from the same port the Spanish Armada
would set sail to the Spanish Netherlands
and England.
In the following year, during the Anglo-Spanish War
, Francis Drake
besieged A Coruña, but was repelled, starting the legend of María Pita
, a woman who took her dead husband's weapon and continued shooting until she captured a flag of the British enemy.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the wars of the Spanish monarchy caused a great increase in taxes and the start of conscription. In 1620, Philip III
created the School of the Boys of the Sea. In 1682 the Tower of Hercules was restored by Antúnez.
A Coruña was the site of the Battle of Corunna
during the Peninsular War
, on 16 January 1809, in which British troops fought against the French to cover the embarkation of British troops after their retreat. In this battle Sir John Moore
was killed.
Spanish resistance during the Peninsular War was led by Sinforiano López, and A Coruña was the only Galician city that achieved success against the French troops. French troops left Galicia at the end of May 1809.
During the 19th century, the city was the centre of anti-monarchist sentiment.
On August 19, 1815, Juan Díaz Porlier, pronounced against Fernando VII in defense of the Spanish Constitution of 1812
. He was supported by the bourgeoisie
and the educated people. But on August 22 he was betrayed. He was hanged in the Campo da Leña two months later.
In all the 19th-century rebellions, A Coruña supported the liberal
side.
A Coruña also played an important role in the Rexurdimento
, and there were founded the Galician Royal Academy in 1906 and the Brotherhoods of the Galician Language in 1916.
Regarding the economy, in 1804 the National Cigarette Factory was founded, and there the workers' movement of the city had its origins. During the 19th century other businesses (glass, foundries, textiles, gas, matches, etc.) were slowly established, but it was maritime trade and migrant travel that attracted Catalan, Belgian, French and English investments. The Bank of A Coruña was founded in 1857. The new provincial division of 1832 also influenced economic development.
. The international oil shocks
of the mid and late 1970s severely disrupted the economy, causing many bankruptcies and high unemployment until the mid 1980s, when slower but steady economic development was resumed.
. Republicans and socialists constituted a block, made up of ORGA, independent republicans, Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE) and the Radical Socialist Republican Party
.
In the elections, the republican parties obtained 34 of the 39 council seats. The best results were of the ORGA and of the Partido Radical Socialista, and the Radical Republican Party
lost a lot of support.
), and the city became devoted to services, but he also was criticised because of his being openly against Galician nationalism
and his town-planning policies.
On January 20, 2006 Vázquez was named ambassador to the Vatican City
, and was later replaced by Francisco Javier Losada de Azpiazu. In 2007 Municipal Elections the local government was a coalition of the Socialist Party of Galicia
and the left-wing nationalist Galician Nationalist Bloc party.
The city celebrated its first millenium in 2008.
In the 2011 Municipal Elections, the conservative candidate Carlos Negreira (PP
) obtained a majority, the first one for the People's Party in the city since the arrival of democracy.
(1805) and the War of Independence (1808–1814), the fortunes of Ferrol began to deteriorate. The largest port in northern Spain, site of one of the three Royal Dockyards, together with Cartagena
and Cadiz
, almost became a "dead" town during the reign of Ferdinand VII. By 1833 the City and Naval Station of Ferrol saw its civilian population reduced to just 13,000. During the administration of the Marquis de Molina
, Minister for Naval affairs in the mid-19th century new activities sprang up, but Ferrol never fully returned to its former glories. It should be noted that during those years, most of the Spanish Colonies in Latin America
succeeded in gaining independence from their former metropolis
.
The population of the City of A Coruña in 1900 reached 43,971, while the population of the rest of the province including the City and Naval Station of nearby Ferrol as well as Santiago de Compostela
was 653,556. A Coruña's miraculous growth happened during aftermath of the Spanish Civil War
at a similar rate to other major Galician cities, but it was after the death of Francisco Franco
when the city of A Coruña (and Vigo) left all the other Galician cities behind.
The miraculous meteoric increase of population of the city of A Coruña and to a lesser degree Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela
, during the years which follow the Spanish Civil War during the mid 20th century, can only be explained when we see the figures of the number of villages and hamlets of the province which disappeared or nearly disappeared during the same period. We are talking here about an economic revolution or substantial increase in living standards and not so much to an explosion of births, which has happened too, but looking to the overall picture what has happened is that the fields have been abandon due to the introduction of new machinery and most of the population has moved to find jobs in the main cities increasing the number of people working in the Tertiary
and Quaternary sectors
.
The municipality of A Coruña has 246,047 inhabitants, and has one of the highest population densities of Spain and Europe, with around 6,700 inhabitants per square kilometer.
In 2010 there were 12,344 foreigners living in the city, representing a 5% of the total population. The main nationalities are Brazilians (10%), Colombians
(8%) and Peruvians (7%).
By language, according to 2008 data, 7.75% of the population speak always in Galician
, 36% speak always in Spanish
and the rest use both interchangeably.
A Coruña metropolitan area has nearly 400,000 inhabitants.
In 1975, the clothing company Zara
, founded by Amancio Ortega Gaona
, opened its first store in the city and has since become a national and international clothing chain.
Inditex
, the main textile manufacturer of the world, has its headquarters in the nearby town of Arteixo
. A Coruña concentrates the 30% of the GDP of Galicia and in the period between 1999 and 2001 it grew 35%, surpassing Vigo
which was traditionally economically stronger. Other important companies of the city are Banco Pastor
, Banco Etcheverría
(oldest in Spain), Hijos de Rivera Brewery, Novacaixagalicia
, R Cable Operator, the Repsol-YPF refinery, Gas Natural
combined cycle power plant, General Dynamics
factory, Alcoa
and Sapa Group
aluminium plants and La Voz de Galicia
, the main daily newspaper of Galicia. A Coruña is also an important retail center. El Corte Inglés
, the main department store chain in Spain
, has two centers in the city, one of them in the new commercial area Marineda City, opened in April 2011, the biggest shopping center in Spain, which also includes, among others, IKEA
and Decathlon
stores, cinemas, an ice rink, a bowling court and a kart circuit. Other hypermarket chains present in the city are Carrefour
(two centers), Auchan
(known in Spain as Alcampo) and Eroski
.
Over the last few years, emphasis has been placed upon better access and infrastructure, especially cultural, sporting, leisure and scientific areas. Following a spectacular oil spill
when the Aegean Sea
wrecked and exploded, considerable resources have been used in the recovery of the shoreline and strengthening the tourist sector. All this has reaffirmed the city's existing character as a centre for administration, sales, port activities, culture and tourism. The city also has a regional airport
, used by 1,101,208 passengers in 2010.
The two main beaches of A Coruña (Orzán and Riazor) are located in the heart of the city and are bordered by the promenade above. This location makes them a great attraction for tourists, being also a meeting point for surfers much of the year. Moreover, the city has other beaches like As Lapas, San Amaro, Oza and Matadero. These four beaches, along with Riazor and Orzán, were recognized with blue flag
certification in 2011.
An important holiday is on the night of San Juan, celebrated with a massive fireworks celebration, parade, burning fails and the ancient fires on all city beaches well into dawn.
In 2006 and for the first time ever, the number of tourists has doubled the population of the city, virtually to 500,000 the number of people who chose the city as a tourist destination.
The city has an extensive network of hotels, with an offer of over 3,000 hotel vacancies. There are one five star-hotel and 11 four star-hotels, as well as many other hotels and hostels. The city is also focusing in business tourism, offering the Congress and Exhibition Centre PALEXCO, with room for more than 2,500 people; a new trade fair centre, EXPOCORUÑA, venue of concerts, exhibitions and festivals like Sónar
.
s and 33 secondary school
s.
