Pontevedra
Encyclopedia
Pontevedra (ˌpɔnteˈβɛ.ðɾa, ponteˈβeðɾa) is a city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula
. It is the capital of both the comarca
(county) and province
of Pontevedra, in Galicia (Spain
). It is also the capital of its own municipality
which is, in fact, often considered as an extension of the actual city. Pontevedra is the provincial district court
seat.
Ponte Vetera, which became by the 13th century the modern Galician language
toponymy Pontevedra, "the old bridge", in reference to an old Roman bridge across the Lérez river.
The municipality
of Pontevedra is located between 42°20' and 42°30' north and 8°33' and 8°41' west, in the southwestern Galician coast, an area popularly known as Rias Baixas
. The municipality covers 118.3 km² and is about 20 km wide from north to south.
The city sits at the end of the ria
that bears its name, occupying the valleys of the Lérez
and Tomeza rivers. It extends southwards to the mouth of river Verdugo in Ponte Sampaio. It is surrounded by four mountainous regions divided by two faults, one stretching north-south and one from northeast to southwest.
To the north it borders the municipalities of Barro
, Moraña
and Campo Lameiro
; to the east, Cotobade
and Ponte Caldelas
; to the south, Soutomaior
, Vilaboa
and Marín
, and to the west, Poio
and the ria, leading to the Atlantic Ocean
.
The main parroquias (parishes) of Pontevedra are: Alba, Bora, Campañó, A Canicouva, Cerponzóns, Lérez, Lourizán, Marcón, Mourente, Ponte Sampaio, Pontevedra e Eiriña, Salcedo, San Xosé, Santa María de Xeve, Tomeza, Verducido, Virxe do Camiño, Xeve.
The neighbourhoods or main areas of Pontevedra are: O Burgo, Monteporreiro, Campolongo, Mollabao, A Seca, Salgueiriños, A Parda, Eduardo Pondal. The residential area of A Caeira, although officially located in the municipality of Poio
, is often considered as just another neighbourhood of Pontevedra since the vast majority of the residents work in Pontevedra and relate to the city.
The population of Pontevedra is mature where generational replacement is not necessarily assured, although the city has been slowly but gradually growing in recent years. In the breakdown it shows 15.93% of senior citizens, 69% between 15 and 65 years, and just 15.01% under the 15 years of age. The natality rate (9.8‰) is only +1.8 over the mortality rate (8‰). The migrational balance is slightly positive (+350 people in 2006). According to the local authorities Pontevedra is, since 1999, the fastest growing Galician city, with an average of +1000 more inhabitants per year.
According to the 2001 census, 29.6% of the population are monolingual in Galician
, where 32.1% speak it "often". The remaining 38.3% are either monolingual in Spanish
or speak mostly in Spanish
(Köppen
Cfb). The average temperature is 15 °C (59 °F), with a daily average of 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) in January and 20.5 °C (68.9 °F) in July. These are unusually mild for a city so far north, and are due to Pontevedra’s proximity to the sea and to the moderating effect of the ria
. Yet, like all the Galician coast, Pontevedra is subject to occasional Atlantic storms in Winter. These are characterised by a quick drop in temperature, rain and gales.
Overall Pontevedra is rainy, especially at the end of autumn and winter, with an annual average precipitation
of 1700 to 1900 mm (66.9 to 74.8 in), and around 134 rainy days per year. Summer is drier, generally speaking, but the odd heavy rainfall does happen even then.
-Vigo
railway and motorway corridor. Pontevedra is located between the Galician capital Santiago de Compostela
(58 km to the north) and the largest Galician city, Vigo (30 km to the south). Pontevedra itself does not have an airport, but both Compostela and Vigo have international airports. A good network of roads and motorways efficiently connects Pontevedra with these cities, and also with Portugal
(57 km to the south), and inland (100 km to the eastern city of Ourense
). Regular bus lines link Pontevedra with other Galician cities and towns, as well as with Madrid
, Porto
and Lisbon
(among others).
It is expected that the TAV high-speed train will reach Pontevedra from 2013. Pontevedra will then become a stop in the so-called Atlantic Line, running from the northern Galician city of A Coruña
down to Lisbon
(Portugal). Likewise, it is expected that Pontevedra will benefit from the high-speed train connecting Galicia and central Spain. That connection is expected to start working around 2012, although it will only be fully operational around 2018.
Despite the fact that Pontevedra was once the main Galician port, at present the tiny Pontevedra harbour is only used for recreational purposes, not for cargo or passenger transportation. Yet, neighbouring Marín
is a major military and commercial harbour which is just 7 km away (in addition to the Port of Vigo
, the biggest fishing port in the world and also a major commercial hub).
Pontevedra has traditionally been a trading
city. In the Middle Ages
, guild
s thrived in the old town, giving name to streets and squares still preserved today. At that time Pontevedra was the main Galician port, providing for a very intense fishing and sea-trading activity.
In the 1833 territorial division of Spain
Galicia was sub-divided into four provinces, and Pontevedra became capital of its own province. The city then became an administrative and commercial centre, in contrast with Vigo, which attracted the industrial activity. In fact, the first modern industries to appear in Pontevedra would only do so in the 1960s.
