Donostia-San Sebastian
Donostia-San Sebastián municipality | ||
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coat of arms | Map of Spain | |
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Basic data | ||
Autonomous Community : | Basque Country | |
Province : | Gipuzkoa | |
Comarca : | Donostialdea | |
Coordinates | 43 ° 19 ′ N , 1 ° 59 ′ W | |
Height : | 6 msnm | |
Area : | 60.89 km² | |
Residents : | 187,415 (Jan 1, 2019) | |
Population density : | 3,077.93 inhabitants / km² | |
Founding: | 1180 | |
Postal code : | 20.0XX | |
Municipality number ( INE ): | 20069 | |
Nearest airport : | EAS | |
administration | ||
Official language : | it, baq | |
Mayor : | Eneko Goia ( EAJ-PNV ) | |
Address of the municipal administration: | Ijentea 1, 20003 Donostia / San Sebastián | |
Website : | www.donostia.eus | |
Location of the municipality | ||
Donostia-San Sebastián ( Basque Donostia , pronunciation: [dɔ'nɔɕtija] ; Spanish San Sebastián ) is the capital of the province of Gipuzkoa (Spanish Guipúzcoa ) in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Basque Country . It is located about 20 km west of the French border in the arch of the Bay of Biscay . In 2016, the city was European Capital of Culture together with Wroclaw .
geography
location
San Sebastián is located in the far north of the Iberian Peninsula on the bay of La Concha (German: The mussel ), whose name comes from its striking shape. The border with France is only 20 kilometers from San Sebastián. The mouth of the bay is bounded by the rock massifs of Monte Igueldo and Monte Urgull , and the small rocky island of Santa Clara lies in the exit itself . The wide arc of the bay with the beach promenade and between La Concha and the mouth of the river Urumea located Parte Vieja-Alde Zaharra (German: Altstadt ) are known tourist attractions.
climate
The climate is maritime with mild winters and cool summers. The annual rainfall is over 1500 mm. The annual average temperature is 13.1 ° C, determined on Monte Igueldo, 218 m above sea level, averaged from 1950 to 1996. In the city itself, the average temperature is 14.4 ° C
Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Donostia-San Sebastián
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
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coat of arms
Description : In blue with silver board and the inscription "Ganadas por fidelidad, nobleza y lealtad" in black capital letters , a golden barque with three silver billowing square sails , a jib and golden mast pennants on five silver waves left driving; in each place a silver S as initials for the city name. On the shield the golden royal crown.
history
middle Ages
According to some historians, the area around today's city was originally called Izurum . The first mention of the name "San Sebastián" (Spanish for Saint Sebastian ) is found in connection with the description of a local monastery in a document from the early 11th century.
From the end of the 12th century, at the instigation of the kings of Navarre , San Sebastián was expanded to become the central port of this province, but lost this position to the city of Bilbao in the middle of the 14th century . This, together with the developing steel production in the region, led to a gradual movement of autonomy for individual local districts.
Modern times
In January 1489, a major fire reduced the entire settlement, which was then mainly made of wood, to rubble and ashes. The reconstruction was used to make San Sebastián the base of the Cantabrian navy, which until the end of the 19th century had to fight against French, Dutch and British armadas again and again.
King Philip IV granted San Sebastian town charter in 1662 .
In 1719 the city was conquered by a French army and then served as a garrison for around 2,000 French soldiers until it was returned to Spain under the Hague Peace Treaty of August 25, 1721.
After a further occupation of the city by French troops in 1813, an attempt at liberation on August 31 of the same year resulted in the occupiers finally surrendering on September 8, but in the days in between, San Sebastián burned to the ground again almost to the ground .
In 1863 Queen Isabella II had the city walls torn down. This cleared the way for a generous expansion of the city to the south, to today's city center.
Maria Christina of Austria , widow of King Alfonso XII. and Queen of Spain until her son Alfonso XIII came of age. , made San Sebastián her permanent summer residence from 1886 and thus helped the city to a strong social upswing.
