Ferrol, A Coruña
Encyclopedia
Ferrol sometimes in Spanish El Ferrol, is a city in the province of A Coruña
in Galicia, located on the Atlantic
coast in north-western Spain
. , it has an urban population of 77,859 and a metropolitan area population of over 241,528.
The city has been a major naval shipbuilding centre from the 18th century, being the capital of the Spanish Navy
's Maritime Department of the North since the time of the early Bourbons
. Today, the city is also known as the home of the shipbuilding yards of Navantia
.
The city was the birthplace of the Spanish General Francisco Franco
in 1892, and was officially known as El Ferrol del Caudillo from 1938 to 1982. It was also the birth place of the founder of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE), Pablo Iglesias
, in 1850.
anthroponym Ferreolus; as such, Ferrol was probably, in origin, the estate of one Ferreolus
.
is backed up by the abundance of burial chambers
, megalithic monuments as well as Petroglyph
s and other archaeological findings. The Phoenicia
ns established in this area different dried and salted cod stations
and their presence together with the presence of the Ancient Greeks
is well documented by historians like Herodotus
amongst others. In Roman
times, in the 1st century BC, a fishing port existed in the bay of Ferrol. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire
the whole Iberian Peninsula
, including Ferrol, was raided by the Vandals
and occupied in 411 by the Suebi
; their kingdom was incorporated in 584 by Leovigild
to the Visigothic kingdom of Spain
.
Raided from 711 to 739 by the Arabs, Ferrol was ultimately recaptured by the Visigothic king of Asturias
in 754 remaining onwards an integral part of Christian Spain
.
The House of Asturias established an important Christian Outpost
to protect their realms from the Arab invaders
. In the 14th century Henry II gave the town to the powerful Andrade
family.
In 1568 a fire reduced to rubble the old medieval town; in the same period some parts of the existing fortifications at the entrance of the estuary
were built. As a naval base, at that time the town was considered more important as a Royal Arsenal
than as a safe harbour.
With the arrival of the Bourbons
in the 18th century, Ferrol became a leading naval centre. Ferrol was made Capital of the Maritime Department of the North, formed under Ferdinand VI and Charles III
for the defence of the Spanish Colonial Empire in America
. Rapid improvements followed, notably under the leadership of the Marquis of Ensenada
, and the position of Ferrol was made almost unassailable from the sea, the difficulties of disembarking troops on its precipitous coast being strengthened by a renewed line of fortresses and newly built castles, including that of San Carlos.
The Royal Dockyards of A Graña
and Ferrol, built between 1726–1783, produced ships protected with copper sheets from the rolling mills of Xubia. In 1772, The Spanish Royal Academy of Naval Engineers
of Ferrol, the first such academy in Spain, was created.
Ferrol was virtually impossible to blockade
in the age of sail, as strong westerly winds would take any blockading force away along the treacherous north coast of Spain where they had no safe haven. The geography of Ferrol meant that an entire Spanish fleet could slip out on a single tide. By the time the British were able to resume the blockade, the Spanish would be safely away and out to sea. Despite these advantages, a decline set during the reign of Charles IV
, and in 1800, after the defences had been reduced, a British fleet of 109 vessels landed troops on the beach of Doniños to take the Castle of San Felipe. Although only equipped with meagre artillery, the castle's small defence force under the command of Count Donadio
together with a sizable number of volunteer citizens of Ferrol, successfully resisted the attack and the fleet withdrew. The alliance with the United Kingdom
during the Peninsular War
of 1808-14 failed to prevent the deterioration in the town’s fortunes. The arsenals and fortresses were abandoned and they were easily occupied by the French in 1809.
Under Ferdinand VII, Ferrol lost its title of capital. New activities sprang up, however, in the mid-19th century, during the administration of the Marquis de Molina
, Spanish Minister for Naval affairs
, which included amongst other political successes the construction and launch in the Royal Dockyards of Ferrol of Spain's first steam propelled ship
in 1858.
The second half of the 19th century brought to the Royal Dockyards of Ferrol not just plenty of work but social and political tensions which ended up in the failed republican uprising of 1872.
Ten years after the Spanish-American War
of 1898, in which Spain lost Cuba
and the Philippines
, the Antonio Maura Government, in an attempt to restore the Spanish Navy and Spanish shipbuilding industry hired the Spanish Society for Naval Construction
, whose major investors were the British firms John Brown
, Vickers
and Armstrong
the shipbuilding
yards, workshops, foundries and dry docks in Ferrol.
