Teruel
Encyclopedia
Teruel is a town in Aragon
, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province
. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate
(hot in summer and very cold in winter), its renowned jamón serrano
(cured ham), its pottery
, its surrounding archaeological site
s with some of the oldest dinosaur
remains of the Iberian Peninsula
, and its famous Fiestas (La vaquilla del ángel during the second weekend of July and "Bodas de Isabel de Segura" around the third weekend of February). Teruel is regarded as the "town of mudéjar
" due to numerous buildings designed in this style. All of them are comprised in the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
which is a World Heritage Site
by the UNESCO
.
Teruel's remote and mountainous location (it is 915 metres above sea level) and its low population has led to relative isolation within Spain. A campaign group with the slogan Teruel existe ("Teruel exists") was founded in 1999 to press for greater recognition and investment in the town and the province. Due in part to the campaign, transport connections to Teruel are being greatly improved with the construction of a motorway between Zaragoza
and Sagunto
, large parts of which are now open. However, Teruel remains the only provincial capital in Spain without a direct railway link to the capital, Madrid
.
The temperature records recorded at the Observatoire de Teruel 39.3° of August 4 2007 and -19.0° of December 26 2001.
Teruel was fought over in the Spanish Civil War
and suffered much destruction. The Battle of Teruel
in December 1937-February 1938, was one of the bloodiest of the war. The town changed hands several times, first falling to the Republicans and eventually being re-taken by the Nationalists. In the course of the fighting, Teruel was subjected to heavy artillery and aerial bombardment. The two sides suffered up to 100,000 casualties between them in the three month battle.
, which includes four churches in the World Heritage Site
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
, notably the town's ornate cathedral
in the Mudéjar
style.
One of Teruel's best known monuments is very small statue of a bull on top of a tall column, known as El Torico ("the little bull"). It is located in the main square, Plaza Carlos Castell, more commonly known as the Plaza del Torico in the middle of the town center.
Other sights include:
On the outskirts of Teruel is Dinópolis Teruel, a combined theme park and museum
centred around dinosaur
s. Promoted as a paleontological
park, it includes a life-size robotic model of a Tyrannosaurus rex
.http://www.elmundo.es/metropoli/2005/09/23/ninos/1127426456.html Dinópolis also owns three other museums in the surrounding area, which display the remains of dinosaurs discovered in the region.http://www.dinopolis.com/. The chimney of Teruel Power Plant
belongs to the tallest freestanding structures in Western Europe.
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province
Teruel (province)
Teruel is a province of Aragon, in the northeast of Spain. The capital is Teruel.It is bordered by the provinces of Tarragona, Castellón, Valencia , Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Zaragoza....
. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
(hot in summer and very cold in winter), its renowned jamón serrano
Jamón serrano
Jamón serrano is a type of jamón , which is generally served raw in thin slices, or occasionally diced. The French jambon de Bayonne and Italian prosciutto crudo are similar...
(cured ham), its pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, its surrounding archaeological site
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
s with some of the oldest dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
remains of the Iberian Peninsula
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...
, and its famous Fiestas (La vaquilla del ángel during the second weekend of July and "Bodas de Isabel de Segura" around the third weekend of February). Teruel is regarded as the "town of mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
" due to numerous buildings designed in this style. All of them are comprised in the Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon is an aesthetic trend in the Mudéjar style, which is centered in Aragon and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO....
which is a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Teruel's remote and mountainous location (it is 915 metres above sea level) and its low population has led to relative isolation within Spain. A campaign group with the slogan Teruel existe ("Teruel exists") was founded in 1999 to press for greater recognition and investment in the town and the province. Due in part to the campaign, transport connections to Teruel are being greatly improved with the construction of a motorway between Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
and Sagunto
Sagunto
Sagunto or Sagunt is an ancient city in Eastern Spain, in the modern fertile comarca of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia. It is located in a hilly site, c. 30 km north of Valencia, close to the Costa del Azahar on the Mediterranean Sea...
, large parts of which are now open. However, Teruel remains the only provincial capital in Spain without a direct railway link to the capital, 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...
.
Climate
Teruel's climate is moderate continental of mountain. Summer temperatures are mild, although much temperature variation, and in the winter is cold, with low minimum temperatures sometimes drop to -10º. Have the minimum rainfall in winter and a maximum at the end of spring.The temperature records recorded at the Observatoire de Teruel 39.3° of August 4 2007 and -19.0° of December 26 2001.
History
Teruel was founded in 1176 by Sancho Sánchez Muñoz and Blasco Garcés Marcilla. In the Middle Ages Teruel possessed a prominent Jewish community, which was robust during the centuries Muslims were in power and enjoyed several privileges. Later on after the Christian reconquest of Spain, the Jewish community paid a yearly tax of 300 sueldos (in the 14th century). Its members were engaged in commerce and industry, especially in wool-weaving. During the persecutions of 1391 many of them were killed, while others accepted Christianity in order to save their lives.Teruel was fought over in 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...
and suffered much destruction. The Battle of Teruel
Battle of Teruel
The Battle of Teruel was fought in and around the city of Teruel during the Spanish Civil War in December 1937 – February 1938. The combatants fought the battle during the worst Spanish winter in twenty years. It was one of the bloodier actions of the war. The city changed hands several times,...
in December 1937-February 1938, was one of the bloodiest of the war. The town changed hands several times, first falling to the Republicans and eventually being re-taken by the Nationalists. In the course of the fighting, Teruel was subjected to heavy artillery and aerial bombardment. The two sides suffered up to 100,000 casualties between them in the three month battle.
