Everything about Teruel totally explained
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time_zone = CET (GMT +1)|
time_zone_summer = CEST (GMT +2)|
image_skyline =|
image_skyline_size = |
founded =1171|
native_language = Spanish|
community = Aragon|
community_link = Aragon|
province = Teruel|
province_link = Teruel (province)|
comarca = |
comarca_link = |
divisions = |
neighborhoods = |
mayor =Miguel Ferrer|
political_party =PAR|
political_party_link =Aragonese Party|
area =440|
altitude = 915|
population = 34,240|
date-population = 2006|
population-ranking = |
density = 78.17|
date-density = 2006|
website = http://www.teruel.es|
postal_code = 44001-44003|
area_code = |
}}
Teruel is a city in
Aragon,
Spain, the capital of
Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006. It is noted for its harsh
climate, its
jamón serrano (cured ham), its
pottery and its famous Fiestas (
La vaquilla del ángel during the second weekend of July and "Bodas de Isabel de Segura" around the third weekend of February).
Teruel's remote and mountainous location (it is 915 metres above sea level) and its low population has led to relative isolation within Spain. A campaign group with the slogan
"Teruel existe" ("Teruel exists") was founded in
1999 to press for greater recognition and investment in the city and the province. Due in part to the campaign, transport connections to Teruel are being greatly improved with the construction of a
motorway between
Zaragoza and
Sagunto, large parts of which are now open. However, Teruel remains the only provincial capital in Spain without a direct
railway link to the capital,
Madrid.
History
Teruel was founded in 1176 by Sancho Sánchez Muñoz and Blasco Garcés Marcilla. In the Middle Ages Teruel possessed a prominent Jewish community, which enjoyed several privileges, and which paid in the fourteenth century a yearly tax of 300 sueldos. Its members were engaged in commerce and industry, especially in wool-weaving. During the persecutions of 1391 many of them were killed, while others accepted Christianity in order to save their lives.
(External Link
)
Teruel was fought over in the
Spanish Civil War and suffered much destruction. The
Battle of Teruel in December 1937-February 1938, was one of the bloodiest of the war. The city changed hands several times, first falling to the Republicans and eventually being re-taken by the Nationalists. In the course of the fighting, Teruel was subjected to heavy artillery and ariel bombardment. The two sides suffered up to 100,000 casualties between them in the three month battle.
Main sights
The beauty of the city's cultural inheritance, which has some
Islamic influence, has been recognised by UNESCO, which includes four churches in the
World Heritage Site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon, notably the city's ornate
cathedral in the
Mudéjar style.
One of Teruel's best known
monuments is very small statue of a bull on top of a tall column, known as
El Torico ("the little bull"). It is located in the main square,
Plaza Carlos Castell, more commonly known as the
Plaza del Torico in the middle of the city center.
Other sights include:
- The Gothic church of St. Francis (1391-1492).
- Los Arcos, an aqueduct with two orders of arcade from 1538.
- San Pedro, a notable mudéjar church (16th century) with a tower similar to that of the cathedral. It includes a mausoleum housing the mummified bodies of Isabel Segura (a rich lady) and Diego de Marcilla (a poor man who battled at Crusades to earn some money with the intention to return to get married with Isabel) whose love ended tragically. This story is known as los amantes de Teruel and has inspired writers (for example Hartzenbusch) and an opera composed by Tomás Bretón.
- Church of La Merced, with a tower in mudéjar style.
- Church of San Salvador (17th century), with one of the most outstanding mudéjar towers. It houses a 14th century wooden sculpture of Christ.
- Church of San Martín (17th century).
- Church of San Miguel (12th century), remade in the 17th century in Baroque style.
- Castillo de Alambes, a 15th century fortification built over the Arabic Alcazar.
- Torre de San Martín (13th century), in mudéjar style, considered the most beautiful in Teruel.
Miscellaneous
On the outskirts of Teruel is Dinópolis Teruel, a combined
theme park and
museum centred around
dinosaurs. Promoted as a
Parque paleontológico (
paleontological park), it includes a life-size robotic model of a
Tyrannosaurus rex.
(External Link) Dinópolis also owns three other museums in the surrounding area, which display the remains of dinosaurs discovered in the region.
(External Link). The chimney of
Teruel Power Plant belongs to the tallest freestanding structures in Western Europe.
Famous people
David Civera
Lucía Gómez (the mayor since 2003)
Manuel Macías y Casado, general and military governorFurther Information
Get more info on 'Teruel'.
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