At present, the tertiary sector employs 65 per cent of the population, while industry does the 17 per cent. Industrial activity is reduced to a handful of companies, namely pulp mill
s (in gradual recession) and construction
. The tertiary sector is not especially dynamic, although a number of policies have been implemented to improve the situation. Tourism
is slowly on the increase, with visitors coming mostly from Spain and Portugal. The total unemployment rate is 12.12% (2001), presenting a clear disparity between men (9.1%) and women(16.4%).
Pontevedra was the seat of Caixa de Pontevedra, one of the credit unions that merged in 2000 with Caixavigo (from Vigo
) and Caixa Ourense (from Ourense
) into Caixanova, one of the largest credit union
s in the Spanish State
.
A local legend relates the foundation of Pontevedra to Teucer
, hero of the Trojan War
, a legend which was reinforced with the suspicions that Greek traders might have arrived to the Rias Baixas
area in ancient times. However, historians and archaeologists tend to agree that the initial settlement was probably formed during the integration of Gallaecia
(old Galicia) into the Roman Empire
(circa 1st century BC). As stated, the name of the city is eminently a Latin composite, derived from Pons/Pontis (bridge) and Veteris/Vetera (old), hence Ponte(m)Vetera(m), and thence Galician language
Ponte-Vedra, "the old bridge", in reference to the old Roman bridge across Lérez River (still standing). Well communicated even since Roman times, Pontevedra consolidated itself as an intermediate town during the Suebic period
(circa 5th-6th century AD).
During the 12th century Pontevedra rose as an important commercial centre, up to the 15th century when it reached its highest medieval splendour, operating as a trade and communications hub. Pontevedra was then one of the main Galician urban centres. In fact, Pontevedra has the second largest "old town" in Galicia, only after Santiago de Compostela
. Pontevedra was (and still is) on the route of the Way of Saint James, namely its southern or "Portuguese" branch. The Church of Peregrina, with a most peculiar scallop-shaped plant, remains an unavoidable stop for all pilgrims and visitors.
In the 16th century it still was a commercial city, with an increase of the fishing activities. In fact, Pontevedra was the largest Galician port as it was a secure port open to the sea. For example, one of Christopher Columbus
' ships, the nao Santa Maria
, originally named La Gallega ("The Galician"), had been built in Pontevedra. It was in centuries later that, because of the sediment
ation caused by river Lérez, the ria
became gradually unsuitable for large scale navigation.
The end of the 16th century marked the beginning of the decadence of the city, a decadence which had already started for the rest of Galicia
at the end of the 15th century. The situation would worsen during the 17th and 18th centuries. The port drastically reduced its activity due to the mentioned geographical causes. Furthermore, political decisions and dynastic conflicts provoked a general decay in trade, thus resulting in the depopulation of the city. In fact, the population was reduced in half during that time, also affected by epidemics.
In the beginning of the 19th century Pontevedra was little more than just a small backward town. Fishing, arts and crafts kept the economy going. Yet, with the establishment of new provincial divisions in 1833 Pontevedra suddenly saw itself transformed into a provincial capital. Pontevedra then grew and slowly became an administrative centre. The introduction of the railway also reconnected the city with the rest of the country, after having lost its harbour. All in all, Pontevedra sees in this century a cultural, economic and urban revival. It is in Pontevedra when, in 1853, Xoán Manuel Pintos publishes the first book in modern Galician
, "A gaita gallega".
Pontevedra enters the 20th century with great prospects. At that stage the city was the Galician cultural and political heart. Galicianists
- such as Alexandre Bóveda
and Castelao
- take up residence in the city, where they found the Partido Galeguista
("Galicianist Party") in 1931, origin of contemporary Galician nationalism
. Yet, the Spanish Civil War
(1936–1939) and subsequent Francoist dictatorship (1939–1975) suddenly put a drastic end to Pontevedra's progression. Political repression and economic hardships forced many into emigration. It was only during the 1960s, with the introduction of some industrial activity, when the local economy partially recovers. However, these same industries would later cause serious environmental and health concerns, forcing the eventual closure of some of them.
With the end of the dictatorship in 1977 the construction sector also develops. Improvements in the communications network during the 1980s and 1990s helped Pontevedra to regain some weight in its regional context, namely in the area of the Rias Baixas
, acting again as a trade hub and focusing on its administrative functions as provincial capital. Since 1999 Pontevedra has seen an intense urban renewal and cultural revival, thus positively influencing the local economy. For example, Pontevedra has transformed into one of the most accessible cities for disabled people, being awarded a national prize on urban renewal for this issue in 2006.
The introduction of university studies in the city during the 1990s contributed further to the dynamism of the city.
l (county, but with no administrative role) capital, as well as seat of the district court
. The city hosts the headquarters of the provincial government as well as a delegation of the Galician government
, in addition to some offices representing the Spanish government
. All in all, the city provides a wide range of administrative services with an effect reaching far beyond its municipal limits. Thus, this makes Pontevedra a focal point for intense political struggles despite its relative small size.