Main sights
The beauty of the town's cultural inheritance, which has some Islamic influence, has been recognised by UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, which includes four churches in the World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon
Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon is an aesthetic trend in the Mudéjar style, which is centered in Aragon and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO....
, notably the town's ornate cathedral
Teruel Cathedral
The Cathedral of Teruel is a church in Teruel, Aragon, Spain. Entitled to St. Mary, it is a notable example of Mudéjar architecture. Together with other churches in the town and in the province of Zaragoza, is listed in the UNESCO Heritage site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon since 1986.-History:The...
in the Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
style.
One of Teruel's best known monuments is very small statue of a bull on top of a tall column, known as El Torico ("the little bull"). It is located in the main square, Plaza Carlos Castell, more commonly known as the Plaza del Torico in the middle of the town center.
Other sights include:
- The Gothic church of St. Francis (1391–1492). It has a single nave with chapels covered by a ribbed vault with no crossing.
- Los Arcos, an aqueduct with two orders of arcade from 1538.
- San Pedro, a notable mudéjar church (16th century) with a tower similar to that of the cathedral. It includes a mausoleum housing the mummifiedMummyA mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
bodies of Isabel Segura (a rich lady) and Diego de Marcilla (a poor man who battled at Crusades to earn some money with the intention to return to get married with Isabel) whose love ended tragically. This story is known as los amantes de TeruelLovers of TeruelThe Lovers of Teruel is a romance story that is alleged to have taken place in 1217 in the city of Teruel ....
and has inspired writers (for example Hartzenbusch) and an opera composed by Tomás BretónTomás BretónTomás Bretón was a Spanish musician and composer.-Biography:Tomás Bretón was born in Salamanca.He gained renown as a result of the success of his zarzuela La verbena de la Paloma, although other were well-received works, included his operas Los amantes de Teruel, based on the eponymous legend,...
. - Church of La Merced, with a bell tower in mudéjar style (the upper sector added later in Baroque style).
- Church of San Salvador (17th century), with one of the most outstanding mudéjar towers. It houses a 14th century wooden sculpture of Christ.
- Church of San Martín (17th century).
- Church of San Miguel (12th century), remade in the 17th century in Baroque style.
- Castillo de Alambes, a 15th century fortification built over the Arabic Alcazar.
- Torre de San MartínTorre de San MartínThe Torre de San Martín is a medieval structure in Teruel, Aragon, northern Spain. Built in Aragonese Mudéjar style in 1316 and renovated in the 16th century, it was added to the UNESCO Heritage List in 1986 together with other Mudéjar structures in Teruel.The tower was built between in 1315 and...
(13th century), in mudéjar style - Casa El Torico, Casa Ferrán and Casa La Madrileña, 1910s liberty style houses
- Palace of the Marquis of Tosos (17th century)
On the outskirts of Teruel is Dinópolis Teruel, a combined theme park and museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
centred around dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s. Promoted as a paleontological
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
park, it includes a life-size robotic model of a Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
.http://www.elmundo.es/metropoli/2005/09/23/ninos/1127426456.html Dinópolis also owns three other museums in the surrounding area, which display the remains of dinosaurs discovered in the region.http://www.dinopolis.com/. The chimney of Teruel Power Plant
Teruel Power Plant
Teruel Power Plant is a lignite fired power plant in Teruel, Aragon, Spain. The flue gas stack of Teruel Power Plant is high. Lignite room is developed, and contains up to 7% sulphurs. Teruel Power Plant has three generating units with each a capacity 350 megawatts...
belongs to the tallest freestanding structures in Western Europe.
Transportation
The city buses are run by Grupo Autobuses Jimenez.Notable people
- Luis RoyoLuis RoyoLuis Royo is a Spanish artist, known for his sensual and dark paintings, its apocalyptic imagery, his fantasy worlds and mechanical life forms...
- David CiveraDavid CiveraDavid Civera is a popular Spanish singer.-Biography:David Civera was born in Teruel, in 1979. His parents are José and Pilar and he has two sisters, Sonia is older than David, and Andrea is the younger. David studied Computer Studies and communications but he liked music better and wanted to sing...
- Manuel Macías y CasadoManuel Macías y CasadoManuel Macías y Casado was a Spanish general. He served as Governor-General of Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War and as governor of Melilla , and occupied various other posts. Born in Teruel, Spain, Macías attended the Colegio de Infantería and became a sub-lieutenant at the age of 17....
, general and military governor - Lelouch Vi Britannia, leader of the Black Knights
- Paula GuillóPaula Guilló-External links:*...
, Miss Spain 2010Miss Spain 2010Miss Spain 2010 is the 50th edition of the beauty pageant Miss Spain. The pageant was held in Toledo on September 25. There were 52 contestants representing each provinces of Spain....