In 1914, with the onset of World War I , San Sebastián developed into a cosmopolitan center of Europe. Personalities such as Mata Hari , Leon Trotsky and Maurice Ravel frequented the city's then world-famous casino .
Latest time
From 1940 to 1975, San Sebastián was the summer residence of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco every August . In the 1950s, Juan Carlos de Borbón, who later became King of Spain Juan Carlos I, also resided there .
San Sebastian was at the center of the conflict over the independence of the Basques, which was bloody (e.g. by bomb attacks by the Basque organization ETA and police countermeasures). The quest for independence was unsuccessful, and the open conflict has ended in 2011.
On 11 April 2019 the city was awarded the European Prize awarded for their outstanding efforts to European integration thoughts.
Origin of the Basque name
The Basque city name Donostia , like the Spanish name San Sebastián , arose from the name of St. Sebastian . Done , derived from the Latin domine ( lord ), is prefixed to the names of saints in Basque and thus corresponds to San in Spanish . Done Sebastian evolved from Donebastia to Donostia . The Basque- speaking residents of San Sebastián call themselves Donostiarrak , a name also used in the Spanish word donostiarra (s) .
Culture and sights
Cityscape
The city fathers succeeded in maintaining the architectural character of the city through strict building regulations. In particular, the view of the Concha Bay has remained almost unchanged since the mid-19th century.
Nowadays tourism is a main source of income for the city, but there are no hotel castles or similar characteristics of mass tourism.
Individual structures
- City Hall, opened as a casino in 1897, has housed the City Hall (Spanish: Ayuntamiento ) since 1947
- Kursaal , event and congress center, which was built from 1989 to 1999 according to plans by architect Rafael Moneo on the site of the old Gran Kursaal ; Received the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture in 2001
- Buen Pastor Cathedral
- Palacio Miramar (Eng .: Palace of Miramar), former summer residence of Queen Maria Christina on the bay of La Concha opposite the island of Santa Clara
- Diputación
- Palacio de Aiete
- Victoria Eugenia Theater
- Peine del Viento ("WindComb"), sculpture by Eduardo Chillida , which integrates the wind and the sea on the edge of a pier
District
Currently, the city is divided into districts ( barrios ), some of which have their own history and different characters.
Surname | population | description |
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Aiete / Miramon | 15,662 | Quiet residential area on a central hill along the road to Hernani and around Parque de Aiete . |
Altza | 20,377 | Integrated into the city in 1939, it was a large area that grew rapidly in the 1960s. |
Amara Berri / Riberas de Loiola | 28,114 | Newer district ( New Amara ) on the left bank of the Urumea; with the Estadio de Anoeta (German: Stadium Anoeta). |
Amara / Morlans | 6,528 | Centrally located south of the center around the Easo square . |
Antiguo | 15,084 | Upscale district on Ondarreta beach with many villas and old palaces. |
Añorga | 2,177 | Small, rural, hilly district on the western edge of the city, halfway to Lasarte-Oria , cut up by the expressway and the railway line and separated from the rest of the city. |
Bidgebieta | 9,169 | One of the newest neighborhoods; in the east direction Pasaia located |
Centro | 10,077 | The city center shapes the image of the city. It is located south of the old town between La Concha Bay and La Zurriola Beach and was built upon after the city walls were torn down in 1862. This is the "km 0" of all roads in the province of Gipuzkoa that start in San Sebastian. |
Egia | 14,956 | Quarter on the east bank of Urumea at Parque de Cristina Enea , divided by the railway line. |
Large | 19,442 | Quarter with many shops and office buildings on Zurriola beach between the Urumea River and Mount Ulia . |
Ibaeta | 9,408 | One of the oldest neighborhoods; on the eastern slope of the Igeldo, includes residential areas, industrial park and campus of the UPV / EHU University. |
Igeldo | 1,072 | Formerly an independent rural village on Mount Igeldo in the west of the city. |