For a period of sixteen years, all the technicians were exclusively British, and the situation was not altered till 1925 when the management was taken over by Spanish engineers, as one of the new policies introduced by the then newly created government, including ministers both civil and military, of the dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera
(1923–1930). The arrival of the British
coincided with the construction of a local electric-powered trolley streetcar’s line
(1924–1961).
In sight of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, and because there was fear of social unrest in the naval station, the Foreign Office in London
, organized a ship to repatriate all the remaining British citizens and on 22 July 1936 HMS Witch (D89)
departed from Ferrol back to Britain.
At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
(1936–1939) the shipbuilding yards, workshops, foundries and dry docks in Ferrol were taken over by the state and fully nationalized in 1945 under the name "Bazàn", later renamed "IZAR", and, starting from January 2005, Navantia
. The town was the birthplace of dictator Francisco Franco
, after whom the city was officially known as El Ferrol del Caudillo from 1938 to 1982. The end of the dictatorship and the arrival of democracy in 1978
did not help Ferrol, and from 1982 to the early 1990s, the city confronted numerous problems due to a decline in the naval sector. The beginning of the new millennium however has been a time of economic expansion and prosperity in general. A new motorway and an outer-port
have been built.
Ferrol hosted the large NATO Maritime Exercise Loyal Mariner (RN
) in June 2008.
, characterized by year-long mild temperatures, rainy winters, and relatively dry summers.
include horse breeding, fish farming and fishing (specializing in the Atlantic shoals), mining
(ENDESA
), non-timber forest products, quarries
and timber
.
Secondary Industries
include shipbuilding
, ship engines
, wind turbines, electrical equipment
, ironworks
, Textiles, food (canned fish
) and wood-made products.
Tertiary activities include mercantile, fishing and military ports, restaurants, media, hotels and tourism.
Lugo
, Spain, since 2000 Mondoñedo
, Spain, since 2004 Adelaide
, Australia, since 2010
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 Galicia, located on the Atlantic
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...
coast in north-western 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...
. , it has an urban population of 77,859 and a metropolitan area population of over 241,528.
The city has been a major naval shipbuilding centre from the 18th century, being the capital of the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
's Maritime Department of the North since the time of the early Bourbons
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. Today, the city is also known as the home of the shipbuilding yards of Navantia
Navantia
Navantia, formerly Bazán or IZAR, is a Spanish shipbuilding firm, which offers its services to both military and civil sector. It is the fifth largest shipbuilder in Europe, and the ninth largest in the world with shipyards all over Spain....
.
The city was the birthplace of the Spanish General 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...
in 1892, and was officially known as El Ferrol del Caudillo from 1938 to 1982. It was also the birth place of the founder of the 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), Pablo Iglesias
Pablo Iglesias
Paulino Iglesias Posse , better known as Pablo Iglesias, was a Spanish socialist and labour leader...
, in 1850.
Toponym
The first mention of the city dates back to the year 1087, under the name sancto Iuliano de Ferrol, where Ferrol is probably the local evolution of the genitive form of the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
anthroponym Ferreolus; as such, Ferrol was probably, in origin, the estate of one Ferreolus
Ferreolus
Ferreolus may refer to:*Tonantius Ferreolus*Ferréol of Grenoble, Ferjus of Grenoble, Catholic saint*Ferréol of Uzès, Catholic saint*Ferreolus and Ferrutio, martyrs and saintsSee also*Saint Ferreolus...
.
History
The existence of prehistoric human settlements in this green corner of IberiaHistory of Galicia
The Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited for at least 500,000 years, first by Neanderthals and then by modern humans.-Megalithic culture:Galicia, northern Portugal, Asturias, western León, and Zamora formed a single megalithic area since the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Ages, around 4500–1500...
is backed up by the abundance of burial chambers
Chamber tomb
A chamber tomb is a tomb for burial used in many different cultures. In the case of individual burials, the chamber is thought to signify a higher status for the interree than a simple grave. Built from rock or sometimes wood, the chambers could also serve as places for storage of the dead from one...
