Santander, Spain: Difference between revisions

Santander
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Cantabria
Province	Cantabria
Comarca	Santander Bay
Judicial district	Santander
Founded	26 BC, as Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium 9 January 1755, granting the title of city
Capital	Santander
Government
• Alcalde	Íñigo de la Serna (2007) (PP)
Area
• Total	35 km2 (14 sq mi)
Elevation	15 m (49 ft)
Highest elevation	108 m (354 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2009)
• Total	183,466
• Density	5,200/km2 (14,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Santanderino/a, santanderense, pejino/a, chani
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	39001-39012
Official language(s)	Spanish
Website	Official website

The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. The city of Santander is bordered by the Santa Cruz de Bezana and Camargo also close for the north the bay. He is currently a candidate for European Capital of Culture in 2016.

History

Santander, circa 1590 - by Joris Hoefnagel

In the Roman Empire, the town was known as Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium. Its present name is derived from Saint Emeterio (Santemter, Santenter, Santander), a martyr whose head was brought there in the 3rd century, along with that of Saint Celedonio, according to legend.

In 1187, King Alfonso VIII of Castile made the abbot of San Emeterio lord of the town, and in 1248 Santander participated in the battle for Seville, receiving a coat of arms as reward.

The city owes its existence to the excellent harbour of the Bay of Santander. Santander was an important port for Castile in the later Middle Ages, and also for trade with the New World. It officially became a city in 1755.

Palacio de la Magdalena

In 1893 the freighter Cabo Machichaco exploded in the harbour, killing 500 people.

In the early 1900s Santander became the favoured summer residence of King Alfonso XIII, who built the Palacio de la Magdalena as the residence of the royal family during the holidays. The city gained great popularity from this and from the 19th century enthusiasm for sea bathing and it remains popular with the Spanish for beach holidays today.

Gran Casino de Sardinero

Great Fire of 1941

Santander fell victim to a great fire in 1941. Fanned by a strong south wind, the fire burned for two days. There was only one casualty, a firefighter killed in the line of duty, but thousands of families were left homeless and the city was plunged into chaos.

The fire destroyed the greater part of the medieval town centre and gutted the city’s Romanesque cathedral.

Geography

Towns

The municipality of Santander includes, since 2009, the city of Santander and places of Cueto, Monte, Peñacastillo, and San Román places that were once villages but are increasingly being assimilated into the city center. Santander and these towns have several neighborhoods that are not ordered administratively or have specific limits but some of them do have a certain personality that differentiates them from other areas of the city. Currently it are working to adapt the municipality to the law of large cities and so decentralize in several districts.

• Cueto
  • Neighborhoods: La Pereda, Valdenoja, Fumoril.
• Monte
  • Neighborhoods: Corbanera, La Torre, Aviche, Bolado and San Miguel.
• Peñacastillo
  • Neighborhoods: Nuevo Parque, Primero de Mayo, Nueva Montaña, Ojaiz, Adarzo, Rucandial, Camarreal, Lluja, El Empalme, La Lenteja.
• San Román de la Llanilla
  • Neighborhoods: Corbán, Rostrío.
• Santander (Capital)
  • Neighborhoods: La Albericia, Cazoña, El Sardinero, Barrio Pesquero, El Alisal, Cabildo de Arriba, Castilla-Hermida, Puertochico, Centro, Cuatro Caminos, Calle Alta, General Dávila, Canalejas, San Fernando, etc.

Climate

The climate of Santander is of oceanic humid type. The annual thermal oscillation of the average monthly temperatures reaching around 10 °C.

The humidity is quite high throughout the year and reach more than 90% in some times. Average temperatures range between 25 °C in summer and 10 °C in winter.

The maximum temperature reached in Santander was 37.4 °C on August 31, 2009. And the minimum temperature -5.4 °C on January 21, 1957.

Politics and government

Since June 2007, has served as Mayor of Santander, Iñigo de la Serna, of People's Party (conservative). The most important political parties in the local area, as well as PP, is the Socialist Party of Cantabria-PSOE (social democracy), whose current spokesman is Jesús Cabezón Alonso, and the Regionalist Party of Cantabria with Rafael de la Sierra González. Throughout its history the most influential political parties have been the of ideological right wing, especially the PP.

