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A Coruña (province)
Encyclopedia
The province of A Coruña (also: , la koˈɾuɲa, and Corunna in English) is the most North-western
Atlantic
-facing province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia. This province is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the West
and North
, Pontevedra Province to the South and the Lugo Province to the East.
The history of this province starts at the end of the Middle Ages
during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain
. During those years this province was far smaller than today. This is because in the 1833 territorial division of Spain
the entire Province of Betanzos
together with half of the Mondoñedo
were amalgamated into one single province with its capital city in A Coruña
. That was going to be the beginning of a love hate relationship between the major cities caught in between: Ferrol, Santiago de Compostela
and A Coruña
. Due to this unusual situation, the dioceses of these parts of Galicia do not match any longer with the administrative divisions. In addition, the capital city of the province has never had a cathedral, but both Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela
have one. The City of Santiago de Compostela is not the provincial capital, but has always been the capital of Galicia and historically a rival to Toledo
for being the most important city in Spain ecclesiastically
speaking.
Since 1833, the province has always been the one with the largest population and largest coast. Until the second half of the 20th century, this province was both the religious and cultural centre of the entire region. The University of Santiago de Compostela
was the only university in North-western Spain until the arrival of democracy after the death of General Francisco Franco
.
is the destination of the Way of St. James
, a major historical pilgrimage
route since the Middle Ages
which still gathers thousands of pilgrims each year from all over the world.
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
-facing province of Spain, and one of the four provinces which constitute the autonomous community of Galicia. This province is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the West
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
and North
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
, Pontevedra Province to the South and the Lugo Province to the East.
History
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
. During those years this province was far smaller than today. This is because in the 1833 territorial division of Spain
1833 territorial division of Spain
The 1833 territorial division of Spain divided Spain into provinces, classified into "historic regions" . on the official web site of the government of the Canary Islands, accessed 2009-12-31...
the entire Province of Betanzos
Betanzos
Betanzos is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the Province of A Coruña. In Roman times Betanzos was called Carunium or Brigantium. During the Medieval period the settlement was known as Carunio....
together with half of the Mondoñedo
Mondoñedo
Mondoñedo is a small town and municipality in the Galician province of Lugo, Spain. , the town has a population of 4,508. Mondoñedo occupies a sheltered valley among the northern outliers of the Cantabrian Mountains.-History:...
were amalgamated into one single province with its capital city in A Coruña
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
. That was going to be the beginning of a love hate relationship between the major cities caught in between: Ferrol, Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
and A Coruña
A Coruña
A Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
. Due to this unusual situation, the dioceses of these parts of Galicia do not match any longer with the administrative divisions. In addition, the capital city of the province has never had a cathedral, but both Ferrol and Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
have one. The City of Santiago de Compostela is not the provincial capital, but has always been the capital of Galicia and historically a rival to Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
for being the most important city in Spain ecclesiastically
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
speaking.
Since 1833, the province has always been the one with the largest population and largest coast. Until the second half of the 20th century, this province was both the religious and cultural centre of the entire region. The University of Santiago de Compostela
University of Santiago de Compostela
The Royal University of Santiago de Compostela - USC is a public university located in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. A second campus is located in Lugo, Galicia....
was the only university in North-western Spain until the arrival of democracy after the death of General Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
.
Population
Main sights
The cathedral of Santiago de CompostelaCathedral of Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral of the archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James the Greater, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ. It is the destination of the Way of St...
is the destination of the Way of St. James
Way of St. James
The Way of St. James or St. James' Way is the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried....
, a major historical pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
route since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
which still gathers thousands of pilgrims each year from all over the world.
Parks
- Atlantic Islands of Galicia National ParkAtlantic Islands of Galicia National ParkThe Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park is the only national park located in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It comprises the archipelagos of Cíes, Ons, Sálvora and Cortegada.- External links :* *...
is the only National ParkNational parkA national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Galicia. It is shared between the Provinces of A Coruña and PontevedraPontevedra (province)Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia...