Since the recovery of democracy in 1977 after the dictatorship, Pontevedra's local government had traditionally been controlled by the conservative People's Party of Galicia
(Partido Popular de Galicia, PPdeG-PP). However, after the 1999 elections the office of Mayor
was won by Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores, representing the Galician Nationalist Bloc (Bloque Nacionalista Galego, BNG), in coalition
with the Socialist Party of Galicia
(Partido Socialista de Galicia, PSdeG-PSOE), until today. The local corporation is divided into a number of departments, or concellarias, each one dealing with a specific issue such as Planning, Environment, Revenue, Mobility and Transportation, Sports, Public Works, Tourism, etc.
Results of the local elections in Pontevedra:
department. Public health is regulated by the Galician Health Service (Servizo Galego de Saúde- SERGAS).
The city houses a number of university departments, acting as a branch of the University of Vigo
. Namely these are: Nursing
, Forestry Technical Engineering
http://www.forestales.uvigo.es/, Physiotherapy http://webs.uvigo.es/webeuf/, Educational Sciences and Sport, Social, Media and Communication Sciences. Yet, many come to Pontevedra to complete their studies in Fine Arts
http://webs.uvigo.es/belasartes/home.html, as this is the only location in Galicia where this discipline can be studied at university level.
Pontevedra also hosts a branch of the Spanish national distance university
, the UNED. The city has its own Official School of Languages
(EOI Pontevedra), regulated by the Galician Department of Education.http://www.edu.xunta.es/portal
Cultural infrastructure in Pontevedra is mainly represented by two venues: The Teatro Principal, in the old town, with a capacity of 434 seated spectators;http://www.turgalicia.es/sit/ficha_datos.asp?ordRs=2&ctre=&crec=15951&full=S&cidi=I&premium= and the Auditorium-Congress Hall, a modern complex composed by an auditorium
with capacity for 772 seated people, a large congress hall, and a number of meeting rooms and smaller halls.http://www.turgalicia.es/sit/ficha_datos.asp?ordRs=2&ctre=&crec=15950&full=S&cidi=I&premium= In addition, every year the City Council organises a series of free, open and public activities, such as a Jazz
festival http://www.jazzpontevedra.com, open air cinema sessions, a medieval fair reenactment, and other festivities that normally take place in the streets and public squares of the old town.
. Pontevedra has a large pedestrian centre (the old town and surroundings) which, together with a number of parks and public squares, makes the city quite pleasant for strolling. In recent years most historical buildings and streets have been either re-built or revamped, providing for a well preserved urban landscape.
Pontevedra is the seat of the Centro Galego de Tecnificación Deportiva (High Performance Sporting Centre of Galicia), and it also hosts a number of rowing
and canoeing
clubs. In fact, world and Olympic canoeing
champion David Cal
used to train in the ria of Pontevedra.
with Merlo
, Argentina
Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
San José
, Costa Rica
Santo Domingo
, Dominican Republic
Nafpaktos, Greece
Barcelos
, Portugal
Gondomar
, Portugal Vila Nova de Cerveira
, Portugal
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. It is the capital of both the comarca
Pontevedra (comarca)
Pontevedra is a comarca in the Galician Province of Pontevedra. The overall population of this local region is 119,981 .-Municipalities:Pontevedra, Poio, Barro, Campo Lameiro, Cotobade, A Lama, Ponte Caldelas and Vilaboa....
(county) and province
Pontevedra (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...
of Pontevedra, in Galicia (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...
). It is also the capital of its own municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
which is, in fact, often considered as an extension of the actual city. Pontevedra is the provincial district court
District court
District courts are a category of courts which exists in several nations. These include:-Australia:District Court is the name given to the intermediate court in most Australian States. They hear indictable criminal offences excluding treason, murder and, in some States, manslaughter...
seat.
Toponymy
The name of the city is eminently a Latin composite of pons, pontis (bridge) and veter, vetera, veterum (old, long established). In Galicia, Latin pons, a masculine word, became feminine, hence Vulgar LatinVulgar Latin
Vulgar Latin is any of the nonstandard forms of Latin from which the Romance languages developed. Because of its nonstandard nature, it had no official orthography. All written works used Classical Latin, with very few exceptions...
Ponte Vetera, which became by the 13th century the modern Galician language
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
toponymy Pontevedra, "the old bridge", in reference to an old Roman bridge across the Lérez river.
Location and subdivisions
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Pontevedra is located between 42°20' and 42°30' north and 8°33' and 8°41' west, in the southwestern Galician coast, an area popularly known as Rias Baixas
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas are a part of Costa del Marisco facing the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of the Galicia region of Spain. They consist of the southern part of the Province of Coruña and the entire Province of Pontevedra...
. The municipality covers 118.3 km² and is about 20 km wide from north to south.
The city sits at the end of the ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
that bears its name, occupying the valleys of the Lérez
Lérez River
The Lérez is a river in South West Galicia, Spain. The river meets the Atlantic Ocean at Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria. With a length of 60 km, its sources are in Serra do Candán, in the mountain of San Bieito, in the parish of Aciveiro...
and Tomeza rivers. It extends southwards to the mouth of river Verdugo in Ponte Sampaio. It is surrounded by four mountainous regions divided by two faults, one stretching north-south and one from northeast to southwest.