Intxaurrondo | 16,211 | Residential district in the east of the city with the headquarters of the Guardia Civil ; recently strong population growth. |
Loiola / Txomin-enea | 4,962 | On the left bank of the Urumea , north of the railway line. |
Martutene | 2,893 | Residential area on Urumea south of the prison and the infantry barracks of San Sebastián. |
Party Zaharra | 6,083 | The oldest part of the city, the name is made up of Spanish Parte Vieja and Basque Alde Zaharra (both German: old town ); until the demolition of the city wall the only district. Burned down completely in 1813. |
Ulia | 3,962 | Residential area on the slopes of Mount Ulia in the northeast of the city. |
Zubieta | 294 | Enclave southwest of the urban area; is administered by a "Junta Vecinal". |
Squares, streets, beaches and parks
- Fishing port, in a corner of La Concha Bay between the old town and Mount Urgull
- Plaza de la Constitución (Basque: Konstituzio Plaza , German: Constitution Square), central square in the old town with the old town hall
- Plaza de Guipuzkoa , central square, seat of the provincial government ( diputación )
- Boulevard and Avenida de la Libertad , central promenade where the city fortifications were demolished in 1863, separates the old town from the new town, a central bus stop
- Bay of La Concha (English: the shell) with the same name Playa de La Concha , together with Ondarreta the beach with only small waves
- Ondarreta beach at the western end of the Concha
- La Zurriola beach east of Urumea , the only beach used for surfing; Bathing is only possible to a limited extent
- Park Alderdi Eder
- Cristina Enea Park
- Park Aiete
- Monte Igueldo mountain with a small amusement park and lighthouse
- Mount Urgull with Jesus statue
- Monte Ulia mountain with youth hostel and old watchtower
music
The city is the seat of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi , the Orfeón Donostiarra Choir and the Music Academy of the Basque Country Musikene .
Regular events
San Sebastián presents internationally important cultural events throughout the year.
- Tamborrada : Every year on January 20th (day of Saint Sebastian ) the Donostiarrak celebrate the festival Tamborrada (for example: "drum egg " or "drumfestival"). At midnight, the head of the festival hoists the flag of San Sebastiánin the Plaza de la Constitucion , and the sound of drums fills the city for 24 hours.
- Heineken Jazzaldia : a jazz festival, founded in 1966, takes place annually in July
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Semana Grande Donostiarra (German: Big Festival Week of the City of Donostia, Basque: Aste Nagusia ):
The festival week 'Semana Grande Donostiarra' takes place every year in August during the week of the Assumption Day. (German: Big Festival Week of the City of Donostia, Basque: Aste Nagusia ) instead, u. a. with a fireworks competition with international participation, accompanied by concerts, horse races and theater performances. - On August 31st, the devastating fire in the city in 1813 is commemorated. After dark, the residents walk through the street of August 31 with candles .
- At the end of August and beginning of September, the "Basque festivals" ( Euskal Jaiak / Fiestas Vascas ) take place, which include cultural, sporting and festive events on Basque culture. Of particular note is the Bandera de La Concha , the most important rowing competition in the Cantabrian Sea .
- San Sebastián International Film Festival : One of the most outstanding events is the world-famous 'San Sebastián International Film Festival', which has been held every September since 1953 and which regularly attracts celebrities from the international film industry to the city.
- Día de Santo Tomás (Eng .: Day of St. Thomas): The 'Día de Santo Tomás' is celebrated on December 21st. In the Plaza de la Constitucion a traditional market with pets, freshly slaughtered and prepared meat and much will Sidra (cider) celebrated.
gastronomy
kitchen
Donostia is the stronghold of Basque cuisine . Many of the most respected chefs in the Basque Country, such as Juan Mari Arzak , Martín Berasategui , Pedro Subijana or Andoni Luis Aduriz (in Errenteria ) have restaurants in the city or in the vicinity. Not only are the city's well-known restaurants remarkable, the cuisine is generally of a very high standard. Donostia is known for its very high density of Michelin stars .