, megalithic monuments as well as Petroglyph
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
s and other archaeological findings. The Phoenicia
Phoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
ns established in this area different dried and salted cod stations
Dried and salted cod
Dried and salted cod, often called salt cod or clipfish , is cod which has been preserved by drying after salting. Cod which has been dried without the addition of salt is called stockfish....
and their presence together with the presence of the Ancient Greeks
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
is well documented by historians like Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
amongst others. In Roman
Roman 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....
times, in the 1st century BC, a fishing port existed in the bay of Ferrol. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
the whole Iberian Peninsula
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
, including Ferrol, was raided by the Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
and occupied in 411 by the Suebi
Suebic Kingdom of Galicia
The Suebic Kingdom of Galicia was the first independent barbarian Christian kingdom of Western Europe and the first to separate from the Roman Empire, as well as the first one to mint coins. Based in Gallaecia, it was established in 410 and lasted as independent state until 584, after a century of...
; their kingdom was incorporated in 584 by Leovigild
Liuvigild
Liuvigild, Leuvigild, Leovigild, or Leogild was a Visigothic King of Hispania and Septimania from 569 to April 21, 586. From 585 he was also king of Galicia. Known for his Codex Revisus or Code of Leovigild, a unifying law allowing equal rights between the Visigothic and Hispano-Roman population,...
to the Visigothic kingdom of Spain
Visigothic Kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom was a kingdom which occupied southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to 8th century AD. One of the Germanic successor states to the Western Roman Empire, it was originally created by the settlement of the Visigoths under King Wallia in the province of...
.
Raided from 711 to 739 by the Arabs, Ferrol was ultimately recaptured by the Visigothic king of Asturias
Kingdom of Asturias
The Kingdom of Asturias was a Kingdom in the Iberian peninsula founded in 718 by Visigothic nobles under the leadership of Pelagius of Asturias. It was the first Christian political entity established following the collapse of the Visigothic kingdom after Islamic conquest of Hispania...
in 754 remaining onwards an integral part of Christian Spain
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
.
The House of Asturias established an important Christian Outpost
Battle of Covadonga
The Battle of Covadonga was the first major victory by a Christian military force in Iberia following the Muslim Moors' conquest of that region in 711...
to protect their realms from the Arab invaders
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
. In the 14th century Henry II gave the town to the powerful 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...
family.
In 1568 a fire reduced to rubble the old medieval town; in the same period some parts of the existing fortifications at the entrance of the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
were built. As a naval base, at that time the town was considered more important as a Royal Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
than as a safe harbour.
With the arrival of the Bourbons
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
in the 18th century, Ferrol became a leading naval centre. Ferrol was made Capital of the Maritime Department of the North, formed under Ferdinand VI and Charles III
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
for the defence of the Spanish Colonial Empire in America
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
. Rapid improvements followed, notably under the leadership of the Marquis of Ensenada
Zenón de Somodevilla y Bengoechea, Marquis of Ensenada
Don Zenón de Somodevilla y Bengoechea , widely known as the Marquis of the Ensenada, was a Spanish statesman.-Early life:...
, and the position of Ferrol was made almost unassailable from the sea, the difficulties of disembarking troops on its precipitous coast being strengthened by a renewed line of fortresses and newly built castles, including that of San Carlos.
The Royal Dockyards of A Graña
A Graña
A Graña is a village and naval station , shipyard and town located some 800 meters by sea from the Naval Station of Ferrol, in north-western Spain.It is an integral part of the Naval Military Complex of El Ferrol....
and Ferrol, built between 1726–1783, produced ships protected with copper sheets from the rolling mills of Xubia. In 1772, The Spanish Royal Academy of Naval Engineers
The Spanish Royal Academy of Naval Engineers
The Spanish Royal Academy of Naval Engineers is a military naval academy in Ferrol, Spain, founded in 1772, during the reign Charles III of Spain. The purpose of this Royal Academy was to train the future members of the 1770 newly created Professional Body....
of Ferrol, the first such academy in Spain, was created.
Ferrol was virtually impossible to blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
in the age of sail, as strong westerly winds would take any blockading force away along the treacherous north coast of Spain where they had no safe haven. The geography of Ferrol meant that an entire Spanish fleet could slip out on a single tide. By the time the British were able to resume the blockade, the Spanish would be safely away and out to sea. Despite these advantages, a decline set during the reign of Charles IV
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
, and in 1800, after the defences had been reduced, a British fleet of 109 vessels landed troops on the beach of Doniños to take the Castle of San Felipe. Although only equipped with meagre artillery, the castle's small defence force under the command of Count Donadio
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...
together with a sizable number of volunteer citizens of Ferrol, successfully resisted the attack and the fleet withdrew. The alliance with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
of 1808-14 failed to prevent the deterioration in the town’s fortunes. The arsenals and fortresses were abandoned and they were easily occupied by the French in 1809.