The Santander City Council is divided into different areas: finance, property and public safety, city planning, public function, the internal system and culture, economic development, training and employment, social, civic participation and drug addiction; of citizen action, and management of municipal companies. The council holds regular sessions each month, but often held extraordinary plenary sessions to discuss issues and problems affecting the city.

The Governing Board, chaired by the mayor, is currently composed of 15 councillors of PP. The municipal council consists of 27 members, 15 of the PP, 7 of the PSC-PSOE and 5 of the PRC. The following tables show the results of municipal elections in 2003 and 2007.

Municipal elections, May 25 of 2003 Partido Votes % Councillors PP 48599 47,67 % 15 PSC-PSOE 31294 30,70 % 9 PRC 12731 12,49 % 3 Elected mayor: Gonzalo Piñeiro García-Lago (PP).

Municipal elections, May 27 of 2007 Partido Votes % Councillors PP 51187 51,94 % 15 PSC-PSOE 25174 25,55 % 7 PRC 16977 17,23 % 5 Elected mayor: Íñigo de la Serna (PP).

Economy

As a service center at the regional level, are located in Santander important public institutions and private entities with a large number of employees: Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, University of Cantabria, Grupo Santander, etc. The activities related to culture, leisure and [[tourism] are a important emphasis on the city's economy and from regional and municipal government are intended to complement the seasonal summer visitors with new offerings such as the attraction of conventions, conferences , cultural festivals and cruise ship at sea.

Demography

As of 2004, Santander has a population of 183,800. The number has remained fairly steady since 1981. Spain's low fecundity rate and aging population have combined with rising immigration figures to keep the population growth fairly stagnant. Nevertheless, the Santander conurbation continues to sprawl as young families move away from the high cost of living in the heart of the city.

Paseo Pereda

Heritage

In this municipality, there are many bienes de interés cultural:

• Santander Cathedral, with the rank of monument.
• Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria, monument, which also include two heritages of special protection, the Pátera de Otañes and the Early medieval treasure of Ambojo of Pedreña.
• Museum of Fine Arts of Santander, monument.
• Tower, walls and monuments of la Casa Noble de los Riva-Herrera, in Pronillo, monument.
• Palacio de la Magdalena and its gardens, monument.
• Library and casa-museum of Menéndez Pelayo, monument.
• Convent of las Madres Clarisas de Santa Cruz (in a time tobacco factory), monument.
• Former Hospital of San Rafael (home of the Regional Assembly of Cantabria), monument.
• Mercado del Este, monument.
• Iglesia de Santa Lucía, monument.
• Parroquia de la Anunciación (La Compañía), monument.
• The Dam of Gamazo, monument.
• Seminario de Monte Corbán, monument.
• Paseo de Pereda, with historical category.
• An area of "El Sardinero", the historic district.
• Iglesia de San Francisco, artistic and religious heritage of Cantabria.
• Cartulary of San Salvador de Oña (Burgos), personal property kept in the Provincial Historic Archive of Santander.
• Cartulary of the Monastery of Santa María de Piasca, heritage preserved in the Library of Santander.

In addition, there are several inventory properties in the municipality:

• Iglesia de la Virgen del Faro in Cueto.
• Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Visitación (Salesas Reales).
• Batería de San Pedro del Mar in Monte.
• The Protestant Cemetery.
• Two of the steam locomotives ("Udías, Mary, Revilla, Peñacastillo, Brawl and Begoña 3") inventoried, in particular Peñacastillo locomotive and Revilla locomotive, both located in the old workshop hauled RENFE.

The city

Urban Growth

From 1950 to the 70´s urban growth takes messy and speculative in nature with the construction of many housing blocks promotion of poor quality and no development for the housing of the working population.

In recent decades the growth of Santander is beyond the periphery of the city with smaller buildings and structures and aimed at the residence of the first and second home (this last of special importance). Stresses the El Sardinero, that changes its morphology of garden city to residential and leisure area of Santander, the Nueva Montaña zone recovered industrial land for residential and commercial activity, Cierro del Alisal, Los Castros Avenue and urban sprawl along the northern slope of Vaguada de las Llamas.

In the 1980´s the port of Santander was displaced from the center of the city and in recent years Santander is in a recovery of its southern edge facing the Bay of Santander. The transfer of all port activities to Puerto de Raos has been gradual, with the exception of maritime passenger traffic that is centered on its maritime station front of Paseo de Pereda.

