MURCIA

'Murcia' () is a city and municipality on the river Segura in southeastern Spain and the capital of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia. Population: 409,810 (2005); 563,272 including the metropolitan area (urban area plus satellite towns), ranking as the 12th-largest metropolitan area of Spain. Since 2003 the mayor has been Miguel Ángel Cámara Botía (PP).
Murcia is built nearly in the centre of a low-lying fertile plain, known as the ''huerta'' or market garden of Murcia, which includes the valleys of the Segura and its right-hand tributary the Guadalentín or river Sangonera, and is surrounded by mountains. Despite the proximity of the sea, the climate is subject to great variations: the summer heat is severe, while frosts are occasionally experienced in the capital during the winter.
Precipitation in Murcia is scarce, with less than 200 mm (7.9 inches) registered in the hydrological year October 2004 to September 2005.
Murcia-San Javier Airport (MJV) is located on the edge of the Mar Menor close to the towns of San Javier and Santiago de la Ribera, 45 km southeast of Murcia, about 30 minutes by car. The airport at Alicante is frequently used by travellers to Murcia also.

Contents

Geography

Districts

Climate

History

Demography

Sights and monuments

Festivals

Economy

Transportation

Healthcare

Education

Notable people from Murcia

Sport teams

Sister cities

External links

References

Geography

The municipal term has an approximate extension of 882 km² and is divided from east to west in two parts separated by a series of mountain ranges (Carrascoy, El Puerto, Villares, Columbares, Altaona and Escalona). These two zones are denominated Field of Murcia and Orchard of Murcia.
The city is located at 43 m.a.s.l., in the medium alluvial plain of the Segura river (''Vega Media del Segura''). The river crosses the city from west to east. It is a river with Mediterranean pluvial regime, little volume but with strong swellings, like those of 1946, 1948, 1973 or 1989 that flooded the Murcian capital.
The most well-known and significant landscape of the municipal term is its orchard, which dominates in great part of the municipality. It is a plain territory but with hills that surround the ample valley of the Segura, where the mountain ranges of the south (''Cordillera Sur'') and the steep hill of Monteagudo in the middle of the plain can be emphasized.
In addition to the orchard and urban zones, the municipal term is accounted by its great extension with different landscapes: badlands, pine groves of Carrasco pine in the precoastal mountain ranges and, passed these towards the south, semi-steppe surroundings.
Also a part of the natural space of Carrascoy and the Valley (''Carrascoy y el Valle''), which has the denomination of Regional Park, comprises the municipality of Murcia.

Districts

The territory of the municipality of Murcia is made up of 54 ''pedanías'' (suburban districts) and 28 ''barrios'' (city neighborhood districts), these last ones conforming the urban quarter of the capital, 12.86 km² of the total of the municipal term with a central nucleus of 3 km². The old quarter of the city has approximately 1.5 km of diameter.

Climate

Given its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, Murcia enjoys a Mediterranean climate, of semi-arid type, with smooth winters and warm summers.
It has more than 300 days of sun in the year, with few precipitations, being the water a very considered good in the region, given in addition the great orchard diversity that characterizes the zone. Sometimes it undergoes a ''gota fría'' (cold drop), where the entire year's precipitation is concentrated into a few days.
The temperatures oscillate between 16°C/4°C of January and 34°C/20°C of August, although 40°C is surpassed during many summers. The 20th century record high temperature for Spain was the 47,2°C in Murcia on July 4, 1994.

History

Murcia was founded with the name of ''Medinat Mursiya'' in A.D. 825 by Abd ar-Rahman II, emir of Al-Andalus. The Arabs, taking advantage of the course of the river Segura, created a complex network of irrigation channels that made the town prosperous and is the predecessor of the modern irrigation system. The Arab traveller Muhammad al-Idrisi described it in the 12th century as populous and strongly fortified. After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba, Murcia passed successively under the rule of Almería, Toledo and Seville. In 1172 it was taken by the Almohades, and from 1223 to 1243 it became the capital of an independent kingdom.
The Castilians, led by King Alfonso X, took it at the end of this period, when large numbers of immigrants from north Catalonia and Provence settled in the town; Catalan names are still not uncommon. In 1296, Murcia and its region were transferred to the Kingdom of Aragon, but in 1304, in virtue of the Treaty of Torrellas, it was finally incorporated into Castile.
Murcia flourished in the 18th century, mainly due to the boom of the silk industry. Many of its churches and monuments are from this period.
The town and surrounding area suffered badly from floods in 1651, 1879 and 1907, though the construction of a levee did much to keep the Segura within its own channel. A popular walkway, the Malecon, runs along the top of the levee.
Murcia was struck by an earthquake in 1829. According to contemporary accounts, some 6,000 people died in the province.
Murcia has been the capital of the province of Murcia since 1838, and capital of the autonomous community (which includes only the province) since its creation in 1982.

Demography

Murcia has 416,996 inhabitants (INE 2006), being the seventh Spanish municipality by population. Nevertheless, due to the great extension of its municipal area, its demographic density (472 hab./km²) moves it away of the first Spanish positions.
Its metropolitan area, integrated in addition by the municipalities of Alcantarilla, Alguazas, Beniel, Molina de Segura, Santomera and Las Torres de Cotillas, has 564,036 inhabitants, being the 12th metropolitan area of Spain.
In agreement with the official data of population of the INE, in 2005 the 10.16% of the population of the municipality had a foreign nationality.