To the north it borders the municipalities of Barro
Barro
Barro is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra....
, Moraña
Moraña
Moraña is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra....
and Campo Lameiro
Campo Lameiro
Campo Lameiro is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra....
; to the east, Cotobade
Cotobade
Cotobade is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra....
and Ponte Caldelas
Ponte Caldelas
Ponte Caldelas is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It takes its name from an ancient bridge over the Río Verdugo....
; to the south, Soutomaior
Soutomaior
Soutomaior is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra....
, Vilaboa
Vilaboa
Vilaboa is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the province of Pontevedra. The town is located on the Atlantic Ocean, on San Simon's Cove , part of Ria de Vigo....
and Marín
Marín, Pontevedra
Marín is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. In this town is settled the Spanish Navy as the “Escuela Naval Militar de Oficiales of Marin is located here.-Demographics:Population growth....
, and to the west, Poio
Poio
Poio is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. Poio is located in the North shore of the Ria de Pontevedra, between Sanxenxo and the provincial capital, Pontevedra. Its more than 20 coastal km are full of beautiful beaches with quiet waters. The tourism industry has begun...
and the ria, leading to the Atlantic Ocean
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...
.
The main parroquias (parishes) of Pontevedra are: Alba, Bora, Campañó, A Canicouva, Cerponzóns, Lérez, Lourizán, Marcón, Mourente, Ponte Sampaio, Pontevedra e Eiriña, Salcedo, San Xosé, Santa María de Xeve, Tomeza, Verducido, Virxe do Camiño, Xeve.
The neighbourhoods or main areas of Pontevedra are: O Burgo, Monteporreiro, Campolongo, Mollabao, A Seca, Salgueiriños, A Parda, Eduardo Pondal. The residential area of A Caeira, although officially located in the municipality of Poio
Poio
Poio is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. Poio is located in the North shore of the Ria de Pontevedra, between Sanxenxo and the provincial capital, Pontevedra. Its more than 20 coastal km are full of beautiful beaches with quiet waters. The tourism industry has begun...
, is often considered as just another neighbourhood of Pontevedra since the vast majority of the residents work in Pontevedra and relate to the city.
Population
The municipality of Pontevedra is composed of the city of Pontevedra and fifteen rural parishes in close proximity, with a total population of 81,576 (as of 2009). This results in a relative high density of population of 677.9 inhabitants per square kilometre. About two-thirds of the population live in the city, and one-third in the rural parishes.The population of Pontevedra is mature where generational replacement is not necessarily assured, although the city has been slowly but gradually growing in recent years. In the breakdown it shows 15.93% of senior citizens, 69% between 15 and 65 years, and just 15.01% under the 15 years of age. The natality rate (9.8‰) is only +1.8 over the mortality rate (8‰). The migrational balance is slightly positive (+350 people in 2006). According to the local authorities Pontevedra is, since 1999, the fastest growing Galician city, with an average of +1000 more inhabitants per year.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1900 | 22,330 |
| 1930 | 30,821 |
| 1950 | 43,221 |
| 1981 | 64,184 |
| 2004 | 78,715 |
| 2007 | 80,202 |
| 2009 | 81,576 |
According to the 2001 census, 29.6% of the population are monolingual in Galician
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
, where 32.1% speak it "often". The remaining 38.3% are either monolingual in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
or speak mostly in Spanish
Climate
Pontevedra has a humid oceanic climateOceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfb). The average temperature is 15 °C (59 °F), with a daily average of 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) in January and 20.5 °C (68.9 °F) in July. These are unusually mild for a city so far north, and are due to Pontevedra’s proximity to the sea and to the moderating effect of the ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
. Yet, like all the Galician coast, Pontevedra is subject to occasional Atlantic storms in Winter. These are characterised by a quick drop in temperature, rain and gales.
Overall Pontevedra is rainy, especially at the end of autumn and winter, with an annual average precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
of 1700 to 1900 mm (66.9 to 74.8 in), and around 134 rainy days per year. Summer is drier, generally speaking, but the odd heavy rainfall does happen even then.
Communications
Pontevedra is well communicated by road and rail. It sits on the A CoruñaA 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...
-Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
railway and motorway corridor. Pontevedra is located between the Galician capital 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...
(58 km to the north) and the largest Galician city, Vigo (30 km to the south). Pontevedra itself does not have an airport, but both Compostela and Vigo have international airports. A good network of roads and motorways efficiently connects Pontevedra with these cities, and also with Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
(57 km to the south), and inland (100 km to the eastern city of Ourense
Ourense
Ourense is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of the same name in Galicia. Its population of 108,674 accounts for 30% of the population of the province and makes it the third largest city of Galicia.-Population:...
). Regular bus lines link Pontevedra with other Galician cities and towns, as well as with 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...
, Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
and Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon 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...
(among others).
It is expected that the TAV high-speed train will reach Pontevedra from 2013. Pontevedra will then become a stop in the so-called Atlantic Line, running from the northern Galician city of 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...
down to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon 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...
(Portugal). Likewise, it is expected that Pontevedra will benefit from the high-speed train connecting Galicia and central Spain. That connection is expected to start working around 2012, although it will only be fully operational around 2018.