. - The "Fragas" of the River Eume Natural Park extends itself throughout the Eume and Ferrol regions of Ferrolterra.
- The Dunes of Corrubedo Natural Park (Parque Natural del Complejo Dunar de Corrubedo y Lagunas de Carregal y Vixánis) is a beach park at the very end of the Barbanza Peninsula.
Airports and airfields
- Aeroporto de LavacollaSantiago de Compostela AirportSantiago de Compostela Airport - Lavacolla is one of the three international airports in Galicia, Spain. It is located in Lavacolla, a town in the outskirts of Galicia's capital city, Santiago de Compostela. In 2010, 2,172,869 passengers passed through it....
in Santiago de Compostela - Aeroporto de AlvedroA Coruña AirportA Coruña Airport , formerly known as Alvedro Airport, is the airport serving the Galician city of A Coruña in northwestern Spain. The airport is located in the municipality of Culleredo, approximately from the city center. It is a part of the network of airports managed by Aena, a Spanish...
in the City of A Coruña - Heliporto da GrañaHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
in the Naval Base of ]]A Graña]] (Ferrolterra) - Heliporto de NarónHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
in NaronNarónNarón is a municipality in Ferrolterra, Galicia .Geographically, the town is very close to the Atlantic Ocean. The city of Ferrol is 5 km away...
(Ferrolterra)
Railway
- Spanish National Railway NetworkRENFERenfe Operadora is the state-owned company which operates freight and passenger trains on the 1668-mm "Iberian gauge" and 1435-mm "European gauge" networks of the Spanish national railway infrastructure company ADIF .- History :The name RENFE is derived from that of the former Spanish National...
Linking every major city: Ferrol, BetanzosBetanzosBetanzos is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the Province of A Coruña. In Roman times Betanzos was called Carunium or Brigantium. During the Medieval period the settlement was known as Carunio....
, A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela - Spanish Narrow-Gauge RailwaysFEVEFEVE is a state-owned Spanish railway company, which operates most of Spain's of metre gauge railway.-History:...
Linking the City of Ferrol with different towns of Ferrol and OrtegalOrtegalOrtegal is a comarca in the Galician Province of A Coruña. The overall population of this local region is 15,810 .-Municipalities:Cariño, Cerdido, Mañón and Ortigueira....
. This line is also known as Ferrol-IrunIrunIrun is a town of the Bidasoa-Txingudi region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain...
(Basque CountryBasque Country (autonomous community)The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
) - Spanish High Speed Railway NetworkAVEAlta Velocidad Española is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to . The name is literally translated from Spanish as "Spanish High Speed", but also a play on the word , meaning "bird".AVE trains run on a network of...
(AVE) Linking most major cities of the province with LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
is under construction.
Ports
- A CoruñaA CoruñaA Coruña or La Coruña is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community and seventeenth overall in the country...
– Major Commercial Port – Costa da MorteCosta da MorteCosta da Morte is part of the Spanish Galician coast. The Costa da Morte extends from the villages of Fisterra and Malpica.The Costa da Morte received its name because there have been so many shipwrecks along its treacherous rocky shore... - MalpicaBergantiñosBergantiños is a comarca in the Galician Province of A Coruña. The overall population of this local region is 70,698 .-Municipalities:Cabana de Bergantiños, Carballo, Coristanco, A Laracha, Laxe, Malpica de Bergantiños and Ponteceso....
– Fishing Port – Costa da Morte - CamariñasCamariñasCamariñas is a municipality in the province of A Coruña, autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. An important fishing center, it is renowned all over Spain by the bobbin lace work of its women ....
– Fishing Port – Costa da Morte - Fisterra – Fishing Port – Costa da Morte
- Ferrol – Major Commercial Ports (also: MilitarySpanish NavyThe Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
) – Rias altasRias AltasRías Altas is the northernmost of three sections of A Costa do Marisco in Galicia, Spain. It extends from the port of Ribadeo to Santa Cruz.... - CariñoCariñoCariño is a municipality in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia, north-western Spain.Cariño and Cedeira's coast has some of the highest cliffs in Europe....
– Fishing Port – Rias altas - EspasanteEspasanteEspasante Important Fishing Port in the Ferrolterra borough of Ortigueira in North-western Spain. From this port, which is at the other side of the Ria of Ortigueira, just in front of important fishing port of Cariño, large numbers of trawlers leave the locality every year heading to far distant...
– Fishing Port – Rias altas - CedeiraCedeiraCedeira is a city council in the province of A Coruña, Galicia, north-western Spain.-Parroquias:*Cedeira *Cervo *Esteiro *Montoxo *Piñeiro *Régoa *San Román de Montoxo...
– Fishing Port – Rias altas
Sport
- Deportivo de La CoruñaDeportivo de La CoruñaReal Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
Spanish second division team from the City of A Coruña. - Racing de FerrolRacing de FerrolRacing Club de Ferrol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Ferrol in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia.Founded in 1919, in currently plays in Tercera División, holding home games at Estadio de la Malata...
Spanish Segunda DivisionSegunda División BSegunda División B is the third level of the Spanish football league system. It is administered by the RFEF. The top two levels are La Liga, also referred to as the Primera División, and the Segunda División. Immediately below Segunda División B is the Tercera Division...
team from the City of Ferrol. - SD CompostelaSD CompostelaSociedade Deportiva Compostela also known as Compostela is a Spanish football team based in Santiago de Compostela, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Founded on 26 June 1962, it currently plays in Preferente Autonómica.-History:...
Spanish Tercera DivisionTercera DivisiónTercera División is the fourth level of the Spanish football league system. The top three are the Primera División, often referred to as "La Liga" in English, the Segunda División, and Segunda División B.-Current Format:...
team from the City of Santiago de Compostela. - Atlético ArteixoAtlético ArteixoClub Atlético Arteixo is a Spanish football team based in Arteixo, A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Founded in 1949, it currently plays in Primeira Autonómica, holding home games at Estadio Ponte dos Brozos, with a capacity of 2,000 spectators.In 2004–05, after four seasons in...
Spanish Segunda Division team from the Municipality of ArteixoArteixoArteixo is a municipality of Spain in the Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Its area is 93.76 km² and its population is 29,762...
. - Bergantiños FCBergantiños FCBergantiños Fútbol Club is a Spanish football team based in Carballo, Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. Founded in 1923, it plays in 3ª División - Group 1, playing home matches at Estadio As Eiroas, with a capacity of 5,000 seats.-Season to season:----*2 seasons in...
Spanish Tercera Division team from the Municipality of CarballoCarballoCarballo is a municipality of Spain in the Province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia.The seafood company Calvo is headquartered here....
. - SD NegreiraSD NegreiraSociedad Deportiva Negreira is a Spanish football team based in Negreira, in the autonomous community of Galicia.Founded in 1965, it plays in Tercera División - Group 1, holding home matches at Estadio Xesús García Calvo, with a capacity of 2,000 seats....
Spanish Tercera Division team from the Municipality of NegreiraNegreiraNegreira is a municipality of Spain in the Province of A Coruña, located on the Tambre River, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It has a population of 6,453 according to the Spanish National Institute of Statistics in 2007.-External links:*...
. - Autos Lobelle de Santiago FSAutos Lobelle de Santiago FSXacobeo 2010 Lobelle de Santiago Fútbol Sala, more commonly known by its previous sponsorship name Autos Lobelle de Santiago, is a professional futsal club based in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia....
Spanish División de HonorDivisión de Honor de FutsalThe Primera División or División de Honor of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Sala, is the premier professional futsal league in Spain. It was founded in 1989 with the name of División de Honor...
of Futsal team from the City of Santiago de Compostela.