High education is represented by the University of A Coruña
, a public university established in 1989, the UNED branch, and CESUGA, a private university centre in alliance with University College Dublin
, which offers Bachelor of Commerce
and Bachelor of Architecture
Irish
degrees
. Escuela de Negocios NCG offers MBA
and other master's degree
in business.
There are 7 municipal libraries, one library that belongs to the provincial government and one public library
, administered by the Xunta
. The Archive of the Kingdom of Galicia (Arquivo do Reino de Galicia in Galician) is located in the Old Town.
There is a Escuela Oficial de Idiomas
(Spanish
language school
) center, which offers classes in English
, French
, Galician
, Italian
, German
, Portuguese
, Arabic, Russian
, Chinese
, Japanese
and Spanish
as a Foreign Language.
The Music studies are well represented by a Music school
. A Coruña is also the base for the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia
.
The city is home of two main theaters, Teatro Colón and Teatro Rosalía, with regular performances, music concerts and other representations. A multiporpouse center called Coliseum holds all kind of cultural events like concerts or sport exhibitions. International artists like David Copperfield
, Maná
, Mark Knopfler
, Shakira
, Gloria Estefan
, Iron Maiden
, Deep Purple
or Judas Priest
among others have performed in the venue. In summer it also works as a bullring and in winter it is used as an ice rink.
A Coruña has several museums, like the Castle of San Antón Archaeological Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Unión Fenosa Museum of Contemporary Art (MACUF), the Military Museum and the network of scientific museums (Casa das Ciencias, which also includes a planetarium, DOMUS, made by Arata Isozaki
and Aquarium Finisterrae
). In 2012, the National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT) will open a branch in the city.
The main festivity in the city is María Pita Festivity, which lasts from the end of July to mid September. The festival includes Noroeste Pop Rock (free concerts at Riazor beach), free concerts in venues all over the city, the Medieval fair in the Old Town, the International Folklore Festival, a book fair, Festival Viñetas desde o Atlántico, a comic fair and, for the first time in 2011, a recreation of famous German
Oktoberfest
. Other festivities include San Juan and Virgen del Rosario.
) that runs parallel to the old radial road. Another major road running through the city is the toll motorway AP-9
, which links Ferrol with the Portuguese border crossing the main cities of Galicia. AG-55 motorway links the city with the Costa da Morte
, although currently only go as far as Carballo
. The conventional road N-550 (A Coruña-Tui) it's the main link to the airport while the new highway is still under construction.
A Coruña Airport
, formerly known as Alvedro Airport, is located in the municipality of Culleredo
, approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the city center. It serves mainly Spanish destinations, although there are regular services to London
and Lisbon
and, in summer season, to Amsterdam
and Paris
. In 2010, 1,101,208 passengers used the airport.
Railway services depart from San Cristóbal Station. The city will be connected with Madrid
and Vigo
by high-speed rail
in next years. Regional lines connect the city with Vigo
through Santiago de Compostela
and Pontevedra
, Lugo
and Monforte de Lemos
. Intercity trains depart to Madrid
, Barcelona
and Basque Country
, passing through many other important Spanish northern cities. There is a freight train station that serves the port.
Regional and intercity buses depart from the Bus station
at Caballeros street. A Coruña is well connected with its metropolitan area and other Galician cities and towns. Intercity services connect the city with Madrid
, Barcelona
, Andalusia
and Basque Country
among others and with European cities like Geneva
, Paris
or Munich
.
Local transportation in A Coruña is carried out by Compañía de Tranvías de La Coruña. Its network includes 24 lines served by 93 vehicles. There is also a regular taxi service distributed in taxi tanks all over the city.
), the Palace of Sports (home of HC Liceo La Coruña
), two indoor tracks, a pelota court and an indoor swimming-pool. La Torre Sport Complex hosts many football fields, a golf court and another pelota court. There are also five municipal football fields, 11 sports centers and several marinas (Real Club Náutico, Marina Coruña, etc.). In 2007 opened Termaria Casa del Agua complex, which has a gymnasium, a thalassotherapy center and an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The city has a football club in Spain's second division, Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña
. Deportivo was founded in 1906 and is currently playing in the Segunda División
, having been relegated from La Liga
in the 2010–11 season
. Since the Spanish football league system was established in 1928, it has spent all but two seasons in the top two tiers.
Depor has won the league title once, in the 1999–2000 season, finishing as runner-up on five occasions. The club has also won the Spanish Cup twice, (1995 and 2002) and three Spanish Super Cups. The Blues and Whites have been a regular in top positions in La Liga in the last 20 years, finishing in the top half of the table in 16 out of 19 seasons. As a result, the club has been a regular participant in European competitions, playing in the UEFA Champions League five seasons in a row, and reaching the semi-finals in 2004.
The city has a roller hockey
team, HC Liceo La Coruña
, one of the most laureate in Spain, and dispute the main League OK Liga
. They became Europe's Champions in 2011.
A Coruña basketball team CB Coruña
, plays in LEB Plata
league, the Spanish second division.
Handball team OAR Ciudad 1952 currently plays in Spanish First Division.
Casas Novas riding club, in the outskirts of the city, hosts many national and international championships.
, he was replaced by Javier Losada on February 10, 2006.
The current mayor is Carlos Negreira, from PP
.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country. The city is the provincial capital of the province of the same name
A Coruña (province)
The province of A Coruña is the most North-western Atlantic-facing province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia...
, having also served as political capital of the Kingdom of Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia
The Kingdom of Galicia was a political entity located in southwestern Europe, which at its territorial zenith occupied the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Founded by Suebic king Hermeric in the year 409, the Galician capital was established in Braga, being the first kingdom which...
from the XVIth to the XIXth centuries, and as a regional administrative centre between 1833 and 1982, before being replaced by Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
.
A Coruña is a busy port located on a promontory
Promontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
in the entrance of an estuary in a large gulf (the Portus Magnus Artabrorum of the classical geographers) on the Atlantic Ocean. It provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. Although much of the heavy industry is based on the shipyards and metalworks of the neighbouring city of Ferrol, there is an oil refinery
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
in A Coruña itself.
Name
In English, use of the Spanish or Galician forms now predominates. However, the traditional form Corunna can still be found, particularly in reference to the Battle of CorunnaBattle of Corunna
The Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. Archaically, the city was known as The Groyne, probably from French "La Corogne", although this name could also be as much a geographical description given the city occupies a small peninsula protruding out into the Atlantic.
In Spain, currently the only official form of the name is the Galician
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
one, "A Coruña". Nonetheless, the Spanish form, La Coruña, is still widespread, and it is the traditional name in Spanish recommended by the Real Academia Española
Real Academia Española
The Royal Spanish Academy is the official royal institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, but is affiliated with national language academies in twenty-one other hispanophone nations through the Association of Spanish Language Academies...
for texts in Spanish. It is usually used in extra-official documents and in conversations between Spanish-speakers.
Now several groups of people are advocating elevating the form "A Corunha" to official status, pointing to the provisions of the Spanish Constitution of 1978
Spanish Constitution of 1978
-Structure of the State:The Constitution recognizes the existence of nationalities and regions . Preliminary Title As a result, Spain is now composed entirely of 17 Autonomous Communities and two autonomous cities with varying degrees of autonomy, to the extent that, even though the Constitution...
. They claim that the Constitution is violated by not allowing freedom of use, another orthography, to name a city in official documents, and that no Autonomous Regional law can prevail over the Constitution. Nevertheless, the Local Regime Law, a state law, stipulates that the name of the municipalities can be in Spanish, regional language or both, so it is totally legal and constitutional that the only official form of the name is the Galician one.