A Basque peculiarity are the 119 gastronomic societies ( sociedades gastronómicas ) of the city.
The pintxos de Donostia , which can be found in many restaurants, especially in the pubs in the old town, have a very good reputation .
In San Sebastián and the surrounding area (e.g. in the suburbs Astigarraga and Usurbil as well as in the neighboring town of Hernani ), cider , the sour cider typical of the region , is produced in autumn and tasted in cider houses at the beginning of the year during the cider season. Another regional specialty is the extremely dry white wine Txakoli from the Basque wine-growing region Getaria , which is served in every bar and restaurant, especially with the delicate pintxos.
Gastronomy Faculty
Juan Arzak was one of the initiators of the “Basque Culinary Center” (BCC), which opened in San Sebastian in September 2011 and which describes itself as “Europe's first gastronomy faculty” and offers a university degree in “Gastronomy and Culinary Arts”. The BCC is financially supported by several companies and is assigned to the private University of Mondragón. The annual tuition fee is 8,000 euros.
Sports
The Real Sociedad , the most successful football club in San Sebastián, played for a long time in the Spanish Primera División and qualified more often for international competitions. In the 2006/07 season, however, she rose to the second division. In June 2010 "La Real" rose again to the highest Spanish league, the Primera División. The club's venue is the Estadio Anoeta , which has a capacity of almost 32,000 spectators.
Every year in August, the Clásica San Sebastián , a one-day cycle race with World Tour status, takes place in and around San Sebastián .
In 1977, San Sebastián hosted the European Athletics Indoor Championships . In 2005 the Senior World Championships in athletics were held here . In March 2013, after 2003, the city again hosted the European Senior Athletics Championships in the hall (EVACI).
Economy and Infrastructure
economy
San Sebastián is a valued location for Spanish and foreign investors, and a number of corporations have branches here. Many companies are based in the Miramon Technology Park .
Tourism is an important industry. The convenient location on the Bay of Biscay attracts surfers.
traffic
Road traffic
San Sebastián is on the A1 Madrid - Irun (formerly NI), the main route from France via northern Spain, and on the AP 8 Bilbao -San Sebastián. Two bus companies offer trips from San Sebastián to Bilbao and back every half hour (hourly on weekends).
The Puente de María Cristina has existed since 1905.
Funicular
Since 1912, the existing funicular Spanish Funicular de Igueldo , which connects from Playa de Ondarreta to Monte Igueldo.
port
The downtown port of San Sebastián has lost its former importance and has only been used for fishing and sports since the 1970s. The nearest commercial port is in the suburb of Pasaia (Spanish: Pasajes ).
air traffic
The airport of San Sebastián in Hondarribia , around 20 km away , is mainly of regional importance, as there are only scheduled flights to and from Madrid and Barcelona . International airports can be found in Bilbao (Basque Bilbo), about 100 km (an hour's drive) away, and in Biarritz (Basque Miarritze or Biarritz) in France, about 50 km away .
Rail transport
Rail transport is provided by Euskotren Trena, the largest Basque rail operator. Euskotren Trena operates the train service to Bilbao and other destinations as well as the Metro Donostialdea. Their network extends to the French city of Hendaye (Hendaia in Basque), which is connected to the French rail network.
education
Universities
- The University of the Basque Country (Spanish: UPV, Universidad del País Vasco , Basque: EHU, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea , http://www.ehu.es/ ) is spread across the three Basque provincial capitals Bilbao , Donostia and Vitoria . The Donostia campus is visited by around 13,000 students (as of 2003). The most important courses are law , psychology , philosophy , computer science , architecture and engineering .
- The private University of Navarra ( http://www.unav.es/ ), Pamplona, supported by Opus Dei , maintains the Tecnológico de la Universidad de Navarra campus , TECNUN ( http://www.tecnun.es/ ), as well as the Research institute Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones Técnicas de Gipúzkoa , CEIT ( http://www.ceit.es/ ). The two institutions focus on the technical and natural sciences: materials science , mechanics , communication and microelectronics .
