Valladolid
Encyclopedia
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality
in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga
and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero
, Rueda
and Cigales
. It is the capital of the province of Valladolid.
expression, Vallis Tolitum ("Waters Valley"), due to the confluence of rivers. Another, more generally accepted derivation is from the demonym Vallisoletano, which was, in fact, the Spanish demonym
of the city, and means "from sunny valley". Supporting this are texts from the Middle Ages, which use Vallisoletum, a word which continued to be used as late as the 16th century (see painting by Braun and Hogenberg).
It is also popularly called Pucela, a nickname whose origin is not clear, but probably refers to a few knights who accompanied Joan of Arc
, known as La Pucelle. Another theory is that Pucela comes from the fact that Puzzeli's cement was sold there, the only city in Spain that sold it.
and of a Roman
camp have been excavated near the city. The nucleus of the city was originally located in the area of the current San Miguel y el Rosarillo square, and was surrounded by a palisade. Archaeological proofs of the existence of three ancient lines of walls have been found.
During the time of Moorish rule in Spain the Christian kings moved the population of this region north into more easily defended areas, and deliberately created a no-mans' land as a buffer zone against further Moorish conquests. The area was captured from the Moors
in the 10th century, and Valladolid was a village until king Alfonso VI of León and Castile donated it to count Pedro Ansúrez
in 1072. He built a palace (now lost) for himself and his wife, countess Eylo, the Collegiate of St. Mary and the La Antigua churches. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Valladolid grew rapidly, thanks also to the commercial privileges granted by the kings Alfonso VIII
and Alfonso X
, as well as to the repopulation of the area after the Reconquista
.
In 1469 Queen Isabella I of Castile
and King Ferdinand of Aragon were married in the city; by the 15th century Valladolid was the residence of the kings of Castile and remained the capital of the Kingdom of Spain until 1561, when the city was destroyed by a fire and Philip II
, born here, moved the capital to Madrid
, starting a period of decadence for Valladolid. In 1506 Christopher Columbus
died in Valladolid in a house which is now a Museum dedicated to him. It was made the capital of the kingdom again between 1601 and 1606 by Philip III
. The city was again damaged by a flood of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers.
Despite the damage to the old city by the 1960s economic boom, it still boasts a few architectural manifestations of its former glory. Some monuments include the unfinished
cathedral, the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), which was the template for that of Madrid
, and of other main squares throughout the former Spanish empire, the National Sculpture Museum, next to the church of Saint Paul, which includes Spain's greatest collections of polychrome wood sculptures, and the Faculty of Law of the University of Valladolid
, whose façade is one of the few surviving works by Narciso Tomei, the same artist who did the transparente in Toledo Cathedral
. The Science Museum is next to Pisuerga river. The only surviving house of Miguel de Cervantes
is also located in Valladolid. Although unfinished, Cathedral of Valladolid
was designed by Juan de Herrera
, architect of El Escorial
.
, presided over by a statue of Count Ansúrez
from 1903. On one side of it stands the City Hall
, an eclectic building dating from the beginning of the 20th century, crowned by a clock tower. In the nearby streets is the Palace of Los Pimentel, today the seat of the Provincial Council, is one of the most important, as King Philip II was born here on 21 May 1527. The Royal Palace
(where King Philip IV of Spain and Queen Anne of France, mother of Louis XIV were born), the 16th-century Palace of the Marquises of Valverde, and that of the banker Fabio Nelli – a building with a Classicist stamp built in 1576 – should also be pointed out. The Museum of Valladolid occupies this complex, exhibiting a collection of furniture, sculptures, paintings and ceramic pieces dated from Prehistoric times to the present.
The Teatro Lope de Vega is a theater built in the classical style in 1861 and now very run-down. There has been controversy over whether the city should pay to restore it.
The National Sculpture Museum is site in San Gregorio College, a Flemish Gothic style building . It is home to polychrome carvings made by artists like Alonso Berruguete or Gregorio Fernández. The Museum of Contemporary Spanish Art, located in the Patio Herreriano, one of the cloisters of the former Monastery of San Benito, preserves more than 800 paintings and sculptures from the 20th century.
The University, whose Baroque façade is decorated with various academic symbols, and the Santa Cruz College
, which as well as housing a library forms one of the first examples of the Spanish Renaissance
.
The city preserves houses where great historical characters once lived. They include:
, FASA-Renault
, Michelin
).