Under Ferdinand VII, Ferrol lost its title of capital. New activities sprang up, however, in the mid-19th century, 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...
, Spanish Minister for Naval affairs
Spanish Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose government is defined by the Constitution of Spain. This was approved by a general referendum of the people of Spain in 1978...
, which included amongst other political successes the construction and launch in the Royal Dockyards of Ferrol of Spain's first steam propelled ship
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
in 1858.
The second half of the 19th century brought to the Royal Dockyards of Ferrol not just plenty of work but social and political tensions which ended up in the failed republican uprising of 1872.
Ten years after the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
of 1898, in which Spain lost Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, the Antonio Maura Government, in an attempt to restore the Spanish Navy and Spanish shipbuilding industry hired the Spanish Society for Naval Construction
Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval
From 1909 up until the Spanish Civil War, the naval construction in Spain was monopolized by the Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval - also Spanish Society for Naval Construction was largely owned by the British , and therefore almost all ships were designed after Royal Navy vessels...
, whose major investors were the British firms John Brown
John Brown & Company
John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the...
, Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
and Armstrong
Armstrong
- Places :* Armstrong Creek , various placesArgentina* Armstrong, Santa FeAustralia* Armstrong, VictoriaCanada* Armstrong, British Columbia* Armstrong, Ontario* Armstrong, Thunder Bay District, OntarioUnited States...
the shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
yards, workshops, foundries and dry docks in Ferrol.
For a period of sixteen years, all the technicians were exclusively British, and the situation was not altered till 1925 when the management was taken over by Spanish engineers, as one of the new policies introduced by the then newly created government, including ministers both civil and military, of the dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, 2nd Marquis of Estella, 22nd Count of Sobremonte, Knight of Calatrava was a Spanish dictator, aristocrat, and a military official who was appointed Prime Minister by the King and who for seven years was a dictator, ending the turno system of alternating...
(1923–1930). The arrival of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
coincided with the construction of a local electric-powered trolley streetcar’s line
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
(1924–1961).
In sight of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, and because there was fear of social unrest in the naval station, the Foreign Office in 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...
, organized a ship to repatriate all the remaining British citizens and on 22 July 1936 HMS Witch (D89)
V and W class destroyer
The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
departed from Ferrol back to Britain.
At the outbreak 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...
(1936–1939) the shipbuilding yards, workshops, foundries and dry docks in Ferrol were taken over by the state and fully nationalized in 1945 under the name "Bazàn", later renamed "IZAR", and, starting from January 2005, Navantia
Navantia
Navantia, formerly Bazán or IZAR, is a Spanish shipbuilding firm, which offers its services to both military and civil sector. It is the fifth largest shipbuilder in Europe, and the ninth largest in the world with shipyards all over Spain....
. The town was the birthplace of dictator 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...
, after whom the city was officially known as El Ferrol del Caudillo from 1938 to 1982. The end of the dictatorship and the arrival of democracy in 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...
did not help Ferrol, and from 1982 to the early 1990s, the city confronted numerous problems due to a decline in the naval sector. The beginning of the new millennium however has been a time of economic expansion and prosperity in general. A new motorway and an outer-port
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
have been built.
Ferrol hosted the large NATO Maritime Exercise Loyal Mariner (RN
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
) in June 2008.
Climate
As in most of Galicia, Ferrol climate is a humid oceanic climateOceanic 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...
, characterized by year-long mild temperatures, rainy winters, and relatively dry summers.
Economy
Primary IndustriesPrimary sector of industry
The sector of an economy making direct use of natural resources. This includes agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining, and extraction of oil and gas. This is contrasted with the secondary sector, producing manufactures and other processed goods, and the tertiary sector, producing services...
include horse breeding, fish farming and fishing (specializing in the Atlantic shoals), mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
(ENDESA
Endesa Termic
Endesa Termic is a 356 metre high chimney belonging to the thermal power station held by Spanish utility Endesa at As Pontes de García Rodríguez in the outskirts of Ferrol in the province of A Coruña, north-western Spain...
), non-timber forest products, quarries
Quarries
Quarries - The "Royal Quarries" — not found in Scripture — is the namegiven to the vast caverns stretching far underneath the northern hill, Bezetha, on which Jerusalem is built. Out of these mammoth caverns stones, a hard limestone, have been quarried in ancient times for the buildings in the...
and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
.
