Murcia


Murcia is a city in south-eastern Spain, the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, and the seventh largest city in the country, with a population of 447,182 inhabitants in 2018. The population of the metropolitan area was 689,591 in 2010.
It is located on the Segura River, in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula; it has a climate with hot summers, mild winters, and relatively low precipitation.
Murcia was founded by the emir of Cordoba Abd ar-Rahman II in 825 with the name Mursiyah. It is now mainly a services city and a university town. Highlights for visitors include the Cathedral of Murcia and a number of baroque buildings, renowned local cuisine, Holy Week procession works of art by the famous Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo, and the Fiestas de Primavera.
The city, as the capital of the comarca Huerta de Murcia is called Europe's orchard due to its long agricultural tradition and its fruit, vegetable, and flower production and exports.
Murcia is located near the center of a low-lying fertile plain known as the huerta of Murcia. The Segura River and its right-hand tributary, the Guadalentín, run through the area. The city has an elevation of above sea level and its municipality covers approximately.
The best known and most dominant aspect of the municipal area's landscape is the orchard. In addition to the orchard and urban zones, the great expanse of the municipal area is made up of different landscapes: badlands, groves of Carrasco pine trees in the precoastal mountain ranges and, towards the south, a semi-steppe region. A large natural park, the Parque Regional de Carrascoy y el Valle, lies just to the south of the city.

History

It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin word myrtea or murtea, meaning land of the myrtle, although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village. Other research suggests that it may owe its name to the Latin Murtae, which covered the regional landscape for many centuries. The Latin name eventually changed into the Arabic Mursiya, and then, Murcia.
The city in its present location was founded with the name Madinat Mursiyah in AD 825 by Abd ar-Rahman II, who was then the emir of Córdoba. Umayyad planners, taking advantage of the course of the river Segura, created a complex network of irrigation channels that made the town's agricultural existence prosperous. In the 12th century the traveller and writer Muhammad al-Idrisi described the city of Murcia as populous and strongly fortified. After the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031, Murcia passed under the successive rules of the powers seated variously at Almería and Toledo, but finally became capital of its own kingdom with Ibn Tahir. After the fall of the Almoravide empire, Ibn Mardanis made Murcia the capital of a new independent kingdom. At this time, Murcia was a very prosperous city, famous for its ceramics, exported to Italian towns, as well as for silk and paper industries, the first in Europe. The coinage of Murcia was considered as model in all the continent. The mystic Ibn Arabi and the poet Ibn al-Jinan were born in Murcia during this period.
In 1172 Murcia was conquered by the north African Almohades, the last Muslim empire to rule southern Spain, and as the forces of the Christian Reconquista gained the upper hand, was the capital of a small Muslim emirate from 1223 to 1243. By the treaty of Alcaraz, in 1243, the Christian king Ferdinand III of Castile made Murcia a protectorate, getting access to the Mediterranean sea while Murcia was protected against Granada and Aragon. The Christian population of the town became the majority as immigrants poured in from almost all parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Christian immigration was encouraged with the goal of establishing a loyal Christian base. These measures led to the Muslim popular revolt in 1264, which was quelled by James I of Aragon in 1266, conquering Murcia and bringing Aragonese and Catalan immigrants with him.
at Murcia in 1266
After this, during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile, Murcia was one of his capitals with Toledo and Seville.
The Murcian duality: Catalan population in a Castillian territory, brought the subsequent conquest of the city by James II of Aragon in 1296. In 1304, Murcia was finally incorporated into Castile under the Treaty of Torrellas.
Murcia's prosperity declined as the Mediterranean lost trade to the ocean routes and from the wars between the Christians and the Ottoman Empire. The old prosperity of Murcia became crises during 14th century because of its border location with the neighbouring Muslim kingdom of Granada, but flourished after its conquest in 1492 and again in the 18th century, benefiting greatly from a boom in the silk industry. Most of the modern city's landmark churches, monuments and old architecture date from this period. In this century, Murcia lived an important role in Bourbon victory in the War of the Spanish Succession, thanks to Cardinal Belluga. In 1810, Murcia was looted by Napoleonic troops; it then suffered a major earthquake in 1829. According to contemporaneous accounts, an estimated 6,000 people died from the disaster's effects across the province. Plague and cholera followed.
The town and surrounding area suffered badly from floods in 1651, 1879, and 1907, though the construction of a levee helped to stave off the repeated floods from the Segura. A popular pedestrian walkway, the Malecon, runs along the top of the levee.
Murcia has been the capital of the province of Murcia since 1833 and, with its creation by the central government in 1982, capital of the autonomous community. Since then, it has become the seventh most populated municipality in Spain, and a thriving services city.
The 5.1 Lorca earthquake shook the Region of Murcia with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII on 11 May 2011. Nine people were killed and over 400 were injured.