Despite the fact that Pontevedra was once the main Galician port, at present the tiny Pontevedra harbour is only used for recreational purposes, not for cargo or passenger transportation. Yet, neighbouring Marín
Marín, Pontevedra
Marín is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. In this town is settled the Spanish Navy as the “Escuela Naval Militar de Oficiales of Marin is located here.-Demographics:Population growth....
is a major military and commercial harbour which is just 7 km away (in addition to the Port of Vigo
Port of Vigo
Port of Vigo located in Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain is the biggest fishing port in the world and one of the busiest in transportation. It is also home of the world's largest fishing company, Pescanova...
, the biggest fishing port in the world and also a major commercial hub).
Economy
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
city. In 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...
, guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
s thrived in the old town, giving name to streets and squares still preserved today. At that time Pontevedra was the main Galician port, providing for a very intense fishing and sea-trading activity.
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...
Galicia was sub-divided into four provinces, and Pontevedra became capital of its own province. The city then became an administrative and commercial centre, in contrast with Vigo, which attracted the industrial activity. In fact, the first modern industries to appear in Pontevedra would only do so in the 1960s.
At present, the tertiary sector employs 65 per cent of the population, while industry does the 17 per cent. Industrial activity is reduced to a handful of companies, namely pulp mill
Pulp mill
A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fibre source into a thick fibre board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical or fully chemical methods...
s (in gradual recession) and construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
. The tertiary sector is not especially dynamic, although a number of policies have been implemented to improve the situation. Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is slowly on the increase, with visitors coming mostly from Spain and Portugal. The total unemployment rate is 12.12% (2001), presenting a clear disparity between men (9.1%) and women(16.4%).
Pontevedra was the seat of Caixa de Pontevedra, one of the credit unions that merged in 2000 with Caixavigo (from Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
) and Caixa Ourense (from Ourense
Ourense
Ourense is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of the same name in Galicia. Its population of 108,674 accounts for 30% of the population of the province and makes it the third largest city of Galicia.-Population:...
) into Caixanova, one of the largest credit union
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
s in the Spanish State
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...
.
History
Teucer
In Greek mythology Teucer, also Teucrus or Teucris , was the son of King Telamon of Salamis Island and his second wife Hesione, daughter of King Laomedon of Troy. He fought alongside his half-brother, Ajax, in the Trojan War and is the legendary founder of the city Salamis on Cyprus...
, hero of the Trojan War
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...
, a legend which was reinforced with the suspicions that Greek traders might have arrived to the Rias Baixas
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas are a part of Costa del Marisco facing the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of the Galicia region of Spain. They consist of the southern part of the Province of Coruña and the entire Province of Pontevedra...
area in ancient times. However, historians and archaeologists tend to agree that the initial settlement was probably formed during the integration of Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
(old Galicia) into the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
(circa 1st century BC). As stated, the name of the city is eminently a Latin composite, derived from Pons/Pontis (bridge) and Veteris/Vetera (old), hence Ponte(m)Vetera(m), and thence Galician language
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
Ponte-Vedra, "the old bridge", in reference to the old Roman bridge across Lérez River (still standing). Well communicated even since Roman times, Pontevedra consolidated itself as an intermediate town during the Suebic period
Suebic Kingdom of Galicia
The Suebic Kingdom of Galicia was the first independent barbarian Christian kingdom of Western Europe and the first to separate from the Roman Empire, as well as the first one to mint coins. Based in Gallaecia, it was established in 410 and lasted as independent state until 584, after a century of...
(circa 5th-6th century AD).
During the 12th century Pontevedra rose as an important commercial centre, up to the 15th century when it reached its highest medieval splendour, operating as a trade and communications hub. Pontevedra was then one of the main Galician urban centres. In fact, Pontevedra has the second largest "old town" in Galicia, only after 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...
. Pontevedra was (and still is) on the route of the Way of Saint James, namely its southern or "Portuguese" branch. The Church of Peregrina, with a most peculiar scallop-shaped plant, remains an unavoidable stop for all pilgrims and visitors.
In the 16th century it still was a commercial city, with an increase of the fishing activities. In fact, Pontevedra was the largest Galician port as it was a secure port open to the sea. For example, one of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
' ships, the nao Santa Maria
Santa María (ship)
La Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción , was the largest of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage. Her master and owner was Juan de la Cosa.-History:...
, originally named La Gallega ("The Galician"), had been built in Pontevedra. It was in centuries later that, because of the sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
ation caused by river Lérez, the ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
became gradually unsuitable for large scale navigation.
The end of the 16th century marked the beginning of the decadence of the city, a decadence which had already started for the rest of Galicia
History of Galicia
The Iberian Peninsula has been inhabited for at least 500,000 years, first by Neanderthals and then by modern humans.-Megalithic culture:Galicia, northern Portugal, Asturias, western León, and Zamora formed a single megalithic area since the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Ages, around 4500–1500...
at the end of the 15th century. The situation would worsen during the 17th and 18th centuries. The port drastically reduced its activity due to the mentioned geographical causes. Furthermore, political decisions and dynastic conflicts provoked a general decay in trade, thus resulting in the depopulation of the city. In fact, the population was reduced in half during that time, also affected by epidemics.