Secondary Industries
Secondary sector of industry
The secondary sector of the economy or industrial sector includes those economic sectors that create a finished, tangible product: production and construction.-Function:...
include shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, ship engines
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
, wind turbines, electrical equipment
Electronic component
An electronic component is a basic electronic element and may be available in a discrete form having two or more electrical terminals . These are intended to be connected together, usually by soldering to a printed circuit board, in order to create an electronic circuit with a particular function...
, ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
, Textiles, food (canned fish
Canning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
) and wood-made products.
Tertiary activities include mercantile, fishing and military ports, restaurants, media, hotels and tourism.
Sister cities
These are the official sister cities of Ferrol: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:...
, Spain, since 2000 Mondoñedo
Mondoñedo
Mondoñedo is a small town and municipality in the Galician province of Lugo, Spain. , the town has a population of 4,508. Mondoñedo occupies a sheltered valley among the northern outliers of the Cantabrian Mountains.-History:...
, Spain, since 2004 Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Australia, since 2010
Notable people
- Nacho NovoNacho NovoIgnacio Javier "Nacho" Gómez Novo is a Spanish association footballer who plays for La Liga side Sporting Gijón.Novo formerly played for Huesca in Spain then moved to Scotland with Raith Rovers and Dundee. In July 2004, he moved to Rangers for £450,000. During his first season at the club he...
(born 1979), professional footballer - Alonso Pita da VeigaAlonso Pita da VeigaAlonso Pita da Veiga, born in Ferrol in 15th century Galicia, Spain, was one of the most remarkable officers of the Spanish Tercios fighting under the orders of Count Fernando de Andrade in the Battle of Pavia , and in other battles of the Italian Wars between the years 1513-1525...
- Benito Vicetto PérezBenito Vicetto PérezBenito Vicetto Pérez was a Galician journalist, historian, playwright and novelist.As a historian, his main work is the Historia de Galicia . He wrote stories, comedies and stories in Spanish, as well as three poems in Galician language....
(1824–1878), writer - Jenaro Pérez VillaamilJenaro Pérez VillaamilJenaro Pérez Villaamil was born in Ferrol, Galicia. He was a remarkable painter and prime example of the Galician Romantic Movement. In his work, particularly in his landscapes, he shows an unmistakable taste for the English painters of the same period.Most of his paintings are exhibited at Museo...
(1807–1854), painter - Concepción ArenalConcepción ArenalConcepción Arenal was a Spanish feminist writer and activist.Born in Ferrol, Galicia, she excelled in literature and was the first woman to attend university in Spain...
(1820–1893), feminist activist - José Canalejas Méndez (1854–1912), former Spanish Prime Minister died in office
- Patricio Montojo y Pasarón (1839–1917), admiral
- Pablo Iglesias Posse (1850–1925), politician
- Marquis of AmboageMarquis of AmboagePla y Monge, Ramón Pedro Francisco or the Marquis of Amboage was a philanthropic multimillionaire and politician of the 19th century born in Ferrol, Galicia.-External links:*...
(1823–1892), multimillionaire and politician - Frederick H. ShawFrederick H. ShawFrederick Howard Shaw He was born in the Naval Station of Ferrol in North-western Spain on 20 October 1864 and died in the Spanish Capital on 11 August 1924) after a long and prolific political career...
(1864–1924) - Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y ZaragozaFernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y ZaragozaFernando Álvarez de Sotomayor y Zaragoza was a Spanish painter.- Biography :...
(1875–1960), painter - Ramón FrancoRamón FrancoRamón Franco y Bahamonde Salgado Pardo de Andrade , was a Galician pioneer of aviation, a political figure and brother of later dictator Francisco Franco...
(1896–1938), aviator - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Francisco FrancoFrancisco FrancoFrancisco 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...
(1892–1975), ruled Spain as dictatorDictatorA dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
after the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil WarThe 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...
(1936–1939). - Ricardo Carvalho CaleroRicardo Carvalho CaleroRicardo Carvalho Calero was a Spanish philologist, academic and writer. He was the first Professor of Galician Language and Literature at the University of Santiago de Compostela. He was one of the main theorists of contemporary reintegracionism and his works on this field are considered a primary...
, first ever professor of Galician literature and LinguisticsGalician literatureGalician language literature is the literature written in Galician. The earliest works in Galician language are from the early 13th-century trovadorismo tradition...
