Betanzos
Encyclopedia
Betanzos is a municipality in Galicia, Spain
, in the Province of A Coruña
. In Roman
times Betanzos was called Carunium or Brigantium. During the Medieval period the settlement was known as Carunio.
The town is located in a fertile valley close to the Atlantic Ocean
, and it has one of the best preserved old quarters in Galicia. Noteworthy is the Igrexa de San Francisco (St Francis Church), erected in 1387 by order of count Fernán Pérez de Andrade
, whose tomb, decorated with hunting scenes, can be seen inside of the church. The Igrexa de Santiago (St James Church), built in the 15th century by the guild of tailors, has a main portal decorated with a horseback statue of Saint James.
Other sights in the town are several town palaces, a 16th-century clock tower, and the town walls, which preserve three of their original four gates.
There are two celebrations in Betanzos in August each year. At the festival of San Roque
, a very large paper balloon is launched. And later in August, decorated boats sail along the Mandeo river to the nearby Os Caneiros.
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...
, 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...
. In Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient 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....
times Betanzos was called Carunium or Brigantium. During the Medieval period the settlement was known as Carunio.
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and it has one of the best preserved old quarters in Galicia. Noteworthy is the Igrexa de San Francisco (St Francis Church), erected in 1387 by order of count Fernán Pérez de Andrade
Andrade
Originally, the name Andrade could have come from any of numerous places of the same name in Galicia or northern Portugal and several Andrade are known from documents dating back to the 12th century. Most likely, however, it originated in the small fief of San Martiño de Andrade Originally, the...
, whose tomb, decorated with hunting scenes, can be seen inside of the church. The Igrexa de Santiago (St James Church), built in the 15th century by the guild of tailors, has a main portal decorated with a horseback statue of Saint James.
Other sights in the town are several town palaces, a 16th-century clock tower, and the town walls, which preserve three of their original four gates.
There are two celebrations in Betanzos in August each year. At the festival of San Roque
Roch
Saint Roch or Rocco ; lived c.1348 - 15/16 August 1376/79 was a Christian saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August; he is specially invoked against the plague...
, a very large paper balloon is launched. And later in August, decorated boats sail along the Mandeo river to the nearby Os Caneiros.