In the beginning of the 19th century Pontevedra was little more than just a small backward town. Fishing, arts and crafts kept the economy going. Yet, with the establishment of new provincial divisions in 1833 Pontevedra suddenly saw itself transformed into a provincial capital. Pontevedra then grew and slowly became an administrative centre. The introduction of the railway also reconnected the city with the rest of the country, after having lost its harbour. All in all, Pontevedra sees in this century a cultural, economic and urban revival. It is in Pontevedra when, in 1853, Xoán Manuel Pintos publishes the first book in modern Galician
Galician language
Galician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
, "A gaita gallega".
Pontevedra enters the 20th century with great prospects. At that stage the city was the Galician cultural and political heart. Galicianists
Galicianism (Galicia)
Galicianism is a political ideology of nationalist character whose objective is the defence of Galicia and its culture by the means of the establishment and strengthening of its own institutions.-Origins:...
- such as Alexandre Bóveda
Alexandre Bóveda
Alexandre Bóveda Iglesias , commonly known as Alexandre Bóveda, was a Galician politician and financial officer. He is considered one of the most important Galicianist intellectuals during the Spanish Second Republic...
and Castelao
Castelão
There are two association football stadiums nicknamed Castelão:*Castelão , located in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil*Castelão , located in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil-Other:...
- take up residence in the city, where they found the Partido Galeguista
Partido Galeguista (1931)
The Partido Galeguista was a Galician nationalist party founded in December 1931. It achieved notoriety during the time of the Spanish Second Republic...
("Galicianist Party") in 1931, origin of contemporary Galician nationalism
Galician nationalism
Galician nationalism is a political movement arguing for the recognition of Galicia as a nation. The political movement referred to as modern Galician nationalism was born at the beginning of the twentieth century from the idea of Galicianism.- Ideology :...
. Yet, the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
(1936–1939) and subsequent Francoist dictatorship (1939–1975) suddenly put a drastic end to Pontevedra's progression. Political repression and economic hardships forced many into emigration. It was only during the 1960s, with the introduction of some industrial activity, when the local economy partially recovers. However, these same industries would later cause serious environmental and health concerns, forcing the eventual closure of some of them.
With the end of the dictatorship in 1977 the construction sector also develops. Improvements in the communications network during the 1980s and 1990s helped Pontevedra to regain some weight in its regional context, namely in the area of the Rias Baixas
Rías Baixas
The Rías Baixas are a part of Costa del Marisco facing the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of the Galicia region of Spain. They consist of the southern part of the Province of Coruña and the entire Province of Pontevedra...
, acting again as a trade hub and focusing on its administrative functions as provincial capital. Since 1999 Pontevedra has seen an intense urban renewal and cultural revival, thus positively influencing the local economy. For example, Pontevedra has transformed into one of the most accessible cities for disabled people, being awarded a national prize on urban renewal for this issue in 2006.
The introduction of university studies in the city during the 1990s contributed further to the dynamism of the city.
Governance
Pontevedra is a provincial and comarcaComarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
l (county, but with no administrative role) capital, as well as seat of the district court
District court
District courts are a category of courts which exists in several nations. These include:-Australia:District Court is the name given to the intermediate court in most Australian States. They hear indictable criminal offences excluding treason, murder and, in some States, manslaughter...
. The city hosts the headquarters of the provincial government as well as a delegation of the Galician government
Xunta de Galicia
The Xunta de Galicia is the collective decision-making body of the government of the autonomous community of Galicia, composed of the President, the Vice-President and the specialized ministers ....
, in addition to some offices representing the Spanish government
Spanish Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose government is defined by the Constitution of Spain. This was approved by a general referendum of the people of Spain in 1978...
. All in all, the city provides a wide range of administrative services with an effect reaching far beyond its municipal limits. Thus, this makes Pontevedra a focal point for intense political struggles despite its relative small size.
Since the recovery of democracy in 1977 after the dictatorship, Pontevedra's local government had traditionally been controlled by the conservative People's Party of Galicia
People's Party of Galicia
The People's Party of Galicia is a centre-right political party in Galicia, Spain. It is the Galician affiliate of the Spanish People's Party....
(Partido Popular de Galicia, PPdeG-PP). However, after the 1999 elections the office of Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
was won by Miguel Anxo Fernández Lores, representing the Galician Nationalist Bloc (Bloque Nacionalista Galego, BNG), in coalition
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
with the Socialist Party of Galicia
Socialist Party of Galicia
The Socialist Party of Galicia is a centre-left political party in Galicia, Spain. It is the Galician affiliate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . It defines itself as a Galicianist and social democratic party.-External links:Official*...
(Partido Socialista de Galicia, PSdeG-PSOE), until today. The local corporation is divided into a number of departments, or concellarias, each one dealing with a specific issue such as Planning, Environment, Revenue, Mobility and Transportation, Sports, Public Works, Tourism, etc.
Results of the local elections in Pontevedra:
Health, education and culture
Pontevedra is well provided with quality private and public clinics and health centres, where the Montecelo Hospital stands out as the largest health centre in the comarca and one of the largest in the province. This hospital is renowned by its oncologyOncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
department. Public health is regulated by the Galician Health Service (Servizo Galego de Saúde- SERGAS).
