Pola de Siero
Encyclopedia
Pola de Siero is a town in the autonomous community of Asturias
on the north coast of the Kingdom of Spain
. It is the administrative capital of the municipality
(concejo) of Siero
. Pola de Siero is located in the centre of Asturias, approximately 16 km east of the regional Capital Oviedo
and 16 km south of Gijón
.
Siero borders on the municipalities of Gijón
, to the north, Langreo
and San Martín del Rey Aurelio
, to the south, Llanera
and Oviedo
, to the west, and Sariego
, Nava and Bimenes
,to the east. It entirely surrounds the municipality of Noreña
and touches Villaviciosa
at one point: La Peña de los Cuatro Jueces (The Mount of the Four Judges)
According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)
, Pola de Siero has a population of 11,794 making it the largest population centre in the municipality and the seventh largest in Asturias.
Pola de Siero was founded by a charter of King Alfonso X in 1270. On the site prior to that date there was a hostel which provided accommodation and sustenance for pilgrims travelling the Way of St. James
(Camino de Santiago), en route to or from Santiago de Compostela
.
The charter allowed the formation of the town, imposed an annual tax on the inhabitants to be paid to the crown, and granted them a license to hold a weekly market in the town square, Plaza les Campes. This market, a feature of Pola de Siero which continues, every Tuesday, to this day; was the decisive factor in the development of the town. With the market, the town became the focal point of a large rural area of fertile land, and thereafter other commercial and administrative functions followed.
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
on the north coast of the Kingdom of 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 is the administrative capital of the municipality
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...
(concejo) of Siero
Siero
Siero is a municipality of the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain. Its capital is Pola de Siero.-Parishes:...
. Pola de Siero is located in the centre of Asturias, approximately 16 km east of the regional Capital Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
and 16 km south of Gijón
Gijón
Gijón , officially Gijón / Xixón, is a coastal industrial city and a municipality in the autonomous community of Asturias in Spain. Early mediaeval texts mention it as "Gigia". It was an important regional Roman city, although the area has been settled since earliest history...
.
Siero borders on the municipalities of Gijón
Gijón
Gijón , officially Gijón / Xixón, is a coastal industrial city and a municipality in the autonomous community of Asturias in Spain. Early mediaeval texts mention it as "Gigia". It was an important regional Roman city, although the area has been settled since earliest history...
, to the north, Langreo
Langreo
Langreo, , officially Llangréu / Langreo is a municipality of northern Spain, province of The Principality of Asturias....
and San Martín del Rey Aurelio
San Martín del Rey Aurelio
San Martín del Rey Aurelio is a municipality of the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain....
, to the south, Llanera
Llanera
Llanera is the feminine form of the Spanish word llanero. It may refer to:* Llanera, Nueva Ecija, Philippines* Llanera, Asturias, Spain* Llanera music, music of the Llanero culture in Colombia and Venezuela...
and Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
, to the west, and Sariego
Sariego
Sariego is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It is bordered on the north by Gijón and Villaviciosa, on the east by Villaviciosa, Nava and Cabranes, on the south by Siero and Nava, and on the west by Siero...
, Nava and Bimenes
Bimenes
Bimenes is a municipality of Asturias, Spain. It borders with Siero, Nava, Laviana and San Martín del Rey Aurelio.It is situated in the center zone of Asturias. Its capital is Martimporra...
,to the east. It entirely surrounds the municipality of Noreña
Noreña
Noreña is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. It is completely surrounded by the municipality of Siero...
and touches Villaviciosa
Villaviciosa
Villaviciosa may refer to the following places:* Philippines** Villaviciosa: a municipality of Abra* Spain** Villaviciosa: a municipality of Asturias** Villaviciosa de Odón: a municipality of the province of Madrid...
at one point: La Peña de los Cuatro Jueces (The Mount of the Four Judges)
According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)
Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spain)
The National Institute of Statistics is the official organisation in Spain that collects statistics about demography, economy, and Spanish society. Every 10 years, this organisation conducts a national census. The last census took place in 2001....
, Pola de Siero has a population of 11,794 making it the largest population centre in the municipality and the seventh largest in Asturias.
Pola de Siero was founded by a charter of King Alfonso X in 1270. On the site prior to that date there was a hostel which provided accommodation and sustenance for pilgrims travelling the Way of St. James
Way of St. James
The Way of St. James or St. James' Way is the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried....
(Camino de Santiago), en route to or from 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...
.
The charter allowed the formation of the town, imposed an annual tax on the inhabitants to be paid to the crown, and granted them a license to hold a weekly market in the town square, Plaza les Campes. This market, a feature of Pola de Siero which continues, every Tuesday, to this day; was the decisive factor in the development of the town. With the market, the town became the focal point of a large rural area of fertile land, and thereafter other commercial and administrative functions followed.