Geography

Segura River

The Segura River crosses an alluvial plain, part of a Mediterranean pluvial system. The river crosses the city from west to east. Its volumetric flow is mostly small but the river is known to produce occasional flooding, like the times when the capital was inundated, in 1946, 1948, 1973 and 1989.

Mountains and hills

The Segura river's Valley is surrounded by two mountain ranges, the hills of Guadalupe, Espinardo, Cabezo de Torres, Esparragal and Monteagudo in the north and the Cordillera Sur in the south. The municipality itself is divided into southern and northern zones by a series of mountain ranges, the aforementioned Cordillera Sur. These two zones are known as Field of Murcia and Orchard of Murcia. Near the plain's center, the steep hill of Monteagudo protrudes dramatically.

Districts

The territory of Murcia's municipality is made up of 54 pedanías and 28 barrios. The barrios make up the the main urban portion of the city. The historic city center is approximately of the urbanised downtown portion of Murcia.
DistrictPopulation
La Albatalía2,023
La Alberca12,528
Aljucer7,620
Alquerías6,033
La Arboleja2,079
Baños y Mendigo581
Barqueros1,047
Beniaján10,916
Cabezo de Torres12,885
Cañada Hermosa189
Cañadas de San Pedro340
Carrascoy96
Casillas4,743
Churra7,614
Cobatillas2,508
Corvera2,457
Los Dolores4,787
Era Alta3,090
El Esparragal7,188
Garre y Lages7,393
Gea y Truyols1,055
Javalí Nuevo3,253
Javalí Viejo2,255
Jerónimo y Avileses y Balsicas de Arriba1,470
Lobosillo1,930
Llano de Brujas5,639
Los Martínez del Puerto821
Monteagudo3,861
Nonduermas2,290
La Ñora4,802
El Palmar23,107
Puebla de Soto1,765
Puente Tocinos16,418
El Puntal6,622
El Raal6,311
Los Ramos3,290
La Raya2,221
Rincón Beniscornia939
Rincón de Seca2,232
San Benito13,900
San Ginés2,598
San José de la Vega4,605
Sangonera la Seca5,521
Sangonera la Verde11,296
Santa Cruz2,543
Santiago y Zaraiche9,827
Santo Ángel4,851
Sucina2,014
Torreagüera8,853
Valladolises y Lo Jurado687
Zarandona6,817
Zeneta1,793

Climate

Murcia has a semi-arid climate. Given its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, it has mild winters and hot summers.
It averages more than 320 days with sun per year. Occasionally, Murcia has heavy rains where the precipitation for the entire year will fall over the course of a few days.
In the coldest month, January, the average temperature range is a high of during the day and a low of at night. In the warmest month, August, the range goes from during the day to at night. Temperatures almost always reach or exceed on at least one or two days per year. In fact, Murcia holds close to the highest recorded in southern Europe since reliable meteorological records commenced in 1950. The official record for Murcia stands at, at Alcantarilla airport in the western suburbs on 4 July 1994 with being recorded at a station near the city centre on the same day, being only lower than the 48.0 °C measured in Athens and the 47.4 °C measured in Amareleja, Portugal.

Demographics

Murcia has 433,850 inhabitants making it the seventh-largest Spanish municipality by population. When adding in the municipalities of Alcantarilla, Alguazas, Beniel, Molina de Segura, Santomera, and Las Torres de Cotillas, the metropolitan area has 564,036 inhabitants making it the twelfth most populous metropolitan area in Spain. Nevertheless, due to Murcia's large municipal territory, its population density does not likewise rank among Spain's highest.
According to the official population data of the INE, 10% of the population of the municipality reported belonging to a foreign nationality as of 2005.
The majority of the population identify as Christian. There is also a sizeable Muslim population as well as a growing Jewish community.

Main sights

The Cathedral of Murcia was built between 1394 and 1465 in the Castilian Gothic style. Its tower was completed in 1792 and shows a blend of architectural styles. The first two stories were built in the Renaissance style, while the third is Baroque. The bell pavilion exhibits both Rococo and Neoclassical influences. The main façade is considered a masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque style.
Other noteworthy buildings in the square shared by the Cathedral are the colorful Bishop's Palace and a controversial extension to the town hall by Rafael Moneo.
The Glorieta, which lies on the banks of the Segura River, has traditionally been the center of the town. It is a pleasant, landscaped city square that was constructed during the 18th century. The ayuntamiento of Murcia is located in this square.
Pedestrian areas cover most of the old town of the city, which is centered around Platería and Trapería Streets. Trapería goes from the Cathedral to the Plaza de Santo Domingo, formerly a bustling 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 royal chambers of the Alhambra near Granada. The name Plateria refers to plata, as this street was the historical focus for the commerce of rare metals by Murcia's Jewish community. The other street, Traperia, refers to trapos, or cloths, as this was once the focus for the Jewish community's garment trade.
Several bridges of different styles span the river Segura, from the Puente de los Peligros, 18th century stone bridge with a Lady chapel on one of its sides; to modern bridges designed by Santiago Calatrava or Javier Manterola; through others such as the Puente Nuevo, an iron bridge of the early 20th century.
Other notable places around Murcia include:
In the metropolitan area are also the Azud de la Contraparada reservoir and the Noria de La Ñora water wheel.