- Since 1965, the private, the entertains Jesuit borne Universidad de Deusto ( http://www.deusto.es) / est. 1886, a campus in San Sebastián.
Personalities
Sons and daughters
- Aritz Aduriz (* 1981), soccer player
- Naroa Agirre (* 1979), pole vaulter
- Pedro Girón de Ahumada (1778–1842), general and statesman
- Mikel Alonso (* 1980), football player
- Xabi Alonso (* 1981), soccer player
- Luis Arconada (born 1954), football player
- José Luis Arrieta (* 1971), racing cyclist
- Ander Barrenetxea (* 2001), soccer player
- Pío Baroja (1872–1956), writer
- Eduardo Chillida (1924–2002), sculptor
- José Antonio de Donostia (1886–1956), Franciscan, Basque musicologist and composer
- Arantza Ezenarro (* 1980), soprano
- Rebeca Linares (born 1983), porn actress
- Flavio Martínez Labiano (* 1962), cameraman
- Julio Médem (* 1958), film director and screenwriter
- Jokin Mitxelena (* 1962), picture book illustrator
- Ana Miranda De Lage (* 1946), politician
- Enrique Múgica (1932–2020), politician and lawyer
- Álvaro Odriozola (* 1995), football player
- Maite Pagazaurtundua (* 1965), politician
- Paco Rabanne (* 1934), Spanish-French fashion designer
- Fernando Savater (* 1947), writer and philosopher
- Pedro Sanjuán (1886–1976), composer and conductor
- Txillardegi (1929–2012), linguist, politician and writer
- Nicanor Zabaleta (1907-1993), harpist
- Jesús María Zamora (* 1955), football player
- Xavier Zubiri (1898–1983), philosopher
Town twinning
City partnerships exist with the cities
- Wiesbaden , Germany (since June 15, 1981)
- Daira de Bojador , Western Sahara
- Marugame , Japan
- Plymouth , UK
- Reno , USA
- Trento , Italy (1987)
- Batumi , Georgia (1987)
- Jiutepec , Mexico
Relations with Germany
In addition to the town twinning mentioned, there are various relationships with Germany: there are two German schools here, Mary Ward and the German School San Sebastián , which has existed since 1921 and was founded by German industrialist families. San Sebastián has a German honorary consul .
Palacio de Miramar, summer residence of Queen Maria Christina of Austria
Web links
- Official homepage of San Sebastián (Basque, Spanish, French, English)
- San Sebastian photoblog
- Txakoli from Getaria
Individual evidence
- ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
- ↑ Valores climatológicos normales. Donostia / San Sebastián, Igueldo . Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ↑ http://website-pace.net/documents/10643/5949743/20190411-EuropePrize-EN.pdf ( Memento from April 12, 2019 on WebCite )
- ^ Donostia-San Sebastián: Barrios. Ámbitos territoriales para la participación (City Council website). In: donostia.eus. Retrieved January 10, 2018 (Spanish).
- ↑ Fiestas Vascas - Euskal Jaiak. In: donostia.eus. (Spanish).
- ↑ The 20 Most Michelin-Starred Cities In The World in: Huffington Post , August 16, 2011, accessed July 25, 2014.
- ^ Leo Wieland: Basque porridge in San Sebastián. In: FAZ.net . September 29, 2011, accessed December 14, 2014 .
- ↑ Website of the Basque Culinary Center (Basque, Spanish, English)
- ↑ Javier Cáceres: Food for research: At Europe's first gastronomy faculty in San Sebastian, Spain, young chefs are tinkering with the future of taste , in: Süddeutsche Zeitung May 4, 2012, page 11
- ↑ San Sebastian is ready for EVACI 2013 on evaa.ch; Retrieved August 26, 2012
- ↑ Wide angle - "San Sebastian - Spanish, Basque ... European!" February 11, 2016, accessed on February 14, 2016 .
- ↑ Information on the website of the German Embassy in Madrid ( Memento of the original from August 8, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed July 31, 2014