Origin
There is no clear evidence as to what word the name derives from. It seems to be from Crunia, of unknown origin and meaning. At the time of Ferdinand II of LeónFerdinand II of Leon
Ferdinand II was King of León and Galicia from 1157 to his death.-Life:Born in Toledo, Castile, he was the son of King Alfonso VII of León and Castile and of Berenguela, of the House of Barcelona. At his father's death, he received León and Galicia, while his brother Sancho received Castile and...
(12th century) the name Crunia was documented for the first time. As usual in Galician-Portuguese (as well as in Castilian Spanish), the cluster ni naturally evolved into the sound ɲ, written n or nn in old Galician orthography, nn (later abbreviated to ñ, as well as the original Latin cluster "nn") in Spanish, and nh in Portuguese. 'A' is the Galician article equivalent to English 'the'; compare Castilian Spanish 'La' ('the').
A more poetic explanation sustains that "Coruña" derives from Gaelic (the language of Celtic tribes) "Cork Orunnach", which would mean "The harbour of the brave men". However, this explanation could have some relation to the Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
(The Book of the Taking of Ireland), which recounts the story of how the Celtic or Milesian king Breogan
Breogán
Breogán son of Brath was a mythical Celtic king from Galicia. Various accounts exist of this mythological father of the Galician nation. His sons were Ith and Bile . Bile was the father of Mil Espaine....
founded the city of Brigantia
Brigantia
The name Brigantia can signify:* Brigantia , a goddess in Celtic mythology* the land of the Brigantes of ancient Britain* the ancient Latin name of several cities and regions:** Bragança ** Bregenz, Austria** Brianza, Italy...
(now Coruña) here and his descendants Ith
Ith
The Ith is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany.- Geography :- Location :...
who spies Ireland from the top of Breogán's Tower (thought to have been at the current location of the Torre de Hercules), journeys north across the Celtic Sea
Celtic Sea
The Celtic Sea is the area of the Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Ireland bounded to the east by Saint George's Channel; other limits include the Bristol Channel, the English Channel, and the Bay of Biscay, as well as adjacent portions of Wales, Cornwall, Devon, and Brittany...
to Ireland to investigate his discovery.
A proposed etymology derives Crunia from Cluny
Cluny
Cluny or Clungy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. It is 20 km northwest of Mâcon.The town grew up around the Benedictine Cluny Abbey, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in 910...
, the town and religious order from France. During its height (c. 950–c.1130) the Cluniac movement was one of the largest religious forces in Europe. There is another town named Coruña in Burgos Province
Burgos (province)
The province of Burgos is a province of northern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Palencia, Cantabria, Vizcaya, Álava, La Rioja, Soria, Segovia, and Valladolid. Its capital is the city of Burgos...
.
A folk etymology incorrectly derives Coruña from the ancient columna, or Tower of Hercules
Tower of Hercules
The Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about from the centre of A Coruña, Galicia, in north-western Spain. Until the 20th century, the tower itself was known as the "Farum Brigantium". The Latin word farum is derived from the Greek pharos for the Lighthouse of...
, which still exists, having been converted into a light-house in 1791.
Geography
A Coruña is located on a peninsula, and its isthmus was at times formed only by a small strip of sand. Erosion and sea currents caused a progressive accumulation of sand, enlarging it to its present dimensions.A Coruña is one of only eight pairs of cities in the world that has a near-exact antipodal
Antipodes
In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points that are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line running through the centre of the Earth....
city. Half of these antipodal pairs are in Spain/Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and New Zealand – with Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand as A Coruña's antipode.
Administrative divisions
Suburbs
- Cidade Vella
- A Mariña
- Os Cantóns
- Pescadería
- O Ensanche
- Cidade Xardín
- Catro Camiños
- A Gaiteira
- Os Mallos
- Zalaeta
- As Atochas - Monte Alto
- Falperra – Santa Lucia
- Juan Flórez – San Pablo
- Os Castros
- Agra do Orzán
- Sagrada Familia
- Labañou – San Roque
- Barrio das Flores
- Elviña
- O Ventorrillo
- Castrillón
- Adormideras
- O Birloque
- Matogrande
- Os Rosales
- Paseo das Pontes
- Mesoiro
- Novo Mesoiro
- Someso
- Vioño
- Eirís
- Monelos
- San Pedro de Visma
- Bens
- A Silva – San Xosé
- Palavea
- Casablanca – As Xubias
- Feáns
- A Zapateira
- Santa Margarida
Climate
The climate of A Coruña is temperate maritimeOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
and heavily moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. In short, the climate more closely resembles the oceanic climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
that is common in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
region of North America. Autumn and winter are often unsettled and unpredictable with strong winds and abundant rainfall, coming from Atlantic depressions
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
and it is often overcast. The ocean keeps temperatures mild, and frost and snow are rare. In summer, it is quite dry and sunny with only occasional rainfall, temperatures are warm but rarely uncomfortably hot due to the sea's cooling influence during the day. Spring is usually cool and fairly calm.
Prehistory
A Coruña spread from the peninsula where the Tower of HerculesTower of Hercules
The Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about from the centre of A Coruña, Galicia, in north-western Spain. Until the 20th century, the tower itself was known as the "Farum Brigantium". The Latin word farum is derived from the Greek pharos for the Lighthouse of...
stands, onto the mainland. The oldest part, known popularly as Cidade Vella (Old City), Cidade Alta (High City) or the Cidade (City), is built on an ancient Celtic castro. It was supposedly inhabited by the Artabrians, the Celtic tribe of the area.
Roman times
The Romans came to the region in the 2nd century BC, and the colonisers made the most of the strategic position and soon the city became quite important in maritime trade. In 62 BC Julius Caesar came to the city (known at the time as Brigantium) in pursuit of the metal trade, establishing commerce with the regions that would eventually be France, England and Portugal. The town began growing, mainly during the 1st and 2nd centuries (when the Farum Brigantium Torre de Hércules was built), but declined after the 4th century and especially with the incursions of the NormansNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, which forced the population to flee towards the interior of the Estuary of O Burgo.
Middle Ages
After the fall of the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, A Coruña still had a commercial port connected to foreign countries, but contacts with the Mediterranean were slowly replaced by a more Atlantic-oriented focus.
The process of deurbanization that followed the fall of the Roman Empire also affected A Coruña. Between the 7th and 8th centuries, the city was no more than a little village of laborers and sailors.
The 11th-century Chronica iriense names Faro do Burgo (ancient name of A Coruña) as one of the dioceses that king Miro granted to the episcopate of Iria Flavia
Iria Flavia
Iria Flavia or simply Iria in Galicia, northwestern Spain, was a Celtiberian port, the main seat of the Caporos, on the road between Braga and Astorga. The Romans rebuilt the road as via XVIII or Via Nova and refounded the Celtiberian port as Iria Flavia to complement Vespasian...
in the year 572:
- "Mirus Rex Sedi suae Hiriensi contulit Dioceses, scilicet Morratium, Salinensem, (...) Bregantinos, Farum..."
- "[King Miro granted to his Irienses headquarters the dioceses of Morrazo, Salnés (...). Bergantiños, Faro...]"
The Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula left no archeological evidence in this area, so it cannot be said whether or not the Muslim invaders ever reached the city. As Muslim rule in early 8th century Galicia consisted little more than a short-lived overlordship of the remote and rugged region backed by a few garrisons, and the city was no more than a village amidst Roman ruins, the invaders showed the same lack of interest in the ruined city as they did generally for the region.
As the city began to recover during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the main problem for the inhabitants was the Norman raids, as well as the ever present threat of raids ("razzies") from Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
to the south. During 9th century there were several Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
attacks on the city, called at that time Faro or Faro Bregancio.