Sights and monuments

The 'Cathedral' of the Diocese of Cartagena (based in Murcia) was built between 1394 and 1465 in Castilian Gothic style. Its tower, only completed in 1792, shows a mixture of styles: the first two stories were built in Renaissance style (1521-1546), the third one is Baroque, and the bell pavilion has Rococo and Neoclassical influences. The main façade (1736-1754) is considered a masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque style.
Other noteworthy buildings in the square in front of the Cathedral (Plaza Cardenal Belluga) are the colourful 'Bishop's Palace' (18th century) and a controversial extension to the town hall by Rafael Moneo.
The 'Glorieta', next to the Segura River, has traditionally been the center of the town. This a pleasant landscaped square, built in the 18th century. The 'Ayuntamiento' (City Hall) is located here.
Pedestrian areas cover most of the old town, centered around 'Platería and Trapería Streets'. Trapería goes from the Cathedral to the Plaza de Santo Domingo, the former market square. Located in Trapería is the 'Casino', a social club erected in 1847, with a sumptuous interior that includes a Moorish-style patio inspired by the Alhambra royal rooms.

Some other places worth seeing are the 'Malecón' boulevard, 'La Fuensanta' sanctuary and 'El Valle' regional park, 'Los Jerónimos' monastery, the 'Romea' theatre, 'Almudí Palace', 'Monteagudo Castle', the 'Salzillo Museum', and the 'San Juan de Dios' church-museum. In the metropolitan area, you can also see the 'Azud de la Contraparada' reservoir and the 'Noria de La Ñora' water wheel.

Festivals

The Holy Week processions in the city of Murcia are famous throughout Spain. Life-sized sculptures by Francisco Salzillo (1707-1783) are taken out of museums and carried around the city in elegant processions full of flowers and, at night, candles. These finely detailed sculptures portray events leading up to and including the crucifixion.
Possibly the most colourful celebrations are the week after Holy Week, when Murcians dress in traditional ''huertano'' clothing to celebrate ''Bando de la Huerta'' (Huerta Parade) and, a week later, fill the streets for the ''Entierro de la Sardina'' (Burial of the Sardine Parade).

Economy

Murcia serves as a major producer of agricultural products; it is common to find Murcia's tomatoes and lettuce, and especially lemons and oranges, in European supermarkets.
These days, the economy of the region is turning towards "residential tourism" in which many people from northern European countries have a second home in sunny Murcia.
The economy of Murcia is also supported by fairs and congresses, museums, theatres, cinemas, music, aquariums, bullfighting, restaurants, hotels, campings, sports, foreign students, and tourism.

Transportation

★ Bus: The transport is provided by Latbus which operates the urban bus and other interurban services.

★ Tramway: Provided by Tranvimur which operates the urban tram, a little line 2 kilometres long, finished in april 2007. There are, in total, 4 lines in project.

★ Train: Provided by RENFE. Murcia have two lines of Cercanías trains, to Alicante and Águilas

Healthcare

There are three public hospitals in Murcia:

★ Ciudad Sanitaria Virgen de La Arrixaca in El Palmar, that includes a obstetrics and pediatrics Hospital.

★ Hospital Reina Sofía

★ Hospital Morales Meseguer
They and the public primary healthcare centers, belong to the Murcian Healthcare Service.

Education

Murcia has three universities:

★ two public universities: the University of Murcia, founded in 1912; and the UPCT, Polytechnic University of Cartagena;

★ and one private: the UCAM, Saint Anthony Catholic University.
There are also several high schools, elementary schools, and professional schools.

Notable people from Murcia

★ Muhyī al-Dīn Ibn al-‘Arabī (1165-1240), a Sufi thinker.

★ Diego de Saavedra Fajardo (1584-1648), a writer and diplomat.

★ Francisco Salzillo (1707-1783), a Baroque sculptor.

★ José Moñino, conde de Floridablanca (1728-1808), a stateman, minister of King Charles III of Spain.

★ Juan de la Cierva (1895-1936), the inventor of the autogyro, a forerunner of the helicopter.

★ Francisco Sánchez Bautista (1925-), a poet.

★ Julián Romea (1818-1863), a theater actor.

★ Alejandro Valverde (1980-), a cyclist.

★ Luis León Sánchez Gil (1983-), a cyclist.

★ Nicolás Almagro (1985-), a tennis player.

★ Charo (1951-), a musician, actress and entertainer.

★ Maria Teresa Chicote (1935-), a notable scientist.

Sport teams

★ Ciudad de Murcia, Spanish Second Division football (soccer) club.

★ Real Murcia, Spanish First Division football (soccer) club.
Polaris World Murcia - Basketball

Sister cities

★ 'Miami', USA

★ 'Lecce', Italy

★ 'Grasse', France

★ 'Irapuato', Mexico

★ ' Murcia, Negros Occidental', Philippines

★ 'Łódź', Poland

External links

★ Official Tourism Site of the City of Murcia

★ Official Tourism Site of Murcia, Spain

★ Ayuntamiento de Murcia (the Town Hall)

★ Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia (the Autonomous Community)

★ University of Murcia - public university

★ Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena - public university

★ Universidad Católica San Antonio - private university

★ ''Big Murcia Photogallery''

References

★