Los Barrios
Encyclopedia
Los Barrios is a small town and municipality in the south of Spain
. It is part of the province of Cádiz
, which in turn is part of the Andalusia
region. It belongs to the Campo de Gibraltar
comarca. The town's name means "the districts" in English
.
Although the area is known to have been inhabited since prehistoric times, the town is of relatively recent provenance, having been founded in 1704 by refugees from Gibraltar. After abandoning their homes following Gibraltar's capture by Anglo-Dutch forces during the War of the Spanish Succession
, some of the inhabitants of Gibraltar took refuge around the existing hermitage of San Isidro at the confluence of the rivers Guadarranque, Guadacorte and Cañas
.
The temporary encampment eventually became a permanent settlement. In 1717 the settlers were ordered to concentrate themselves at Los Barrios and the neighbouring communities of Algeciras
and San Roque
(Cádiz). The three communities had a single administration at San Roque
until undergoing a three-way split in 1756.
Los Barrios was principally an agricultural and fishing district until the Francisco Franco
era; it is now heavily industrialised.
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 is part of the province of Cádiz
Cádiz (province)
Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe....
, which in turn is part of the 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...
region. It belongs to the Campo de Gibraltar
Campo de Gibraltar
The comarca of the Campo de Gibraltar is a comarca in the province of Cádiz, Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe...
comarca. The town's name means "the districts" 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...
.
Although the area is known to have been inhabited since prehistoric times, the town is of relatively recent provenance, having been founded in 1704 by refugees from Gibraltar. After abandoning their homes following Gibraltar's capture by Anglo-Dutch forces during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, some of the inhabitants of Gibraltar took refuge around the existing hermitage of San Isidro at the confluence of the rivers Guadarranque, Guadacorte and Cañas
Canas
Canas or Cañas may refer to:People:* Alberto Cañas Escalante, Costa Rican politician* Antonio José Cañas, Salvadoran military officer, diplomat and politician* Carlos Cañas, Salvadoran painter...
.
The temporary encampment eventually became a permanent settlement. In 1717 the settlers were ordered to concentrate themselves at Los Barrios and the neighbouring communities of Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
and San Roque
San Roque
San Roque may refer to:Places* San Roque, Antioquia, a place in Colombia* San Roque, Cádiz, a place in Spain* San Roque, California, a residential neighborhood in Santa Barbara, California in the United States...
(Cádiz). The three communities had a single administration at San Roque
San Roque
San Roque may refer to:Places* San Roque, Antioquia, a place in Colombia* San Roque, Cádiz, a place in Spain* San Roque, California, a residential neighborhood in Santa Barbara, California in the United States...
until undergoing a three-way split in 1756.
Los Barrios was principally an agricultural and fishing district until the 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...
era; it is now heavily industrialised.