In the year 991, King Vermudo II
Bermudo II of León
Bermudo II , called the Gouty , was the King of Galicia and León . His reign is summed up by Justo Pérez de Urbel's description of him as "el pobre rey atormentado en la vida por la espada de Almanzor y en muerte por la pluma vengadora de un obispo" Bermudo (or Vermudo) II (956–999), called the...
began the construction of defensive military positions on the coast. At Faro, in the ruins of the Tower of Hercules
Tower of Hercules
The Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about from the centre of A Coruña, Galicia, in north-western Spain. Until the 20th century, the tower itself was known as the "Farum Brigantium". The Latin word farum is derived from the Greek pharos for the Lighthouse of...
, a fortress was built, which had a permanent military garrison. To pay for it, he gave power over the city to the bishop of Santiago. The bishop of Santiago became the most important political post in Galicia, and remained so until the 15th century.
In 1208, Alfonso IX re-founded the city of Crunia. Some privileges, such as those of disembarking and selling salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
without paying taxes, were granted to the city, and it enjoyed a big growth in fishing and mercantile business. The city grew and extended through the isthmus. In 1446 John II of Castile
John II of Castile
John II was King of Castile from 1406 to 1454.He was the son of Henry III of Castile and his wife Catherine of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster by Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile.-Regency:He succeeded his father on 25 December 1406, at the age of...
granted to A Coruña the title of "City". The Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
established the Royal Audience of the Kingdom of Galicia in the city, instead of Santiago
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
. A Coruña also became the headquarters of the Captaincy General.
Modern period
During the Modern periodModern history
Modern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
, the city was an important port and centre for the manufacturing of textiles. In 1520, king Charles I of Spain (future Emperor Charles V of Germany), met in the Courts of A Coruña and embarked from its harbor to be elected Emperor. Charles I allowed the Government of the Kingdom of Galicia to distribute space in Europe between 1522 and 1529. Commerce with the Indies
Indies
The Indies is a term that has been used to describe the lands of South and Southeast Asia, occupying all of the present India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and also Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, East Timor, Malaysia and...
was allowed between 1529 and 1575. The Castle of San Antón was built as a defense of the city and its harbour.
From the port of Ferrol in the Province of A Coruña
A Coruña (province)
The province of A Coruña is the most North-western Atlantic-facing province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia...
, Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
left to marry Mary Tudor
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
in 1554, and much later, in 1588, from the same port the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
would set sail to the Spanish Netherlands
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
and England.
In the following year, during the Anglo-Spanish War
Anglo-Spanish War (1585)
The Anglo–Spanish War was an intermittent conflict between the kingdoms of Spain and England that was never formally declared. The war was punctuated by widely separated battles, and began with England's military expedition in 1585 to the Netherlands under the command of the Earl of Leicester in...
, Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
besieged A Coruña, but was repelled, starting the legend of María Pita
Maria Pita
María Mayor Fernández de Cámara y Pita , known as María Pita, was a Spanish heroine of the defense of Corunna in 1589 against the English Armada.-Biography:María Pita was married four times and had two children...
, a woman who took her dead husband's weapon and continued shooting until she captured a flag of the British enemy.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, the wars of the Spanish monarchy caused a great increase in taxes and the start of conscription. In 1620, Philip III
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
created the School of the Boys of the Sea. In 1682 the Tower of Hercules was restored by Antúnez.
19th century
Battle of Corunna
The Battle of Corunna refers to a battle of the Peninsular War. On January 16, 1809, a French army under Marshal Soult attacked the British under Sir John Moore...
during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, on 16 January 1809, in which British troops fought against the French to cover the embarkation of British troops after their retreat. In this battle Sir John Moore
John Moore (British soldier)
Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore, KB was a British soldier and General. He is best known for his military training reforms and for his death at the Battle of Corunna, in which his force was defeated but gained a tactical advantage over a French army under Marshal Soult during the Peninsular...
was killed.
Spanish resistance during the Peninsular War was led by Sinforiano López, and A Coruña was the only Galician city that achieved success against the French troops. French troops left Galicia at the end of May 1809.
During the 19th century, the city was the centre of anti-monarchist sentiment.
On August 19, 1815, Juan Díaz Porlier, pronounced against Fernando VII in defense of the Spanish Constitution of 1812
Spanish Constitution of 1812
The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated 19 March 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain, while in refuge from the Peninsular War...
. He was supported by the bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
and the educated people. But on August 22 he was betrayed. He was hanged in the Campo da Leña two months later.
In all the 19th-century rebellions, A Coruña supported the liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
side.
A Coruña also played an important role in the Rexurdimento
Rexurdimento
The Rexurdimento was a period in the History of Galicia during the 19th century. Its central feature was the revitalization of the Galician language as a vehicle of social and cultural expression after the so-called séculos escuros , in which the dominance of Castilian Spanish was nearly complete...
, and there were founded the Galician Royal Academy in 1906 and the Brotherhoods of the Galician Language in 1916.
Regarding the economy, in 1804 the National Cigarette Factory was founded, and there the workers' movement of the city had its origins. During the 19th century other businesses (glass, foundries, textiles, gas, matches, etc.) were slowly established, but it was maritime trade and migrant travel that attracted Catalan, Belgian, French and English investments. The Bank of A Coruña was founded in 1857. The new provincial division of 1832 also influenced economic development.
20th century
At the beginning of the 20th century, A Coruña had about 45,000 inhabitants. The Great Depression, Spanish Civil War severely affected the economy through the 1930s to the mid 1950s. The 1960s and early 1970s saw a dramatic economic recovery, which was part of the wider Spanish MiracleSpanish miracle
The Spanish miracle was the name given to a broadly based economic boom in Spain from 1959 to 1974. The international oil and stagflation crises of the 1970s ended the boom.- The pre-boom situation :...
. The international oil shocks
1970s energy crisis
The 1970s energy crisis was a period in which the major industrial countries of the world, particularly the United States, faced substantial shortages, both perceived and real, of petroleum...
of the mid and late 1970s severely disrupted the economy, causing many bankruptcies and high unemployment until the mid 1980s, when slower but steady economic development was resumed.
Elections of 1931
In the Spanish general elections, 1931, all the political parties knew that the electoral results had important political consequences. The campaign of Unión Monárquica was very important in A Coruña and was supported by El Ideal GallegoEl Ideal Gallego
El Ideal Gallego is a Galician newspaper from A Coruña. Founded in A Coruña on 1 April 1917 by José Toubes Pego. In 1999, El Ideal Gallego acquired El Diario de Ferrol becoming its editor and moving their headquarters to the City Port and Naval Station of Ferrol, which like A Coruña, also lies in...
. Republicans and socialists constituted a block, made up of ORGA, independent republicans, Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
(PSOE) and the Radical Socialist Republican Party
Radical Socialist Republican Party
Radical Socialist Republican Party , sometimes shortened to Radical Socialist Party , was a Spanish radical political party, created in 1929 after the split of the left-wing in Alejandro Lerroux's Radical Republican Party...
.
In the elections, the republican parties obtained 34 of the 39 council seats. The best results were of the ORGA and of the Partido Radical Socialista, and the Radical Republican Party
Radical Republican Party
The Radical Republican Party , sometimes shortened to the Radical Party was a Spanish political party founded in 1908 by Alejandro Lerroux in Santander, Cantabria by a split from the historical Republican Union party led by Nicolás Salmerón....
lost a lot of support.
Democracy returns
From 1983 to 2006, the mayor of the city was Francisco Vázquez Vázquez (PSOESpanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
), and the city became devoted to services, but he also was criticised because of his being openly against Galician nationalism
Galician nationalism
Galician nationalism is a political movement arguing for the recognition of Galicia as a nation. The political movement referred to as modern Galician nationalism was born at the beginning of the twentieth century from the idea of Galicianism.- Ideology :...
and his town-planning policies.