Currently the growth of port activity, increased value-added traffic (vehicles and containers mostly off the liquid and solid) for storage requiring a lot of ground already scarce and insufficient depth for some types of ships, is forcing the Port Authority to consider the long-term construction of a port outside the bay. On June 29, 2005 Santander celebrated the 250th anniversary of the granting of the title of "City."

Main sights

• The Cathedral of Santander:
  • The lower temple, called "cripta del Cristo" was built around 1200 on other earlier roman buildings. Is 31 meters long and 18 wide, organized into three naves. His style is a transition from romanesque to gothic and is accessed by two doors of late romanesque. Here are the remains of the Holy Martyrs (Emeterius and Celedonius), which reached Portus Victoriae (the ancient Roman Santander) by boat.
  • The upper church was built between the late 13th and 14th century. At be completed the gothic cloister was built.

• El Sardinero was in 1840 a rugged area of Santander environment. Since 1850, started arriving the first tourists and created some facilities (bath houses, eateries ...). Following the summer of Queen Isabella II in El Sardinero in 1861 and Amedeo of Savoy in 1872, the area acquired great fame and began to attract many tourists. There was a spectacular urban and cultural development with the construction of several hotels, inns, cafes, trains and trams arriving at El Sardinero.

• The Palacio de la Magdalena, eclectic style, english influenced, built in 1909 by public subscription as a gift for the Spanish Royal Family.

• El Hotel Real was opened in the summer of 1917, in a privileged location overlooking the bay and the open sea. It is a beautiful five-storey building, with south porch on a high terrace. The style is modern with an air of eclecticism, by the architect González Riancho.

• Next to El Hotel Real stands The old house built for Don Adolfo Pardo from 1915-1918. Of mountain style with well marked tower was designed by the architect Gonzalez Riano and today is the palace of Emilio Botín García de los Ríos.

• The Gran Casino del Sardinero completed in 1916, has some relationship to El Hotel Real and is one of the symbols of the city. It has a terrace balcony which is accessed by a monumental staircase. The central body, two-story is framed by the sides with two octagonal towers, covered by domes, whose edges involved, from top to bottom, shafts with capitals for each floor.

• The Lighthouse of Cabo Mayor presides the entrance to the Bay of Santander. Privileged balcony overlooking the Cantabrian sea and in the city is now one of the most emblematic and evocative for citizens and visitors of Santander. Located in the extreme northeast of the city, the area where is located the Lighthouse of Cabo Mayor is part of a larger area consisting of the headlands of Cabo Mayor and Cabo Menor. The physical configuration of this space is defined by its particular geomorphology, marked by its beaches and cliffs of coastline and a rugged terrain with maximum dimensions of 50 meters above the sea level. Historically located on the outskirts of the city, the area of Cabo Mayor and Cabo Menor has applications and relevant functions: signal maritime defensive position, horse racing, camping, public park, golf course, etc. Thus became tourist landmark and one of the areas of greatest variety of landscape and environmental.

Neighborhoods

• La Gandara.
• Cabildo de Arriba.
• Cueto.
• Cazoña.
• Corbán.
• Cuatro Caminos.
• El Alta.
• El Barrio Pesquero.
• El Sardinero.
• La Cavaduca.
• La Albericia.
• Nueva Montaña.
• Puertochico.
• Zona centro or del Ayuntamiento.
• San Martín/Tetuán.

Main streets, squares and parks

• Streets, avenues and boulevards:
  • Paseo de Pereda (The ancient pier is a promenade overlooking the bay and the towns of Somo and Pedreña. cafés can be found as old as "El Suizo" where, in the past, met traders, military writers, such as Pereda himself), the Gardens are also the same name (which, in turn, is the monument to the writer José María de Pereda, which contains references to his works).
  • Reina Victoria Avenue (location of chalets overlooking the bay. Through this street it has access to the beach Los Peligros).
  • Paseo del General Dávila (El Alta) (former Meteorological Observatory of Santander, I.E.S. José María de Pereda, Conservatorio Jesús de Monasterio).
  • Paseo de Pérez Galdós.
  • Castelar Street. (Overlooking the bay, joins the Paseo de Pereda with Reina Victoria Avenue)
  • Calvo Sotelo Street (Ministry of Finance, Post).
  • Burgos Street (It is one of the oldest streets of the city. It may be considered part of the old part of town, although the first references to the street dating from the mid 18th century. The title of Burgos Street was awarded in 1845. The street pedestrian has benefited the trade of the area and its residents. This street is the headquarters of the ONCE and the Plaza de Juan Carlos I).
  • San Fernando Street (Street with great traffic flow is the main gateway to the city center. The Plaza de las Cervezas is a pedestrian-only area which belongs to this street, named for the brewery (La Cruz Blanca) which stood there before their current disposition.)
  • Alameda de Oviedo (Paseo full of trees, runs from the streets of San Fernando and Vargas, parallel to them, between Cuatro Caminos and Numancia).
  • Avenida de los Castros (In this broad avenue are located most of the universities centres of the University of Cantabria).