, Milan
, Lisbon
, Düsseldorf
, Barcelona
, Málaga
, Alicante
, Balearic Islands
and Canary Islands
.
), founded in 1956.
, fish like red bream and hake are a major part of Valladolid's cuisine.
The main speciality of Valladolid is, however, lechazo (suckling baby lamb). The lechazo is slowly roasted in a wood oven and served with salad.
Valladolid also offers a great assortment of wild mushrooms. Asparagus, endive and beans can also be found. Some legumes, like white beans and lentils are particularly good. Pine nuts are also produced in great quantities.
Sheep cheese from Villalón de Campos, the famous pata de mulo (mule's leg) is usually unripened (fresh), but if it is cured the ripening process brings out such flavour that it can compete with the best sheep cheeses in Spain.
In the area of bread Valladolid has a bread to go with every dish, like the delicious cuadros from Medina del Campo, the muffins, the pork-scratching bread and the lechuguinos, with a pattern of concentric circles that resemble a head of lettuce.
The pastries and baked goods from the province of Valladolid are well-known, specially St. Mary's ring-shaped pastries, St. Claire's sponge cakes, pine nut balls and cream fritters.
Valladolid is also a producer of wines. The ones that fall under the Designation of Origin Cigales
are very good. White wines from Rueda
and red wines from Ribera del Duero
are known for their quality.
Easter holds ("Semana Santa" in Spanish) one of the best known Catholic traditions in Valladolid. The Good Friday processions are considered an exquisite and rich display of Castilian religious sculpture. On this day, in the morning, members of the brotherhoods on horseback make a poetic proclamation throughout the city. The "Sermon of the Seven Words" is spoken in Plaza Mayor Square. In the afternoon, thousands of people take part in the Passion Procession, comprising 31 pasos (religious statues), most of which date from the 16th and 17th centuries. The last statue in the procession is the Virgen de las Angustias, and her return to the church is one of the most emotional moments of the celebrations, with the Salve Popular sung in her honour.
Easter is one of the most spectacular and emotional fiestas here. Religious devotion, art, colour and music combine in acts to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ: the processions. Members of the different Easter brotherhoods, dressed in their characteristic robes, parade through the streets carrying religious statues (pasos) to the sound of drums and music – scenes of sober beauty.
, the 2nd level of football (soccer)
in Spain, with their own club, Real Valladolid
, or Pucela as they are nicknamed. Notable former players include Fernando Hierro
, José Luis Caminero
or Rubén Baraja.
CB Valladolid
is the town's basketball team and they play in the Liga ACB. Arvydas Sabonis
played in this team. The matches are held in the Polideportivo Pisuerga.
In handball Valladolid is known thanks to one of the best spanish clubs, BM Valladolid
. They play in the Liga ASOBAL. They have won 2 King's Cup
, 1 ASOBAL Cup and 1 EHF Cup
. They play their games in the Polideportivo Huerta del Rey
.
CR El Salvador
, current champions of Spain's División de Honor de Rugby
compete in the European Challenge Cup
. They play their matches at Estadio Pepe Rojo
. VRAC
, current champions of the King's Cup, also plays in the same stadium.
, France Orlando
, United States Florence
, Italy Boston
, United States Lecce
, Italy
Municipalities of Spain
The municipalities of Spain In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. municipi.*Galician or , sing. municipio/bisbarra.*Basque , sing. udalerria. are the basic level of Spanish local government...
in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga
Pisuerga River
The Pisuerga is a river in northern Spain, the Duero's second largest tributary. It rises in the Cantabrian Mountains in the province of Palencia, autonomous region of Castile and León....
and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
, Rueda
Rueda (DO)
Rueda is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located in the Community of Castile and León. It comprises 72 municipalities, of which 53 are in the province of Valladolid, 17 are in the north of the province of Segovia, and 2 are in the north of the province of Ávila...
and Cigales
Cigales
Cigales is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located to the north of Valladolid along both banks of the River Pisuerga....
. It is the capital of the province of Valladolid.