On January 20, 2006 Vázquez was named ambassador to the Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, and was later replaced by Francisco Javier Losada de Azpiazu. In 2007 Municipal Elections the local government was a coalition of the Socialist Party of Galicia
Socialist Party of Galicia
The Socialist Party of Galicia is a centre-left political party in Galicia, Spain. It is the Galician affiliate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . It defines itself as a Galicianist and social democratic party.-External links:Official*...
and the left-wing nationalist Galician Nationalist Bloc party.
The city celebrated its first millenium in 2008.
In the 2011 Municipal Elections, the conservative candidate Carlos Negreira (PP
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
) obtained a majority, the first one for the People's Party in the city since the arrival of democracy.
The province and city of A Coruña during the 20th century
After the Battle of TrafalgarBattle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
(1805) and the War of Independence (1808–1814), the fortunes of Ferrol began to deteriorate. The largest port in northern Spain, site of one of the three Royal Dockyards, together with Cartagena
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
and Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, almost became a "dead" town during the reign of Ferdinand VII. By 1833 the City and Naval Station of Ferrol saw its civilian population reduced to just 13,000. During the administration of the Marquis de Molina
Marquis de Molina
Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Palafox, 17th Duke of Medina Sidonia, known prior to his succession in the dukedom as The Marquis of Molina, was Spanish Minister of Naval affairs, mid-19th century, reign of Isabella II of Spain counting amongst other political achievements the construction...
, Minister for Naval affairs in the mid-19th century new activities sprang up, but Ferrol never fully returned to its former glories. It should be noted that during those years, most of the Spanish Colonies in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
succeeded in gaining independence from their former metropolis
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
.
The population of the City of A Coruña in 1900 reached 43,971, while the population of the rest of the province including the City and Naval Station of nearby Ferrol as well as Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
was 653,556. A Coruña's miraculous growth happened during aftermath of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
at a similar rate to other major Galician cities, but it was after the death of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
when the city of A Coruña (and Vigo) left all the other Galician cities behind.
The miraculous meteoric increase of population of the city of A Coruña and to a lesser degree Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
, during the years which follow the Spanish Civil War during the mid 20th century, can only be explained when we see the figures of the number of villages and hamlets of the province which disappeared or nearly disappeared during the same period. We are talking here about an economic revolution or substantial increase in living standards and not so much to an explosion of births, which has happened too, but looking to the overall picture what has happened is that the fields have been abandon due to the introduction of new machinery and most of the population has moved to find jobs in the main cities increasing the number of people working in the Tertiary
Tertiary sector of industry
The tertiary sector of the economy is one of the three economic sectors, the others being the secondary sector and the primary sector .The service sector consists of the "soft" parts of the economy, i.e...
and Quaternary sectors
Quaternary sector of industry
The quaternary sector of the economy is a way to describe a knowledge-based part of the economy which typically includes services such as information generation and sharing, information technology, consultation, education, research and development, financial planning, and other knowledge-based...
.
The city today
| City's Metropolitan area 2010 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | Population | ||
| Coruña | 246,047 | ||
| Culleredo | 28,737 | ||
| Arteixo | 30,255 | ||
| Oleiros | 33,550 | ||
| Sada | 14,734 | ||
| Bergondo | 6,758 | ||
| Abegondo | 5,765 | ||
| Cambre | 23,621 | ||
| Carral | 5,945 | ||
The municipality of A Coruña has 246,047 inhabitants, and has one of the highest population densities of Spain and Europe, with around 6,700 inhabitants per square kilometer.
In 2010 there were 12,344 foreigners living in the city, representing a 5% of the total population. The main nationalities are Brazilians (10%), Colombians
Colombians
Colombians may refer to:* Citizens of Colombia, a country in South America.* Ethnic Colombians** Colombian people, persons from Colombia or of Colombian ancestry...
(8%) and Peruvians (7%).
By language, according to 2008 data, 7.75% of the population speak always in Galician
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
, 36% speak always in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and the rest use both interchangeably.
A Coruña metropolitan area has nearly 400,000 inhabitants.
Main sights
- The city is the site of the RomanAncient RomeAncient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Tower of HerculesTower of HerculesThe Tower of Hercules is an ancient Roman lighthouse on a peninsula about from the centre of A Coruña, Galicia, in north-western Spain. Until the 20th century, the tower itself was known as the "Farum Brigantium". The Latin word farum is derived from the Greek pharos for the Lighthouse of...
, which is a lighthouse that has been in continuous operation for nearly 2,000 years. It has been declared by UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. It's surrounded by a big park, which has a public golf courseGolf courseA golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, bike lanes, a former muslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
cementery, a sculpture park and beautiful views over the Atlantic. - The city is also well known for its characteristic glazed window balconies, called galerías. Originally, this type of structure came about as a naval architecture solution for the challenging weather, particularly designed for rainy days. This fashion started in Ferrol in the 18th century when some of the technicians working for the Royal Dockyards had the idea of using the shape of the back of a war ship in a modern building. Soon, afterwards, most sea ports in northern Spain, including the Basque regionBasque Country (historical territory)The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
were adding these glazed window balconies to their city-port houses. - María Pita Square, the most important square in the city. Notable landmarks are the City Hall and the statue of the local heroine Maria PitaMaria PitaMaría Mayor Fernández de Cámara y Pita , known as María Pita, was a Spanish heroine of the defense of Corunna in 1589 against the English Armada.-Biography:María Pita was married four times and had two children...
. - The Old Town (Ciudad Vieja in Spanish, Cidade Vella in Galician) is the name given to the old part of A Coruña. During the ninth and tenth centuries, the inhabitants of what was then called Faro Island (peninsula where now stands the Tower of Hercules) were leaving the area due to constant attacks by the Viking fleet and settled in the area Betanzos. In 1208 King Alfonso IXAlfonso IX of LeonAlfonso IX was king of León and Galicia from the death of his father Ferdinand II in 1188 until his own death...
refounded the city at the present site of Old Town rebuilding the city, which was placed directly to the king, free from allegiance to the clergy or feudal lords. In the fourteenth century were built the walls that protected the Old Town, of which traces still remain, and three doors that opened the city to the sea: the Parrote and San Miguel. It also preserves the stronghold known as the Old Fortress, now converted into the Garden of San Carlos, in which Sir John Moore is buried. The Old City of A Coruña kept streets and squares that revive the city's history and noble mansions and residences such as Rosalia de Castro's house, located on Prince Street. Notable buildings are the Royal Galician Academy, the institution dedicated to the study of Galician culture and especially the Galician language, the Romanic churches of Santiago and Saint Mary, As Bárbaras Monastery (Romanic and BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
) and the headquarters of the Operational Logistics Force of the Spanish ArmySpanish ArmyThe Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
. In July, a Medieval Fair takes place in the streets of the Old City. - The city has several museums, like the Castle of San Antón Archaeological Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Unión Fenosa Museum of Contemporary Art (MACUF) and the network of scientific museums (Casa das Ciencias, which also includes a planetarium, DOMUS, made by Arata IsozakiArata IsozakiArata Isozaki is a Japanese architect from Ōita. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1954. Isozaki worked under Kenzo Tange before establishing his own firm in 1963. He was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 1986.In 2005, Arata Isozaki founded the Italian branch of his office: Arata Isozaki &...
and Aquarium FinisterraeAquarium FinisterraeAquarium Finisterrae is an aquarium located in A Coruña in Galicia, Spain. It is an interactive center of the sciences of marine biology, oceanography and the sea in general. It tries to promote learning about the ocean and to teach people to be more caring toward marine life.Created by the City...