• Parks and gardens:
  • Park of la Magdalena (Located on the Magdalena Peninsula, is a major tourist spot thanks to the Palacio de la Magdalena, the tank seals and the old stables of the palace, where where has place different college courses of UIMP).
  • Las Llamas Atlantic Park (Open to the public on May 11, 2007, but today is still under construction. The park was initially budgeted at 22.5 million euros, but its price has risen 39.1 % (8.8 million euros) for the incorporation of improvements).[2] [3]
  • Piquío Gardens (so called because they are shaped like the beak of a ship that "enters" into the sea, referring to the views that offer the end of the garden).
  • La Marga Park (Located on the outskirts of the city, at the end of Castilla Street, is called the old timber that was placed there.)
  • Doctor Morales Park.
  • Doctor González Mesones Park.
  • Water Park (on the side of Calle Alta).
  • Parque de la etnia gitana de santander de la Patrona in the Patron santander
  • Mendicoague Park.
  • Los Pinares Park (park full of pines).
  • Mataleñas Park (Formerly particular, was opened to the public as green space in the way to Lighthouse).
  • Gardens of Pereda.
  • Farm Altamira.
  • Farm of Jado.

• Squares:
  • Plaza del Ayuntamiento (City council Square).
  • Plaza de Pedro Velarde (Pedro Velarde Square) or Plaza Porticada.
  • Plaza de Pombo (Pombo Square)
  • Plaza de Atarazanas (Shipyards Square) or Plaza de la Catedral.
  • Plaza de la Esperanza (Hope´s Square).
  • Plaza de Italia (Italy Square).
  • Plaza de México (Mexico Square).
  • Plaza de Juan Carlos I (Juan CArlos I Square) or Plaza del Rey.
  • Plaza de las Cervezas Beers´s Square).
  • Plaza de Colón (Columbus Square).
  • Plaza del Cuadro (Cuadro´s Square).
  • Plaza de Numancia (Numancia Square).
  • Plaza de Cañadío (Cañadío Square).
  • Plaza Acebo (Holly Square).
  • Plaza de Cuatro Caminos (Four Roads Square).
  • Plaza de Las Estaciones (Season´s Square).
  • Plaza de los Remedios (Remedios´s Square).
  • Plaza de Miranda (Miranda Square).
  • Plaza del Príncipe (Prince´s Square).
  • Plaza del Dos de Mayo (May 2´s Square).
  • Plaza de Las Brisas (Breezes´s Square).
  • Plaza de Rubén Darío (Rubén Darío Square).

Tallest Buildings

• Alta, 46. 17 floors.
• Feygón Tower. 16 floors.
• Dobra Building. 16 floors.
• Ibio Building.16 plants.
• Vargas, 51. 16 floors.
• Residencia Cantabria. 15 floors.
• Palacio de Festivales.

Culture

Santander has a great tradition and cultural activity, with events that play an important role in cultural and social life of the city. Is a major international university summer UIMP and organizes large festivals of music and dance, as the Festival Internacional de Santander (FIS) and Festival Internacional de Música de Órgano (FiMÓC).

Education

• University of Cantabria is the largest university in Cantabria.
• Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP) specializes in teaching foreigners about Spanish language and culture

Museums and cultural centers

• Cantabrian Maritime Museum.
• Museum of Fine Arts.
• Regional Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria.
• Taurine Museum of Santander.
• Palace of Festivals of Cantabria.
• Palace of Exhibitions and Congress of Santander.
• Modesto Tapia Cultural Center.
• Regional Film of Cantabria.