University of Vigo
The University of Vigo is a public university located in the city of Vigo, Galicia, Spain. There are three campuses:* Lagoas-Marcosende, between the municipalities of Vigo and Mos;* A Xunqueira, in Pontevedra;* As Lagoas, in Ourense;...
. Namely these are: Nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, Forestry Technical Engineering
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
http://www.forestales.uvigo.es/, Physiotherapy http://webs.uvigo.es/webeuf/, Educational Sciences and Sport, Social, Media and Communication Sciences. Yet, many come to Pontevedra to complete their studies in Fine Arts
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
http://webs.uvigo.es/belasartes/home.html, as this is the only location in Galicia where this discipline can be studied at university level.
Pontevedra also hosts a branch of the Spanish national distance university
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
, the UNED. The city has its own Official School of Languages
Escuela Oficial de Idiomas
A ' is a Spanish language school. Each autonomous community controls its language schools. The schools teach foreign languages as well as Spanish for non-Spanish speakers...
(EOI Pontevedra), regulated by the Galician Department of Education.http://www.edu.xunta.es/portal
Cultural infrastructure in Pontevedra is mainly represented by two venues: The Teatro Principal, in the old town, with a capacity of 434 seated spectators;http://www.turgalicia.es/sit/ficha_datos.asp?ordRs=2&ctre=&crec=15951&full=S&cidi=I&premium= and the Auditorium-Congress Hall, a modern complex composed by an auditorium
Auditorium
An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
with capacity for 772 seated people, a large congress hall, and a number of meeting rooms and smaller halls.http://www.turgalicia.es/sit/ficha_datos.asp?ordRs=2&ctre=&crec=15950&full=S&cidi=I&premium= In addition, every year the City Council organises a series of free, open and public activities, such as a Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
festival http://www.jazzpontevedra.com, open air cinema sessions, a medieval fair reenactment, and other festivities that normally take place in the streets and public squares of the old town.
Sights
An ancient town and medieval port, Pontevedra has been described as a "definitive old Galician town". Sights include the pilgrim chapel in the Praza da Peregrina, the historic Zona Monumental (old city), the Praza de Leña, the market, and the Alameda, a promenade along the riaRia
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
. Pontevedra has a large pedestrian centre (the old town and surroundings) which, together with a number of parks and public squares, makes the city quite pleasant for strolling. In recent years most historical buildings and streets have been either re-built or revamped, providing for a well preserved urban landscape.
Sports
Despite its relative small size, Pontevedra has a long sporting tradition, with a number of teams competing professionally in different categories. For example:- Football: Pontevedra CFPontevedra CFPontevedra Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Pontevedra, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It was founded in 1941, and currently plays in Tercera División - Group 1, holding home matches at Estadio Municipal de Pasarón, with a capacity of 12,000 seats.Having enjoyed...
, playing in the Spanish "Second BSegunda 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...
" division. - HandballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
: SD Teucro, playing in the Spanish Liga ASOBAL (first division). There is also a minor handball team called BM Cisne. - Indoor footballIndoor soccerIndoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
: Leis 26 Pontevedra, playing in the Spanish second division of the Spanish indoor football professional league (LNFSFutsal in SpainThe Spanish futsal league is divided into divisions. The top teams play in the División de Honor . In each division, a team plays all other teams twice, once at home and once away....
). - RugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
: Mareantes Rugby Clube Pontevedra, playing in group A of the Spanish first division. - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
: C. Durán (amateur). - Waterpolo: CN Pontevedra, playing in the Galician Waterpolo League: http://waterpolopontevedra.com.
- FencingFencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
: Club Escola Hungaresa de Esgrima de Pontevedra, founded in 2007, this is the only fencing club in Galicia specialised in sabreSabre (fencing)The sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the épée and foil, in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and...
. Members of this club compete regularly in the Galician leagues and in the Spanish Sabre Championship.
Pontevedra is the seat of the Centro Galego de Tecnificación Deportiva (High Performance Sporting Centre of Galicia), and it also hosts a number of rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
clubs. In fact, world and Olympic canoeing
Canoe racing
This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....
champion David Cal
David Cal
David Cal Figueroa is a Spanish sprint canoer who has competed since 1999. Competing in two Summer Olympics, he has won four medals with a gold and three silvers .Cal was a junior world championship bronze medallist in Zagreb in 1999...
used to train in the ria of Pontevedra.
Sister cities
Pontevedra is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Merlo
Merlo, Buenos Aires
Merlo is the head town of the eponymous partido of Merlo and seat of the municipal government, located in the Greater Buenos Aires urban area.The city was founded by Francisco de Merlo in 1755 and rebuilt by Juan Dillon in 1859....
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
Nafpaktos, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Barcelos
Barcelos, Portugal
Barcelos is a city in Barcelos Municipality in Braga District. The city has a population of 20,625.-History:Originally a Roman settlement, it expanded and became the seat of the First Duke of Bragança in the 15th century...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Gondomar
Gondomar (Portugal)
Gondomar is a municipality located in the east of Portugal's Porto Metropolitan Area. The municipality has a population of 163,574. Gondomar's mayor is Valentim Loureiro.Gondomar is well known for its jewelry industry.-Demographics:-Cities and towns:...