Etymology
One line of etymological argument suggests that the modern name "Valladolid" derives from a Celtiberian languageCeltiberian language
Celtiberian is an extinct Indo-European language of the Celtic branch spoken by the Celtiberians in an area of the Iberian Peninsula lyingbetween the headwaters of the Duero, Tajo, Júcar and Turia rivers and the Ebro river...
expression, Vallis Tolitum ("Waters Valley"), due to the confluence of rivers. Another, more generally accepted derivation is from the demonym Vallisoletano, which was, in fact, the Spanish demonym
Demonym
A demonym , also referred to as a gentilic, is a name for a resident of a locality. A demonym is usually – though not always – derived from the name of the locality; thus, the demonym for the people of England is English, and the demonym for the people of Italy is Italian, yet, in english, the one...
of the city, and means "from sunny valley". Supporting this are texts from the Middle Ages, which use Vallisoletum, a word which continued to be used as late as the 16th century (see painting by Braun and Hogenberg).
It is also popularly called Pucela, a nickname whose origin is not clear, but probably refers to a few knights who accompanied Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
, known as La Pucelle. Another theory is that Pucela comes from the fact that Puzzeli's cement was sold there, the only city in Spain that sold it.
History
Remains of CeltiberianCeltiberians
The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC. The group used the Celtic Celtiberian language.Archaeologically, the Celtiberians participated in the Hallstatt culture in what is now north-central Spain...
and of a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
camp have been excavated near the city. The nucleus of the city was originally located in the area of the current San Miguel y el Rosarillo square, and was surrounded by a palisade. Archaeological proofs of the existence of three ancient lines of walls have been found.
During the time of Moorish rule in Spain the Christian kings moved the population of this region north into more easily defended areas, and deliberately created a no-mans' land as a buffer zone against further Moorish conquests. The area was captured from the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in the 10th century, and Valladolid was a village until king Alfonso VI of León and Castile donated it to count Pedro Ansúrez
Pedro Ansúrez
Pedro Ansúrez was a Castilian count of Liébana, Saldaña and Carrión in the closing decades of the eleventh century and the opening decades of the twelfth. He is considered the founder and first lord of Valladolid....
in 1072. He built a palace (now lost) for himself and his wife, countess Eylo, the Collegiate of St. Mary and the La Antigua churches. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Valladolid grew rapidly, thanks also to the commercial privileges granted by the kings Alfonso VIII
Alfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
and Alfonso X
Alfonso X of Castile
Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death...
, as well as to the repopulation of the area after the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
.
In 1469 Queen Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
and King Ferdinand of Aragon were married in the city; by the 15th century Valladolid was the residence of the kings of Castile and remained the capital of the Kingdom of Spain until 1561, when the city was destroyed by a fire and Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
, born here, moved the capital to 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...
, starting a period of decadence for Valladolid. In 1506 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...
died in Valladolid in a house which is now a Museum dedicated to him. It was made the capital of the kingdom again between 1601 and 1606 by Philip III
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
. The city was again damaged by a flood of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers.
Unfinished building
An unfinished building is a building where construction work was abandoned or on-hold at some stage or only exists as a design...
cathedral, the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), which was the template for that of Madrid
Plaza Mayor of Madrid
The Plaza Mayor was built during the Habsburg period and is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is located only a few Spanish blocks away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape, measuring 129 by 94 metres, and is surrounded by...
, and of other main squares throughout the former Spanish empire, the National Sculpture Museum, next to the church of Saint Paul, which includes Spain's greatest collections of polychrome wood sculptures, and the Faculty of Law of the University of Valladolid
University of Valladolid
The University of Valladolid is a public university in the city of Valladolid, province of Valladolid, in the autonomous region of Castile-Leon, Spain...
, whose façade is one of the few surviving works by Narciso Tomei, the same artist who did the transparente in Toledo Cathedral
Cathedral of Toledo
The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Toledo, Spain, seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo....
. The Science Museum is next to Pisuerga river. The only surviving house of Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered the first modern novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written...
is also located in Valladolid. Although unfinished, Cathedral of Valladolid
Cathedral of Valladolid
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Assumption , better known as Valladolid Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Valladolid, Spain...
was designed by Juan de Herrera
Juan de Herrera
Juan de Herrera was a Spanish architect, mathematician and geometrician.One of the most outstanding Spanish architects in the 16th century, Herrera represents the peak of the Renaissance in Spain. His sober style was fully developed in buildings like the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial...
, architect of El Escorial
El Escorial
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the king of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and...
.
Main sights
The capital of Castile y León preserves in its old quarter heritage of aristocratic houses and religious buildings.Interesting religious buildings
- The unfinished CathedralCathedral of ValladolidThe Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Assumption , better known as Valladolid Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Valladolid, Spain...