Festivals

Santander is a city of many festivals and pilgrimages, distributed across the various neighborhoods and areas of the city. Mention the existence of many feasts of neighborhood character, such as those of Mendicoague, Perines, etc. The best known festivals in Santander and more tourist attraction, are:

• January 5: The Cavalcade of Magi covers a small part of the city, from the Palacio de Festivales to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
• The first Sunday of June: Cantabria Child Day is celebrated on Magdalena. It is a 'Regional Tourist Interest', an exaltation of the native, organized by the "Association for the Defence of the Interests of Cantabria" (ADIC), an association founded by Miguel Ángel Revilla. In this event shows among other things, an exhibition of "Aluche" (Ancient Cantabrian Fighting) and types of rural sports like milkmaid racing, archery, salto pasiego and wood chopping.
• Monday of Pentecost: Fiestas de la Virgen del Mar.
• June 24: The Bonfires of Saint John is celebrated in El Sardinero, particularly in the second beach of Sardinero. This festival celebrates the arrival of summer with a bonfire and a pilgrimage. In other parts of the municipality are also makes bonfires as in la Albericia and the Barrio Pesquero neighborhoods.
• July 25: Festivals of Saint James (Regional Tourist Interest).
• August 30: Feasts of the Holy Martyrs (Emeterio and Celedonio). Santander patrons.
• Sept. 15: Fiestas de la Virgen de la Bien Aparecida, patroness of the Diocese of Santander and Cantabria ('Regional Tourist Interest'.)

Sport

The La Liga club Racing Santander, founded in 1913, is based in the city.

El Sardinero

Gallery

• 
  Palacio de la Magdalena
• 
  Santander Cathedral
• 
  Banco Mercantil
• 
  Ayuntamiento
• 
  Lighthouse of Cabo Mayor
• 
  Edificio de Correos
• 
  Plaza de Italia
• 
  Monument at José María de Pereda
• 
  Ships in Puertochico, in the city of Santander
• Monument at the urchins in Puertochico
  Monument at the urchins in Puertochico
• El Puente del Diablo in Cueto, Santander
  El Puente del Diablo in Cueto, Santander
• 
  Panoramic of Cabo Menor
• 

Climate

Climate data for Santander
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	13.3 (55.9)	13.8 (56.8)	14.9 (58.8)	15.9 (60.6)	18.5 (65.3)	20.8 (69.4)	23.1 (73.6)	23.7 (74.7)	22.5 (72.5)	19.6 (67.3)	16.1 (61.0)	14.4 (57.9)	18.1 (64.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)	9.5 (49.1)	9.9 (49.8)	10.7 (51.3)	12.0 (53.6)	14.6 (58.3)	17.1 (62.8)	19.4 (66.9)	19.9 (67.8)	18.3 (64.9)	15.4 (59.7)	12.2 (54.0)	10.7 (51.3)	14.1 (57.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	5.6 (42.1)	5.9 (42.6)	6.5 (43.7)	8.0 (46.4)	10.7 (51.3)	13.4 (56.1)	15.6 (60.1)	16.1 (61.0)	14.1 (57.4)	11.3 (52.3)	8.2 (46.8)	6.9 (44.4)	10.2 (50.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	123 (4.8)	104 (4.1)	105 (4.1)	125 (4.9)	89 (3.5)	62 (2.4)	52 (2.0)	72 (2.8)	85 (3.3)	135 (5.3)	146 (5.7)	117 (4.6)	1,246 (49.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	13	12	12	13	11	8	7	7	9	12	13	12	128
Mean monthly sunshine hours	88	100	134	147	169	174	189	182	157	127	98	74	1,638
Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

External links

Beach of Peligros

• Webcams de Santander y Cantabria — Live webcams Santander and Cantabria.
• Ayuntamiento de Santander — Official website of the Santander Ayuntamiento (In Spanish).
• Santander - Cantabria 102 Municipios
• Webcam en Puertochico — Live webcam of Santander's Puertochico district.
• Tiempo y webcam de Santander desde El Sardinero — Live webcam and weather station at Sardinero beach
• Municipios de Cantabria, incluyendo Santander—All the cities and villages in Cantabria, including Santander: History, Demography and more exhaustive information
• Pictures of Santander — More than 100 photos of this city.
• Santander, rutas y monumentos — Touristic routes, museums, monuments...