, Portugal Vila Nova de Cerveira
Vila Nova de Cerveira
Vila Nova de Cerveira is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 108.6 km² and a total population of 8,752 inhabitants .The municipality is composed of 15 parishes and is located in the district of Viana do Castelo....
, Portugal
Notable people
- Paio Gomes Charinho (1225–1295), poet and troubadour.
- Pedro Mariño de LobeiraPedro Mariño de LoberaPedro Mariño de Lobera was a Spanish conquistador and chronicler of the Arauco War in the Kingdom of Chile.-Biography:A professional soldier who served in the war between Spain and France, he went to the Americas in 1545. Mariño joined the forces of Pedro de La Gasca in Havana, Cuba, when he...
(1528–1594), conquistadorConquistadorConquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
and chronicler of the Arauco WarArauco WarThe Arauco War was a conflict between colonial Spaniards and the Mapuche people in what is now the Araucanía and Biobío regions of modern Chile...
in the Kingdom of ChileKingdom of ChileThe General Captaincy of Chile or Gobernacion de Chile, was an administrative territory of the Viceroyalty of Peru in the Spanish Empire from 1541 to 1818, the year in which it declared itself independent, becoming the Republic of Chile...
. - Xoán Manuel Pintos Villar (1811–1876), writer, author and editor of the first publication in modern GalicianGalician languageGalician is a language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, spoken in Galicia, an autonomous community located in northwestern Spain, where it is co-official with Castilian Spanish, as well as in border zones of the neighbouring territories of Asturias and Castile and León.Modern Galician and...
. - Perfecto Feijoo (1858–1935), medical doctor and musician.
- Manuel Portela ValladaresManuel Portela ValladaresManuel Portela y Valladares was a Spanish political figure during the Second Spanish Republic.A member of the Liberal Party, he served as civil governor of Barcelona in 1910 and 1923, and as Minister of Promotion in September 1923...
(1867–1952), politician. - A.D.R. CastelaoCastelãoThere are two association football stadiums nicknamed Castelão:*Castelão , located in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil*Castelão , located in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil-Other:...
(1886–1950), writer, artist and politician, often considered as the most influential figure in Galician contemporary history. Although he was not born in Pontevedra, Castelao expressed a clear wish to be considered an "adoptive son of the city" and to be buried there. - Manuel Varela Radío (1873–1962), medical doctor and academic.
- Valentín Paz Andrade (1898–1987), magistrate, politician and writer.
- Xosé Filgueira Valverde (1906–1996), historian and writer.
- Alejandro de la SotaAlejandro de la SotaAlejandro de la Sota Martínez was a Spanish architect. He was born in Pontevedra in Galicia. He graduated from the university in Madrid in 1941 and, from 1956 to 1972 was a professor there....
(1913–1996), architect. - Pío Cabanillas Gallas (1923–1991), politician.
- César Portela (1937-), architect.
- Luciano Varela (1948-), magistrate.
- Fina Casalderrey (1951- ), writer.
- Víctor Fernández Freixanes (1957- ), journalist, writer and publisher.
- Francis Lorenzo (1960- ), actor.
- Manel Loureiro (1975- ), writer
See also
- Asociación pola defensa da ríaAsociación pola defensa da ríaThe Asociación Pola Defensa da Ría of Pontevedra, known as APDR, is a Galician local environmental non-governmental organisation created in 1987 to address the environmental degradation of Pontevedra's ria area...
- List of municipalities in Pontevedra
- Rias BaixasRías BaixasThe Rías Baixas are a part of Costa del Marisco facing the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of the Galicia region of Spain. They consist of the southern part of the Province of Coruña and the entire Province of Pontevedra...
- Pontevedra (comarca)Pontevedra (comarca)Pontevedra is a comarca in the Galician Province of Pontevedra. The overall population of this local region is 119,981 .-Municipalities:Pontevedra, Poio, Barro, Campo Lameiro, Cotobade, A Lama, Ponte Caldelas and Vilaboa....
- Pontevedra (province)Pontevedra (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...
- Galicia
External links
- Concello de Pontevedra - Official site of the local government (in Galician and Spanish, with summarised versions in English and French)
- Turismo en Pontevedra - Official site of the Pontevedra tourist board, maintained by the local government (in Galician, English, Spanish and French)
- Rias Baixas - Official site of the Rias BaixasRías BaixasThe Rías Baixas are a part of Costa del Marisco facing the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of the Galicia region of Spain. They consist of the southern part of the Province of Coruña and the entire Province of Pontevedra...
tourist board (in Galician, English and Spanish) - Deputación de Pontevedra - Official site of the provincial government of Pontevedra (in Galician)
- Diario de Pontevedra - local newspaper of Pontevedra (mostly in Spanish, with some articles in Galician)
- Pazo da Cultura - Official site of the Auditorium-Congress Hall complex and Teatro Principal, maintained by the local government (in Galician and Spanish)
- Pontevedra Cultura - What's on in cultural events in Pontevedra