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Murcia

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Murcia

View from Fuensanta Sanctuary


Flag	Coat of Arms

Location

Coordinates : 37°59′N, 1°8′W
Time zone : CET (GMT +1)
- summer : CEST (GMT +2)

General information

Native name

Murcia (Spanish)

Spanish name

Murcia

Postal code

30001-30012

Area code

34 (Spain) + 968 (Murcia)

Website

http://www.ayto-murcia.es/

Administration

Country

Spain

Autonomous Community

Murcia

Province

Murcia

Comarca

[[|Huerta de Murcia]]

Mayor

Miguel Ángel Cámara Botía (PP)

Geography

Land Area

881,86 km²

Altitude

43 m AMSL

Population

Population

424.362 (2006-10-20)

- rank in Spain:

Density

481,2 hab./km² (2006-10-20)

Murcia (37°59′N, 1°8′W) 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.

1 Geography
- 1.1 Districts
2 Climate
3 History
4 Demographics
5 Sights and monuments
6 Festivals
7 Economy
8 Transportation
9 Healthcare
10 Education
11 Notable people from Murcia
12 Sport teams
13 Sister cities
14 External links
15 References

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.

The 881.86-square-kilometre (340.49 sq mi) territory of the municipality of Murcia is made up of 54 pedanías (suburban districts) and 28 barrios (city neighborhood districts). The barrios make up the 12.86-square-kilometre (4.97 sq mi) urban section, the main city. The "center" of the city, the old quarter, is approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) across with approximately 3 square kilometres (1 sq mi) of area.

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.

Demographic evolution

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.

Murcia has 416,996 inhabitants (INE 2006), making it the seventh Spanish municipality by population. Nevertheless, due to Murcia's large municipal territory, its population density (472 hab./km², 760 hab./sq.mi.) is not among the highest in Spain.

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 12th most populous metropolitan area of Spain.

According to the official population data of the INE, 10.16% of the population of the municipality had a foreign nationality as of 2005.

Santa María Cathedral of the Diocese of Cartagena

The Cathedral of the Diocese of Cartagena (based in Murcia) was built between 1394 and 1465 in Castilian Gothic style. Its tower was completed in 1792 and it shows a mixture of styles. The first two stories were built in Renaissance style (1521-1546) and the third one is Baroque. 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.

The Glorieta, with the town hall on the left	Cathedral and Plaza Cadenal Belluga	Plaza Cardenal Belluga (seen from the Cathedral)	Cathedral (detail)
Plaza de Santo Domingo	Fuensanta Virgin´s Sanctuary

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.

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 the Bando de la Huerta (Huerta parade) on Tuesday and fill the streets for the Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine) parade on Saturday.

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.

Tram project

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

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.

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. Murcia has 3 types of schools for children;There are private schools such as El Limonar(wellknown english language school) and semi-private schools(concertado)such as Las Maristas(wellknown for its graduates).As well there are many public schools such as Colegio Publico (CP)San Pablo(known for maths and science).The private and concertados can be religious(catholic)or nonreligious.The public schools are strictly nonreligious.More information is needed here to define -concertado- a school receiving government money but private in nature even relgious.Such schools fill the gap by providing schools where the government isnt able to or come from a time in the past before the government developed a national school system and these private schools were working and were thus left in place and given the responsibility to act as public schools in educating all without having to become nonreligious like all other public schools.