). In 2012, the National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT) will open a branch in the city. - The promenade (Paseo Marítimo) is nine kilometers long (when is completed, it will have 13), is one of the largest in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and borders the peninsula on which the city lays. Along their track many buildings and monuments rise, which are already part of the cultural wealth of A Coruña (DOMUS, Aquarium, Riazor Stadium, Tower of Hercules, etc.). There is a turistic tramway that covers the strecht between the Parrote and the Esclavas School. - In the summertime, the Orzan and Riazor beaches are immensely popular destinations, located directly opposite of the port in the central part of the city. During María Pita festivity, which takes place all over august, Riazor is the venue of Noroeste Pop Rock Festival, a free music festival with groups from Spain and abroad (AmaralAmaral-Meaning:*Amaral, a common surname of toponymic origin in the Portuguese language, namely in Portugal and Brazil, amongst others.-People:*Aguida Amaral, East Timorian runner.*Carlos do Amaral Freire, Brazilian scholar, linguist and translator....
, David BisbalDavid BisbalDavid Bisbal Ferré is a Grammy-winning Spanish pop singer. He gained his initial fame as a runner up on the interactive reality television show Operación Triunfo produced by TJ Hall....
, The CorrsThe CorrsThe Corrs are an Irish band which combine pop rock with traditional Celtic folk music. The brother and sisters are from Dundalk, Ireland. The group consists of the Corr siblings: Andrea ; Sharon ; Caroline ; and Jim .The Corrs came to international prominence with their performance at the...
or Status Quo have played on it in last editions). - Mount of San Pedro Park, a former military area, with spectacular views over the city and the riaRiaA ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
. You can arrive by road or using an elevator from the promenade. It has a cafe, play areas, gardens and three restored artilleryArtilleryOriginally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
pieces. - The city also has a robust social scene at night, especially in the summer. Most bars and clubs are on Calle Orzan, which runs directly parallel to Paseo Maritimo on the beach side. Like other parts of Spain, most clubs on Orzan do not open until 11 pm at the earliest and do not close until maybe three or four in the morning. Another popular destination, for mostly a more youthful crowd, is Los Jardines (The Gardens), a park near the beginning of Calle Real and Los Cantones Village Shopping Center.
Economy
A Coruña is nowadays the richest region of Galicia and its economic engine. There have been various changes in the city's structure over the last few decades—it now shares some administrative functions with the nearby city of Ferrol. Companies have grown, especially in sectors such as finance, communication, planning, sales, manufacturing and technical services, making A Coruña the wealthiest metropolitan area of Galicia. The port itself unloads large amounts of fresh fish, and with the increase in other port activities like crude oil and solid bulk, which make up 75% of Galician port traffic.In 1975, the clothing company Zara
Zara (clothing)
Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera. It is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group; the fashion group also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and...
, founded by Amancio Ortega Gaona
Amancio Ortega Gaona
Amancio Ortega Gaona is a Spanish fashion entrepreneur. He is the founder, along with his then-wife Rosalía Mera, and chairman of the Inditex Group. He is ranked by Forbes as Spain's richest man; Europe's second richest man; and the seventh richest man in the world in 2011...
, opened its first store in the city and has since become a national and international clothing chain.
Inditex
Inditex
Industria de Diseño Textil, S.A. , more commonly known as Inditex, is a large Spanish corporation and the world's largest fashion group. It is made up of almost a hundred companies dealing with activities related to textile design, production and distribution...
, the main textile manufacturer of the world, has its headquarters in the nearby town of Arteixo
Arteixo
Arteixo is a municipality of Spain in the Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Its area is 93.76 km² and its population is 29,762...
. A Coruña concentrates the 30% of the GDP of Galicia and in the period between 1999 and 2001 it grew 35%, surpassing Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
which was traditionally economically stronger. Other important companies of the city are Banco Pastor
Banco Pastor
Banco Pastor, S.A. is a Spanish bank. It is the second oldest banking institution in the country, after Banco Etcheverría.Founded in 1776 by Jaime Dalmau Batista as Jaime Dalmau y Cía , who had a shipping company operating between the port of A Coruña and several American ports...
, Banco Etcheverría
Banco Etcheverría
Banco Etcheverría is the oldest bank in the Spanish financial system . It was founded in Betanzos, A Coruña in 1717 by Juan Etcheverry, a French businessman established in Galicia who also created a tanning factory.His family inherited and continued the bank business through generations; the...
(oldest in Spain), Hijos de Rivera Brewery, Novacaixagalicia
Novacaixagalicia
Novacaixagalicia is the trading name of Caixa de Aforros de Galicia, Vigo, Ourense e Pontevedra a Spanish savings bank based in Galicia...
, R Cable Operator, the Repsol-YPF refinery, Gas Natural
Gas Natural
Gas Natural SDG, S.A., trading as Gas Natural Fenosa, is an energy company which operates primarily in Spain but also in such countries as Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Morocco...
combined cycle power plant, General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
factory, Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
and Sapa Group
Sapa Group
Sapa AB is a Swedish manufacturer of extruded aluminium profiles. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Orkla Group, and based in Stockholm...
aluminium plants and La Voz de Galicia
La Voz de Galicia
La Voz de Galicia is a Spanish daily newspaper owned by the Corporación Voz de Galicia. La Voz is the most sold newspaper in Galicia and the sixth of Spain...
, the main daily newspaper of Galicia. A Coruña is also an important retail center. El Corte Inglés
El Corte Inglés
El Corte Inglés S.A. , headquartered in Madrid, is the biggest department store group in Europe and ranks fourth worldwide...
, the main department store chain in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, has two centers in the city, one of them in the new commercial area Marineda City, opened in April 2011, the biggest shopping center in Spain, which also includes, among others, IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
and Decathlon
Decathlon Group
Decathlon is a major French sporting good chain store, with stores located throughout the world. It started with a shop near Lille, France in 1976. It expanded to Germany in 1986, Spain in 1992 and the United Kingdom in 1999. It entered the American market by purchasing the New England 20-store...
stores, cinemas, an ice rink, a bowling court and a kart circuit. Other hypermarket chains present in the city are Carrefour
Carrefour
Carrefour S.A. is an international hypermarket chain headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world...
(two centers), Auchan
Auchan
Groupe Auchan SA is a French international retail group and multinational corporation headquartered in Croix, France. It is one of the world's principal distribution groups with a presence in 12 countries and 175,000 employees....
(known in Spain as Alcampo) and Eroski
Eroski
Eroski is a Spanish supermarket chain with nearly 1,000 outlets spread across Spain .It is run as a worker-consumer hybrid co-operative within the Mondragón Corporation group....
.
Over the last few years, emphasis has been placed upon better access and infrastructure, especially cultural, sporting, leisure and scientific areas. Following a spectacular oil spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
when the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea (oil spill)
On December 3, 1992, the double-bottom Greek-flagged tanker Aegean Sea, en route to Repsol refinery in A Coruña, Spain, suffered an accident off the Galician coast. It had successfully passed all required tests and revisions....
wrecked and exploded, considerable resources have been used in the recovery of the shoreline and strengthening the tourist sector. All this has reaffirmed the city's existing character as a centre for administration, sales, port activities, culture and tourism. The city also has a regional airport
A Coruña Airport
A Coruña Airport , formerly known as Alvedro Airport, is the airport serving the Galician city of A Coruña in northwestern Spain. The airport is located in the municipality of Culleredo, approximately from the city center. It is a part of the network of airports managed by Aena, a Spanish...
, used by 1,101,208 passengers in 2010.
Tourism
Tourism in A Coruña has increased in recent years to the point of receiving 62 cruise ships a year.Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
certification in 2011.
An important holiday is on the night of San Juan, celebrated with a massive fireworks celebration, parade, burning fails and the ancient fires on all city beaches well into dawn.