, commissioned by King Philip IIPhilip II of SpainPhilip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
and designed by the architect Juan de HerreraJuan de HerreraJuan de Herrera was a Spanish architect, mathematician and geometrician.One of the most outstanding Spanish architects in the 16th century, Herrera represents the peak of the Renaissance in Spain. His sober style was fully developed in buildings like the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial...
in the 16th century, following a mannierist style perhaps influenced by MichelangeloMichelangeloMichelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
. The church is unfinished due to financial problems and its nave was not opened until 1668. Years later, in 1730, Master ChurrigueraChurrigueraThe Churriguera family consisted of at least two generations of Spanish sculptors and architects, originally from Barcelona, but who had their greatest impact in Salamanca...
finished the work on the main front. Inside the cathedral, the sanctuary houses a reredosReredosthumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
made by Juan de JuniJuan de JuniJuan de Juni was a French–Spanish sculptor, who also worked as a painter and architect.-Career:...
in 1562. The complex is linked to the Diocesan Museum, which holds carvings attributed to Gregorio FernándezGregorio FernándezGregorio Fernández was a Spanish Baroque sculptor. He belongs to the Castilian school of sculpture, following the style of other great artists like Alonso Berruguete, Juan de Juni, Pompeyo Leoni and Juan de Arfe.-Biography:...
and Juni himself, as well as a silver monstranceMonstranceA monstrance is the vessel used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican churches to display the consecrated Eucharistic host, during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Created in the medieval period for the public display of relics, the monstrance today is...
by Juan de Arce. - The large Gothic church of San Benito, built by the Benedictines between 1500 and 1515, with an unusual tower.
- San Miguel Church, antient church of the Jesuits (now, parish church), built at the end of the 16th century, hosts some reredos by the early 17th-century sculptor Gregorio Fernández.
- The façade of the Dominic's Church of San Pablo, characterized by Gothic statues and decoration built around 1500.
- El Salvador Church, with a façade built around 1550, a 15th-century Flemish reredos and a brick tower dating from the 17th century.
- The church of Santiago has reredos depicting the Adoration of the Magi (1537) created by Berruguete and, in the sanctuary, a great baroque reredos depicting Saint James killing moors, as usual in Spain.
- The Gothic church of Santa maría la Antigua has an unusual pyramid-shaped Romanesque tower from the 12th century and a 14th century gothic sanctuary, influenced by the Cathedgral of Burgos..
- The Convent of Santa María la Real de las Huelgas, originally built about 1600, following Spanish mannierist tendencies.
- Convento de Santa Ana, a neoclassical building housing various paintings by Francisco de Goya.
- San Juan de Letrán Church, featuring a BaroqueBaroqueThe Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
façade built in 1737. Beside this last church is the Monasterio de los Padres Filipinos, designed by the architect Ventura RodríguezVentura RodríguezVentura Rodríguez Tizón was a Spanish architect and artist. Born at Ciempozuelos, Rodríguez was the son of a bricklayer. In 1727, he collaborated with his father in the work at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.-Major works:...
in 1760.
Other buildings
The heart of the old city is the 16th-century Plaza MayorPlaza Mayor of Valladolid
The Plaza Mayor is a central plaza in the city of Valladolid, Spain. It is located only a few blocks away from another famous plaza, the Plaza Zorrilla.-History:...
, presided over by a statue of Count Ansúrez
Pedro Ansúrez
Pedro Ansúrez was a Castilian count of Liébana, Saldaña and Carrión in the closing decades of the eleventh century and the opening decades of the twelfth. He is considered the founder and first lord of Valladolid....
from 1903. On one side of it stands the City Hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, an eclectic building dating from the beginning of the 20th century, crowned by a clock tower. In the nearby streets is the Palace of Los Pimentel, today the seat of the Provincial Council, is one of the most important, as King Philip II was born here on 21 May 1527. The Royal Palace
Valladolid Royal Palace
The Royal Palace of Valladolid, was the official residence of the Kings of Spain during the period in which the Royal Court had its seat in Valladolid between 1601 and 1606, and a temporary residence of the Spanish Monarchs from Charles I to Isabella II, as well as and also of Napoleon during the...
(where King Philip IV of Spain and Queen Anne of France, mother of Louis XIV were born), the 16th-century Palace of the Marquises of Valverde, and that of the banker Fabio Nelli – a building with a Classicist stamp built in 1576 – should also be pointed out. The Museum of Valladolid occupies this complex, exhibiting a collection of furniture, sculptures, paintings and ceramic pieces dated from Prehistoric times to the present.
The Teatro Lope de Vega is a theater built in the classical style in 1861 and now very run-down. There has been controversy over whether the city should pay to restore it.
The National Sculpture Museum is site in San Gregorio College, a Flemish Gothic style building . It is home to polychrome carvings made by artists like Alonso Berruguete or Gregorio Fernández. The Museum of Contemporary Spanish Art, located in the Patio Herreriano, one of the cloisters of the former Monastery of San Benito, preserves more than 800 paintings and sculptures from the 20th century.
The University, whose Baroque façade is decorated with various academic symbols, and the Santa Cruz College
Santa Cruz Palace
Santa Cruz Palace is a palace in Valladolid in western Spain. Construction began in 1486 but in 1490 building came under the control of Lorenzo Vázquez de Segovia who finally completed it in 1491....
, which as well as housing a library forms one of the first examples of the Spanish Renaissance
Spanish Renaissance
The Spanish Renaissance refers to a movement in Spain, emerging from the Italian Renaissance in Italy during the 14th century, that spread to Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries...
.
The city preserves houses where great historical characters once lived. They include:
- the Casa de CervantesCervantes-People:*Alfonso J. Cervantes , mayor of St. Louis, Missouri*Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, 16th-century man of letters*Ignacio Cervantes, Cuban composer*Jorge Cervantes, a world-renowned expert on indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse cannabis cultivation...
, where the author of Don Quijote lived with his family between 1603 and 1606. It was in this house where the writer finished his masterpiece. - The Christopher Columbus House-Museum is located in the what was though the residence of the Genoese navigator in the last years of his life. Nowadays the palace exhibits various pieces and documents related to the discovery of America.
- The house where José Zorrilla was born, housing various personal possessions, furniture and documents that belonged to the Romantic writer.
Population
As of the 2004 census, the population of the city of Valladolid proper was 321,713, and the population of the entire urban area was estimated to be near 420,000.Economy
Valladolid is, economically speaking, the most important city of the autonomous community, having an important automobile industry (IVECOIveco
Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin...
, FASA-Renault
FASA-Renault
FASA-Renault was a Spanish automobile manufacturer which produced Renault and Renault-based vehicles from 1951 to 2000.The company was established in 1951 in Valladolid as FASA by Spanish interests, a license having been obtained to allow local production of Renault vehicles...
, Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
).
Transportation
There is an airport at nearby Villanubla (10 km of Valladolid city centre), with connections to London-Stansted, Paris, Brussels–CharleroiCharleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, 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...
, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
, Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
and Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
Seminci
The city is also host to one of the foremost (and oldest) international film festivals, the Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid (SeminciSeminci
Valladolid International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Valladolid, Spain since 1956....
), founded in 1956.
Local cuisine
Although an inland province, fish is commonly consumed. Brought from the Cantabrian SeaBay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
, fish like red bream and hake are a major part of Valladolid's cuisine.
The main speciality of Valladolid is, however, lechazo (suckling baby lamb). The lechazo is slowly roasted in a wood oven and served with salad.
Valladolid also offers a great assortment of wild mushrooms. Asparagus, endive and beans can also be found. Some legumes, like white beans and lentils are particularly good. Pine nuts are also produced in great quantities.
Sheep cheese from Villalón de Campos, the famous pata de mulo (mule's leg) is usually unripened (fresh), but if it is cured the ripening process brings out such flavour that it can compete with the best sheep cheeses in Spain.
In the area of bread Valladolid has a bread to go with every dish, like the delicious cuadros from Medina del Campo, the muffins, the pork-scratching bread and the lechuguinos, with a pattern of concentric circles that resemble a head of lettuce.
The pastries and baked goods from the province of Valladolid are well-known, specially St. Mary's ring-shaped pastries, St. Claire's sponge cakes, pine nut balls and cream fritters.
Valladolid is also a producer of wines. The ones that fall under the Designation of Origin Cigales
Cigales
Cigales is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located to the north of Valladolid along both banks of the River Pisuerga....
are very good. White wines from Rueda
Rueda (DO)
Rueda is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located in the Community of Castile and León. It comprises 72 municipalities, of which 53 are in the province of Valladolid, 17 are in the north of the province of Segovia, and 2 are in the north of the province of Ávila...
and red wines from Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León...
are known for their quality.
Easter
Easter is one of the most spectacular and emotional fiestas here. Religious devotion, art, colour and music combine in acts to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ: the processions. Members of the different Easter brotherhoods, dressed in their characteristic robes, parade through the streets carrying religious statues (pasos) to the sound of drums and music – scenes of sober beauty.
Sport
Valladolid is represented in the Segunda DivisiónSegunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, the 2nd level of football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in Spain, with their own club, Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
, or Pucela as they are nicknamed. Notable former players include Fernando Hierro
Fernando Hierro
Fernando Ruiz Hierro is a retired Spanish footballer. He is mostly known for his spells with Real Madrid and Spain, appearing in more than 500 official games with the former and representing the latter on nearly 100 occasions, whilst appearing in four World Cups and two European...
, José Luis Caminero
José Luis Caminero
José Luis Pérez Caminero is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder.Arguably one of the best Spanish footballers of the 1990s, Caminero was able to play in any midfield position, in the middle or in the wings...
or Rubén Baraja.
CB Valladolid
CB Valladolid
Club Baloncesto Valladolid, S.A.D., actually known as Blancos de Rueda Valladolid, is a professional basketball team based in Valladolid, Castile-Leon, Spain. CB Valladolid is member of the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto...
is the town's basketball team and they play in the Liga ACB. Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Romas Sabonis is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball player and a businessman. He was an eight-time European Player of the Year, winning the Euroscar Award six times, and the Mr...
played in this team. The matches are held in the Polideportivo Pisuerga.
In handball Valladolid is known thanks to one of the best spanish clubs, BM Valladolid
BM Valladolid
Club Balonmano Valladolid is a Spanish handball team based in Valladolid, Castilla and León that currently plays in Liga ASOBAL.-History:Club Balonmano Valladolid was founded in the 1991 summer when acquired the ACD Michelin' seat. Michelin was founded in 1975 by the own company's employees...
. They play in the Liga ASOBAL. They have won 2 King's Cup
King's Cup
The King's Cup is an international football competition held in Thailand. It has been played annually since 1968, with the exception of 1983, 1985 and 2008. In some years, the competition has featured club or invitational teams as well as international sides....
, 1 ASOBAL Cup and 1 EHF Cup
EHF Cup
The EHF Cup is an official competition for men's handball clubs of Europe and takes place every year. From 2012/13 it will be merged with EHF Cup Winners' Cup to EHF European Cup....
. They play their games in the Polideportivo Huerta del Rey
Polideportivo Huerta del Rey
Polideportivo Huerta del Rey is an arena in Valladolid, Spain. It is primarily used for team handball and is the home arena of BM Valladolid. The arena holds 3,500 people....
.
CR El Salvador
CR El Salvador
Club de Rugby El Salvador is a Spanish rugby union club. The club was established in 1960 and currently competes in the División de Honor de Rugby competition, the highest level of Spanish club rugby. The club are based in Valladolid in central Spain, playing their matches at the Estadio Pepe Rojo....
, current champions of Spain's División de Honor de Rugby
División de Honor de Rugby
-Past winners:-External links:*...
compete in the European Challenge Cup
European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
. They play their matches at Estadio Pepe Rojo
Estadio Pepe Rojo
Estadio Pepe Rojo is a sports stadium located in the city of Valladolid, Spain. It is the home ground of CR El Salvador and Valladolid RAC leading clubs of the División de Honor, the top-level of Spanish rugby. The Spanish national team have also played matches at the stadium.-External links:*...
. VRAC
VRAC
The Virtual Reality Applications center at Iowa State University....
, current champions of the King's Cup, also plays in the same stadium.
Twin towns - sister cities
LilleLille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, France Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, United States Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, United States Lecce
Lecce
Lecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
, Italy
Institutions
- Ayuntamiento de Valladolid
- Valladolid's Library
- Culture Foundation
- Tourism in Valladolid province
- City Hall of Valladolid
- University of Valladolid
- Miguel de Cervantes European University
- Fair of Valladolid
- Congress Center of Valladolid
Museums
- Museo de la Ciencia
- Museo Nacional de Escultura
- Museo Casa Cervantes
- Museo Casa de Cristóbal Colón
- Cristóbal Gabarrón Foundation
- Museo Casa de Zorrilla
- Oriental
- Patio Herreriano