- University of Santiago de CompostelaUniversity of Santiago de CompostelaThe Royal University of Santiago de Compostela - USC is a public university located in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. A second campus is located in Lugo, Galicia....
(1910–1990) - Gonzalo Torrente BallesterGonzalo Torrente BallesterGonzalo Torrente Ballester was a Spanish Galician writer in Spanish language. He was born in Serantes, Ferrol, Galicia, and received his first education there, subsequently attending the universities of Santiago de Compostela and Oviedo.Although primarily a novelist, he also published journalism,...
(1910–1999), writer - Ángeles Alvariño GozálezÁngeles Alvariño GozálezMaría de los Ángeles Alvariño González was a Spanish oceanographer. She was the first female scientist to work on British and Spanish exploration ships.-External links:...
(1916–2005), biologist and oceanographer (1916–2005) - María Isabel Rivera Torres (born 1952), actress
- Jesús Vázquez MartínezJesús Vázquez Martínez-Biography:Vázquez Martínez was born in Ferrol, Galicia.He travelled to Melilla, where he joined as an undergraduate at the local Veterinary School; however, before he could complete his studies he moved to Madrid. In this period he worked as model and later as television presenter...
(born 1965), TV presenter - Paloma Pérez-Lago GonzálezPaloma Pérez-Lago GonzálezPaloma Pérez-Lago González is a Spanish model and television presenter.-External links:*...
(born 1967), one fashion model and TV presenter - Carlos JeanCarlos JeanCarlos Jean Arriaga is a Spanish DJ and record producer. He is the co-founder of the group Najwajean, and has been a producer for some of the most important Spanish and Latin-American artists of the 2000s, earning seven Latin Grammy nominations.-1973-1998: Early life:He was born on February 15,...
(born 1973), electronic musician and music producer - Paula Vázquez PicalloPaula Vázquez PicalloPaula Vázquez Picallo , popularly known as Paula Vázquez, is a Spanish television presenter, also known for her modelling career in the fashion industry as well as her acting.She was born at Ferrol, Galicia....
(born 1973), TV presenter and model
See also
- Sociedad Española de Construcción NavalSociedad Española de Construcción NavalFrom 1909 up until the Spanish Civil War, the naval construction in Spain was monopolized by the Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval - also Spanish Society for Naval Construction was largely owned by the British , and therefore almost all ships were designed after Royal Navy vessels...
- School of Peritos Navales and Industriales
- Endesa TermicEndesa TermicEndesa Termic is a 356 metre high chimney belonging to the thermal power station held by Spanish utility Endesa at As Pontes de García Rodríguez in the outskirts of Ferrol in the province of A Coruña, north-western Spain...
- Racing Club de Ferrol
- El Correo GallegoEl Correo GallegoEl Correo Gallego is a Galician newspaper founded in Ferrol, Spain, by José María Abizanda in 1878; in the 20th century it was moved to the city of Santiago de Compostela....
- El Ferrol DiarioEl Ferrol DiarioFerrol Diario was a Galician newspaper founded in Ferrol, Spain, sometime in the late 1950s and very early 1960s . It did not survive the turbulent and difficult years of the early 1980s, which were marked with a huge recession in the shipbuilding sector affecting Ferrol considerably.-External...
- El Diario de FerrolEl Diario de FerrolEl Diario de Ferrol is a Galician newspaper founded in Ferrol, Spain, in 1996. Since 1999 it has been edited by El Ideal Gallego. It is distributed mostly in metropolitan area of Ferrolterra...
- El Casino de FerrolEl Casino de FerrolEl Casino de Ferrol is a historical edifice in Ferrol, Spain, created as a social catalyst to satisfy the social needs of the 19th century incipient local bourgeoisie and upper classes....
- El Circulo Mercantil de FerrolEl Circulo Mercantil de FerrolEl Circulo Mercantil de Ferrol is an institution created in 1916, six years after the creation of El Ferrol's Chamber of Commerce an Industry. Its first president was William V. Martin El Circulo Mercantil de Ferrol (full name: Circulo Mercantil e Industrial de Ferrol, English: The Merchants and...
- El Club Naval de FerrolEl Club Naval de FerrolThe Club Naval de Ferrol, officially named Centro Deportivo SocioCultural Armada since may 25th, 2003 is a yacht club in Galicia . This club is located in the harbor city of Ferrol.-History:...