In 2006 and for the first time ever, the number of tourists has doubled the population of the city, virtually to 500,000 the number of people who chose the city as a tourist destination.
The city has an extensive network of hotels, with an offer of over 3,000 hotel vacancies. There are one five star-hotel and 11 four star-hotels, as well as many other hotels and hostels. The city is also focusing in business tourism, offering the Congress and Exhibition Centre PALEXCO, with room for more than 2,500 people; a new trade fair centre, EXPOCORUÑA, venue of concerts, exhibitions and festivals like Sónar
Sónar
Sónar is an annual three-day music festival held in Barcelona, Spain. It is described officially as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music is by far the main aspect of the festival....
.
Education and Culture
There are 38 Pre-school centers, 47 primary schools, 29 vocational schoolVocational school
A vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
s and 33 secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s.
High education is represented by the University of A Coruña
University of A Coruña
The University of A Coruña is a public university located in the city of A Coruña, Galicia. Established in 1989, university departments are divided between two primary campuses in A Coruña and nearby Ferrol...
, a public university established in 1989, the UNED branch, and CESUGA, a private university centre in alliance with University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, which offers Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
and Bachelor of Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture is an undergraduate academic degree designed to satisfy the academic component of professional accreditation bodies, to be followed by a period of practical training prior to professional examination and registration. It is awarded for a course of study that lasts up...
Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
. Escuela de Negocios NCG offers MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
and other master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in business.
There are 7 municipal libraries, one library that belongs to the provincial government and one public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
, administered by the Xunta
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President and the specialized ministers ....
. The Archive of the Kingdom of Galicia (Arquivo do Reino de Galicia in Galician) is located in the Old Town.
There is a Escuela Oficial de Idiomas
Escuela Oficial de Idiomas
A ' is a Spanish language school. Each autonomous community controls its language schools. The schools teach foreign languages as well as Spanish for non-Spanish speakers...
(Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
language school
Language school
A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, but not limited to, communicative competence in a foreign language...
) center, which offers classes in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Galician
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, Arabic, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as a Foreign Language.
The Music studies are well represented by a Music school
Music school
The term music school refers to an educational institution specialized in the study, training and research of music.Different terms refer to this concept such as school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department or conservatory.Music instruction can be provided...
. A Coruña is also the base for the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia
Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia
Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia is a Spanish orchestra, created in 1992 and based in A Coruña, where it is the main orchestra in the city's Mozart Festival. Its conductor is Victor Pablo Pérez.-External links:* - OSG's web page....
.
The city is home of two main theaters, Teatro Colón and Teatro Rosalía, with regular performances, music concerts and other representations. A multiporpouse center called Coliseum holds all kind of cultural events like concerts or sport exhibitions. International artists like David Copperfield
David Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
, Maná
Maná
Maná is a pop rock band from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, whose career has spanned more than three decades. They have earned three Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America, five Premios Juventud awards, nine Billboard Latin Music Awards and 13 Premios Lo...
, Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
, Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
or Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
among others have performed in the venue. In summer it also works as a bullring and in winter it is used as an ice rink.
A Coruña has several museums, like the Castle of San Antón Archaeological Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Unión Fenosa Museum of Contemporary Art (MACUF), the Military Museum and the network of scientific museums (Casa das Ciencias, which also includes a planetarium, DOMUS, made by Arata Isozaki
Arata Isozaki
Arata Isozaki is a Japanese architect from Ōita. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1954. Isozaki worked under Kenzo Tange before establishing his own firm in 1963. He was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 1986.In 2005, Arata Isozaki founded the Italian branch of his office: Arata Isozaki &...
and Aquarium Finisterrae
Aquarium Finisterrae
Aquarium Finisterrae is an aquarium located in A Coruña in Galicia, Spain. It is an interactive center of the sciences of marine biology, oceanography and the sea in general. It tries to promote learning about the ocean and to teach people to be more caring toward marine life.Created by the City...
). In 2012, the National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT) will open a branch in the city.
The main festivity in the city is María Pita Festivity, which lasts from the end of July to mid September. The festival includes Noroeste Pop Rock (free concerts at Riazor beach), free concerts in venues all over the city, the Medieval fair in the Old Town, the International Folklore Festival, a book fair, Festival Viñetas desde o Atlántico, a comic fair and, for the first time in 2011, a recreation of famous German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
. Other festivities include San Juan and Virgen del Rosario.
Transport
A Coruña is the destination of one of the radial roads originating in Madrid, (N-VI). Currently there is a highway (Autovía A-6Autovía A-6
The Autovía A-6 or Autopista AP-6 is a Spanish autovía and autopista route which starts in Madrid and ends in Arteixo ....
) that runs parallel to the old radial road. Another major road running through the city is the toll motorway AP-9
Autopista AP-9
The Autopista A-9 is a highway in Galicia, Spain. It is known as the Autopista do Atlántico and runs from the Portugal border at the Rio Miño. It heads north via Tui, Vigo and a junction with the Autovía A-52. After Vigo the road crosses the Ría de Vigo, onto the Peninsula de Morrazo and passing...
, which links Ferrol with the Portuguese border crossing the main cities of Galicia. AG-55 motorway links the city with the Costa da Morte
Costa da Morte
Costa da Morte is part of the Spanish Galician coast. The Costa da Morte extends from the villages of Fisterra and Malpica.The Costa da Morte received its name because there have been so many shipwrecks along its treacherous rocky shore...
, although currently only go as far as Carballo
Carballo
Carballo is a municipality of Spain in the Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia.The seafood company Calvo is headquartered here....
. The conventional road N-550 (A Coruña-Tui) it's the main link to the airport while the new highway is still under construction.
A Coruña Airport
A Coruña Airport
A Coruña Airport , formerly known as Alvedro Airport, is the airport serving the Galician city of A Coruña in northwestern Spain. The airport is located in the municipality of Culleredo, approximately from the city center. It is a part of the network of airports managed by Aena, a Spanish...
, formerly known as Alvedro Airport, is located in the municipality of Culleredo
Culleredo
Culleredo is a municipality of Spain in the Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia.Culleredo is placed in the outskirts of A Coruña and its population in mainly formed of commuters....
, approximately 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the city center. It serves mainly Spanish destinations, although there are regular services to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and, in summer season, to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 2010, 1,101,208 passengers used the airport.
Railway services depart from San Cristóbal Station. The city will be connected with Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
by high-speed rail
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
in next years. Regional lines connect the city with Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
through Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
and Pontevedra
Pontevedra
Pontevedra is a city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the comarca and province of Pontevedra, in Galicia . It is also the capital of its own municipality which is, in fact, often considered as an extension of the actual city...
, Lugo
Lugo
Lugo is a city in northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is the capital of the province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 97,635 in 2010, which makes is the fourth most populated city in Galicia.-Population:...
and Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos
Monforte de Lemos is a city and municipality in northwestern Spain, in the province of Lugo, Galicia. It covers an area of 200 km² and lies 62 km from Lugo. As of 2005 it had a population of 19,472. It is located in a valley between the shores of Sil River and Miño River, in the area...
. Intercity trains depart to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
, passing through many other important Spanish northern cities. There is a freight train station that serves the port.
Regional and intercity buses depart from the Bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
at Caballeros street. A Coruña is well connected with its metropolitan area and other Galician cities and towns. Intercity services connect the city with Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
and Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
among others and with European cities like Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
or Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
Local transportation in A Coruña is carried out by Compañía de Tranvías de La Coruña. Its network includes 24 lines served by 93 vehicles. There is also a regular taxi service distributed in taxi tanks all over the city.