Festivals

The Holy Week procession hosted by the city is among the most famous throughout Spain. This traditional festival portrays the events which lead up to and include the Crucifixion according to the New Testament. Life-sized, finely detailed sculptures by Francisco Salzillo are removed from their museums and carried around the city in elegant processions amid flowers and, at night, candles, pausing at stations which are meant to re-enact the final moments before the crucifixion of Jesus.
The most colorful festival in Murcia may come one week after Holy Week, when locals dress up in traditional huertano clothing to celebrate the Bando de la Huerta on Tuesday and fill the streets for The Burial of the Sardine in Murcia. parade the following Saturday. This whole week receives the name of Fiestas de Primavera.
Murcia's Three Cultures International Festival happens each May and was first organised with the intent of overcoming racism and xenophobia in the culture. The festival seeks to foster understanding and reconciliation between the three cultures that have cohabited the peninsula for centuries, if not millennia: Christians, Jews and Muslims. Each year, the festival celebrates these three cultures through music, exhibitions, symposiums and conferences.

Economy

Economically, Murcia predominantly acts as a centre for agriculture and tourism. It is common to find Murcia's tomatoes and lettuce, and especially lemons and oranges, in European supermarkets. Migrant workers are used in this lettuce industry. Murcia is a producer of wines, with about devoted to grape vineyards. Most of the vineyards are located in Ricote and Jumilla. Jumilla is a plateau where the vineyards are surrounded by mountains.
Murcia has some industry, with foreign companies choosing it as a location for factories, such as Henry Milward & Sons and American firms like General Electric and Paramount Park Studios.
During the 2000s, the economy of the region turned towards "residential tourism" in which people from northern European countries have a second home in the area. Europeans and Americans are able to learn Spanish in the academies in the town center.
The economy of Murcia is supported by fairs and congresses, museums, theatres, cinema, music, aquariums, restaurants, hotels, shopping centres, campings, sports, foreign students, and tourism.
Golf, and in particular, golf tourism has become very important to the economy and draws in visitors from across the world but especially the UK, Scandinavia and Germany as well as the USA. Unlike in other parts of Europe, especially Northern Europe, the weather in high season can almost be guaranteed to be dry and sunny. This has led to specialist being created bringing in visitors from April to June and September to November especially. Unlike in other parts of the country golf courses are quieter in July and August due to the extreme heat.

Transportation

;By plane
Region of Murcia International Airport is located 14 miles from the city centre, in the suburban district of Corvera. The airport operates several international and domestic routes. It was opened 15 January 2019.
;By bus
Bus service is provided by LatBus, which operates the interurban services. Urban bus services is offered by a new operator, TM, an UTE formed by Ruiz, Marín & Fernanbús.
;By tram
The Murcia tram is managed by Tranvimur., of line were available. Since 2011, two lines connect the city center with the University Campus and the Football Stadium. Line 1B or Line L connects the neighbourhood of Espinardo with the UCAM and Los Jerónimos.
;By train
Train connections are provided by RENFE. Murcia has a railway station called Murcia del Carmen, located in the neighbourhood of the same name on the Chinchilla–Cartagena railway. Several long-distance lines link the city with Madrid, through Albacete, as well as Valencia, and Catalonia up to Montpellier in France. Murcia is also the center of a local network. The line C-1 connects the city to Alicante, and the line C-2 connects Murcia to Alcantarilla, Lorca and Águilas. It also has a regional line connecting it to Cartagena and a medium-range linea to Valencia and Zaragoza.

Healthcare

The hospitals and other public primary healthcare centers belong to the Murcian Healthcare Service. There are three public hospitals in Murcia:
Murcia has three universities:

There are several high schools, elementary schools, and professional schools. Murcia has three types of schools for children: private schools such as El Limonar International School, Murcia and King's College, Madrid, The American School of Murcia, semi-private schools, which are private schools that receive government funding and sometimes offer religious instruction, and public schools such as Colegio Publico San Pablo, IES Licenciado Francisco Cascales or the centenary CP Cierva Peñafiel, one of the oldest ones. The French international school, Lycée Français André Malraux de Murcie, is in nearby Molina de Segura.
The private schools and concertados can be religious or secular, but the public schools are strictly secular. Concertado or semi-private or quasi-private schools fill a need by providing schools where the government isn't able to or predate the national school system.
Murcia also offers Adult Education for people who want to return to complete high school and possibly continue on to the university.
Murcia has 3 types of schools.Public such as ies alfonso x el sabio. Private such as monteagudo a religious school and semi private or concertado such as los maristas.. there are also private schools in other languages like limonar or lyceo...

Notable people

Murcia is twinned with: