Ciudad Real
Encyclopedia
Ciudad Real is a city in Castile-La Mancha
, Spain
, with a population of c. 74,000. It is the capital of the province of Ciudad Real. It has a stop on the AVE
high-speed rail line and has begun to grow as a long-distance commuter suburb of Madrid
, located 115 miles (185km) to the north. A high capacity airport (Ciudad Real Central Airport) has been built to serve the city. It is now open, but has little traffic. The beginning of the construction of a new Caesar's Palace Casino is planned.
, four kilometres of walls and one hundred and thirty towers protected a population made up of Christians, Muslims and Jews
.
After the unification of the Iberian kingdoms under the Catholic Monarchs
, Ciudad Real became the capital of the province of La Mancha
in the 17th century (1691). This fact favoured its economic development which was spilled into important buildings. The city was founded by Alfonso X in the 13th century (1255) to fight with the Military Order of Calatrava.
The city was surrounded by walls. Nowadays, there are only two parts of the wall left.
The Museo Elisa Cendreros exhibits an old collection of fans and wrought wood.
The Iglesia de Santiago is the oldest church in Ciudad Real. It was built at the end of the 13th century. Its style is Gothic
. It has three blocks divided into two parts. Its decorated with gothic paintings and with seven-headed dragons, they were used such us amulets against the bad spirits. The ceiling is decorated with stones forming eight pointed stars.
Another important church in Ciudad Real is Iglesia de San Pedro (Church of Saint Peter
). It is the monument that has more interest and quality of the city. It was built between the 14th and 15th century. Its style is Gothic
, and houses the tomb of Chante de Coca, confessor and chaplain
of the Catholic Monarchs
.
In the centre of Ciudad Real is the Plaza Mayor.
, which was the winner of the handball EHF Champions League
in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
The handball club is one of the best in the world and its hall, the Don Quixote Arena, is one of the biggest in the Spanish professional league.
It also has a basketball team, which included the presence of David De la Rubia, one of the most renowned Spanish players in years of the Spanish quarry.
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, with a population of c. 74,000. It is the capital of the province of Ciudad Real. It has a stop on the AVE
AVE
Alta 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...
high-speed rail line and has begun to grow as a long-distance commuter suburb of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid 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...
, located 115 miles (185km) to the north. A high capacity airport (Ciudad Real Central Airport) has been built to serve the city. It is now open, but has little traffic. The beginning of the construction of a new Caesar's Palace Casino is planned.
History
During the Middle AgesMiddle 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...
, four kilometres of walls and one hundred and thirty towers protected a population made up of Christians, Muslims and Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
.
After the unification of the Iberian kingdoms under the Catholic Monarchs
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...
, Ciudad Real became the capital of the province of La Mancha
La Mancha
La Mancha is a natural and historical region or greater comarca located on an arid, fertile, elevated plateau of central Spain, south of Madrid, stretching between the Montes de Toledo and the western spurs of the Serrania de Cuenca. It is bounded on the south by the Sierra Morena and on the north...
in the 17th century (1691). This fact favoured its economic development which was spilled into important buildings. The city was founded by Alfonso X in the 13th century (1255) to fight with the Military Order of Calatrava.
The city was surrounded by walls. Nowadays, there are only two parts of the wall left.
Main sights
Don Quixote's Museum is situated next to Parque de Gasset.The Museo Elisa Cendreros exhibits an old collection of fans and wrought wood.
The Iglesia de Santiago is the oldest church in Ciudad Real. It was built at the end of the 13th century. Its style is Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
. It has three blocks divided into two parts. Its decorated with gothic paintings and with seven-headed dragons, they were used such us amulets against the bad spirits. The ceiling is decorated with stones forming eight pointed stars.
Another important church in Ciudad Real is Iglesia de San Pedro (Church of Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
). It is the monument that has more interest and quality of the city. It was built between the 14th and 15th century. Its style is Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
, and houses the tomb of Chante de Coca, confessor and chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
of the Catholic Monarchs
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...
.
In the centre of Ciudad Real is the Plaza Mayor.
Events
One of the most popular festivals in the city is La Pandorga, which takes place July 30 and 31. On the last day of the month the festival honors its patroness, La Virgen del Prado. The usual attire consists of jeans, a white shirt, and the traditional handkerchief.Sports
The city has a handball team, the BM Ciudad RealBM Ciudad Real
Balonmano Ciudad Real was a Spanish handball team based in Ciudad Real, Castilla La Mancha. BM Ciudad Real plays in Liga ASOBAL. They won the 2009 EHF Champions League by beating THW Kiel in the final. 67:66 on aggregate.-History:...
, which was the winner of the handball EHF Champions League
EHF Champions League
The EHF Champions League is the most important professional club handball competition in Europe . The competition was started in the 1956–57 season, and is administered by the European Handball Federation.The most successful teams are from Germany and Spain...
in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
The handball club is one of the best in the world and its hall, the Don Quixote Arena, is one of the biggest in the Spanish professional league.
It also has a basketball team, which included the presence of David De la Rubia, one of the most renowned Spanish players in years of the Spanish quarry.
Education
Ciudad Real has 18 Primary Schools and six high schools. The High School "Torreón del Alcázar" was founded in 1987. In the first years there were only vocational studies, thirty teachers and 350 students. Some years later the high school incorporated the Compulsory Secondary studies and A levels. At the moment there are 93 teachers and 1000 students. In the year 1995 the High School was offered to become a bilingual school. And in the year 2005 the first bilingual group arrived.People
- Manuel MarínManuel MarínManuel Marín González is a Spanish politician, former President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain. He was a long-time member of the European Commission, and President during the interim Marin Commission following the Resignation of the Santer Commission, of which he was a member.-Early life and...
(born October 21, 1949), politician and former president of the Spanish Congress - José María BarredaJosé María BarredaJosé María Barreda Fontes is a Spanish politician and academic. A member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, he was the President of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha from 2004 until 2011.-Biography:...
(born February 4, 1953), President of Castile-La Mancha - Fernando LunaFernando LunaFernando Luna Vicente is a former tennis player from Spain.Luna won a singles title, the Zell am See clay tournament in 1981. The right-handed achieved his highest singles ATP-ranking on May 14, 1984, when he reached the 33rd position.-External links:*...
(born April 24, 1958), professional tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player - Juande Ramos (born 1954), former manager of Real Madrid Football Club