Sport
A Coruña has an extensive network of sports infrastructures. The most important one is the Riazor Sport Complex, which includes Riazor stadium (home of Deportivo de La CoruñaDeportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
), the Palace of Sports (home of HC Liceo La Coruña
HC Liceo La Coruña
Hockey Club Liceo La Coruña is a Spanish Rink hockey club based in A Coruña, city in the autonomous community of Galicia.The club was founded in 1972 and her stadium is Pabellón Pazo dos Deportes with capacity of 5,000 seats....
), two indoor tracks, a pelota court and an indoor swimming-pool. La Torre Sport Complex hosts many football fields, a golf court and another pelota court. There are also five municipal football fields, 11 sports centers and several marinas (Real Club Náutico, Marina Coruña, etc.). In 2007 opened Termaria Casa del Agua complex, which has a gymnasium, a thalassotherapy center and an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The city has a football club in Spain's second division, Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
. Deportivo was founded in 1906 and is currently playing in the Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, having been relegated from La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
in the 2010–11 season
2010–11 La Liga
The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División...
. Since the Spanish football league system was established in 1928, it has spent all but two seasons in the top two tiers.
Depor has won the league title once, in the 1999–2000 season, finishing as runner-up on five occasions. The club has also won the Spanish Cup twice, (1995 and 2002) and three Spanish Super Cups. The Blues and Whites have been a regular in top positions in La Liga in the last 20 years, finishing in the top half of the table in 16 out of 19 seasons. As a result, the club has been a regular participant in European competitions, playing in the UEFA Champions League five seasons in a row, and reaching the semi-finals in 2004.
The city has a roller hockey
Roller hockey (Quad)
Roller Hockey is a team sport that enjoys significant popularity in a number of Latin countries. Depending on territories, it is also known as Hóquei em Patins, International Style Ball hockey, Rink Hockey or Hardball Hockey. Roller Hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Summer...
team, HC Liceo La Coruña
HC Liceo La Coruña
Hockey Club Liceo La Coruña is a Spanish Rink hockey club based in A Coruña, city in the autonomous community of Galicia.The club was founded in 1972 and her stadium is Pabellón Pazo dos Deportes with capacity of 5,000 seats....
, one of the most laureate in Spain, and dispute the main League OK Liga
OK Liga
The OK Liga is the Spanish rink hockey league and is widely regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. Since 2009 it includes also a women's league.-Champions by year:-Performance by club:...
. They became Europe's Champions in 2011.
A Coruña basketball team CB Coruña
CB Coruña
Club Basquet Coruña, more commonly referred to today by its sponsorship name of Leyma Basquet Coruña, is a professional Basketball team based in A Coruña, Galicia. The team currently plays in league LEB Plata.-History:...
, plays in LEB Plata
Liga Española de Baloncesto
Liga Española de Baloncesto is the second league of the Spanish basketball league system behind the ACB. It is run by the FEB. The Liga Española de Baloncesto is divided into two categories and they are sponsored by Adecco. The names of the two leagues are Adecco Oro and Adecco Plata.The LEB league...
league, the Spanish second division.
Handball team OAR Ciudad 1952 currently plays in Spanish First Division.
Casas Novas riding club, in the outskirts of the city, hosts many national and international championships.
Politics
Francisco Vázquez Vázquez had been mayor of the city from 1983; however, after becoming the Spanish ambassador to the VaticanHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, he was replaced by Javier Losada on February 10, 2006.
The current mayor is Carlos Negreira, from PP
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
.
Notable people
- José Andrés Cornide Saavedra (1734–1803), writer
- Ramón de la Sagra Peris (1798–1871), botany teacher, philosopher and social economist
- Emilia Pardo BazánEmilia Pardo BazánEmilia Pardo Bazán was a Spanish author and scholar from Galicia.-Life:...
(1851–1921), novelist, journalist, essayist and critic - Eduardo Dato Iradier (1856–1921), lawyer and politician
- Ramón Menéndez PidalRamón Menéndez PidalRamón Menéndez Pidal was a Spanish philologist and historian. He worked extensively on the history of the Spanish language and Spanish folklore and folk poetry. One of his main topics was the history and legend of The Cid....
(1869–1968), writer - José Millán AstrayJosé Millán AstrayJosé Millán-Astray y Terreros was a Spanish soldier, the founder and first commander of the Spanish Foreign Legion, and a major early figure of Francisco Franco's Regime in Spain.- Early life :...
(1879–1954), founder and first commander of the Spanish Foreign Legion - Santiago Casares QuirogaSantiago Casares QuirogaSantiago Casares y Quiroga was a Spanish politician who was Prime Minister of Spain from 13 May to 19 July 1936....
(1884–1950), lawyer and politician - Wenceslao Fernández FlórezWenceslao Fernández FlórezWenceslao Fernández Flórez was a popular Spanish journalist and novelist of the early 20th century. Throughout his career, he retained an intense fondness for the land of his birth.- Early life and career :...
(1885–1964), narrator, journalist and humorist - Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo (1896–1978), writer and poet
- Fernando Casado D'Arambillet (1917–1994), better known as Fernando ReyFernando ReyFernando Casado Arambillet , best known as Fernando Rey, was a Spanish film, theatre, and TV actor, who worked in both Europe and the United States...
, actor - Amando de OssorioAmando de OssorioAmando de Ossorio was one of the foremost Spanish horror film directors during the European horror film surge in the 1970s, known especially for his "Blind Dead" tetralogy....
(1918–2001), film director - María CasaresMaría CasaresMaría Casares was a Spanish actress and one of the most distinguished stars of the French stage. She was usually credited in France as Maria Casarès.-Early life:...
(1922–1996), actress - Luis Suárez MiramontesLuis Suárez MiramontesLuis Suárez Miramontes , also known by the diminutive Luisito, is a Spanish former footballer and manager. He played as a midfielder for Deportivo de La Coruña, CD España Industrial, CF Barcelona, Internazionale, Sampdoria and Spain. Suárez is regarded as one of Spain's greatest players; as a...
(born 1935), football player and manager - Amancio Amaro Varela (born 1939), football player
- Emilio Pérez TouriñoEmilio Pérez TouriñoEmilio Pérez Touriño is a Spanish politician and economist. He is the former secretary general of the Socialist Party of Galicia and, from August 2005 to March 2009, former president of the autonomous community of Galicia . Namely, he was president of the executive branch, the Xunta de Galicia...
(born 1948), former president of the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia - Manuel Rivas Barros (born 1957), writer, poet, essayist and journalist
- Andrés Díaz Díaz, (born 1969), athlete
- María PujalteMaría PujalteMaría Pujalte is a Spanish actress.She studied singing, drama and self-expression through movement in Santiago de Compostela and at the Scuola Internazionale dell'Attore Comico from Reggio Emilia with a scholarship of the Deputation of Corunna.She has been a member of Centro Dramático Galego and...
, (born 1966), actress - Fernando RomayFernando RomayFernando Manuel Romay Pereiro is a retired basketball player from Spain, who represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980. At his second Olympic appearance he won the silver medal with the Spain national basketball team...
, (born 1959), basketball player - Amancio Ortega, (born 1936), founder of fashion brand Zara (clothing)Zara (clothing)Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera. It is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group; the fashion group also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and...
External links
- Ayuntamiento de A Coruña
- Tourism Office website for A Coruña (Turismo Coruña – Town Council)
- Tourism website for A Coruña (TurGalicia – Regional Tourism Office)
- Tourism website – Travel Guide for A Coruña (TurEspaña – National Tourism Office)
- Pinocho in la Coruña: An illustrated guidebook to la Coruña
- Photographs of A Coruña, by Luis Vila
- News of A Coruña, Spain
- Rural tourism site for A Coruña-Terra das Mariñas
- Rural tourism site for A Coruña-A Costa da Morte
- Rural tourism site for A Coruña-Terras de Santiago
- Rural tourism site for A Coruña-Ferrol-Eume-Ortegal