Murcia

**Murcia**
	Murcia
	River front and the Cathedral's Belfry
Flag	Coat of Arms
Location
	Coordinates : 37°59′N 1°8′W / 37.983°N 1.133°W
Administration
Country	Spain
Autonomous Community	Murcia
Province	Murcia
Comarca	Huerta de Murcia
Mayor	Miguel Ángel Cámara Botía (PP)
Geography
Land Area	881.86 km²
Altitude	43 m AMSL
Population
Population	433,850 (2006-01-01)
- rank in Spain:	7
Density	481.2 hab./km² (2006-10-20)
General information
Native name	Murcia (Spanish)
Spanish name	Murcia
Nickname	City of Sun
Founded	825
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	30001-30012
Area code	+34 (Spain) + 968 (Murcia)
Website	http://www.ayto-murcia.es/

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This article is about the Spanish city. For the autonomous community, see Region of Murcia. For the Philippine city, see Murcia, Negros Occidental. For other uses, see Murcia (disambiguation).

Also not to be confused with the Anglo-Saxon kingdom Mercia.

Murcia (37°59′N 1°8′W / 37.983°N 1.133°W / 37.983; -1.133) is a city in south-eastern Spain, capital of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, located along the river Segura. Its current population is 433,850 (2008), ranking seventh in Spain, and the population of the metropolitan area is 743,326, ranking ninth out of the largest metropolitan areas of the country. Since 1995, the mayor has been Miguel Ángel Cámara Botía (PP).

Murcia is located near the center of a low-lying fertile plain known as the huerta (orchard or vineyard) of Murcia, which includes the valleys of the Segura and its right-hand tributary, the Guadalentín, or river Sangonera. The Segura is recognized as one of the most polluted rivers in Europe. The Region of Murcia is surrounded by two mountain ranges, the Sierra de Orihuela and the Cresta de Gallo. Despite the proximity of the sea, the climate is subject to great variation: the summer heat is severe while frosts may occasionally befall the capital city during winter. Precipitation in Murcia is scarce, with the hydrological year October 2004 through September 2005 registering with less than 200 mm (7.9 inches).

Murcia-San Javier Airport (MJV) is located on the edge of the Mar Menor close to the towns of San Javier and Santiago de la Ribera, 45 kilometres (28 mi) southeast of Murcia. The airport at the neighboring city of Alicante is frequently used by travellers to Murcia as well.

Murcia is mainly a services city and a university town, frequently forgotten by visitors despite having some outstanding monuments (like its famous Cathedral), its renowned local cuisine, the Holy Week Processions and the nativity scene in Christmas (with figures from the famous Murcia's sculptor Francisco Salzillo, and the main Festivities, the Spring Festival.

[edit] Geography

The city covers approximately 882 square kilometres (341 sq mi) and is divided from east to west by a series of mountain ranges (Carrascoy, El Puerto, Villares, Columbares, Altaona, and Escalona). These two zones are known as Field of Murcia and Orchard of Murcia.

The city has an elevation of 43 m.a.s.l. and is located on the medium alluvial plain of the Segura river (Vega Media del Segura). The river crosses the city from west to east. The river belongs to a Mediterranean pluvial system. Its volumetric flow is mostly small but, the river is known to produce occasional flooding, like those that inundated the capital in 1946, 1948, 1973 or 1989.

The best known and most dominant aspect of the municipal area's landscape is the orchard. The area is sparse, with hills surrounding the valley of the Segura river. This terrain owes its varied character to the mountain ranges of the south (Cordillera Sur), while the steep hill Monteagudo near the plain's center protrudes emphatically.

In addition to the orchard and urban zones, the great expanse of the municipal area is made up of different landscapes: badlands, groves of Carrasco pine trees in the precoastal mountain ranges and, towards the south, a semi-steppe region.

A regional park is also part of the area of Carrascoy and the Valley (Carrascoy y el Valle) belonging to the city of Murcia.

[edit] Districts

The 881.86-square-kilometre (340.49 sq mi) territory of Murcia's municipality is made up of 54 pedanías (suburban districts) and 28 barrios (city neighbourhood districts). The barrios make up the 12.86-square-kilometre (4.97 sq mi) the main urban portion of the city. The historic city center is approximately 3 square kilometres (1 sq mi) of the urbanized downtown portion of Murcia.

[edit] Climate

Given its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, Murcia enjoys a semi-arid Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and warm to hot summers.

It averages more than 300 days of sun per year. Occasionally, Murcia has heavy rains where the precipitation for the entire year will fall over the course of a few days.

During winter, the average daily temperature range is a high of 16°C during the day and a low of 4°C at night. In summer, the range goes from 30°C during the day to 20°C at night. Murcia's peak summer temperatures have been known to surpass 35°C. The highest temperature recorded in Spain through the 20^th century was 47.2 °C (117.0 °F), which happened in Murcia on July 4, 1994.

[edit] History

It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle (the plant is known to grow in the general area), although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius village (Murtius was a common Roman name). Other research suggests that it may owe its name to the Latin Murtae (Mulberry), which covered the regional landscape for many centuries.

The Latin name eventually changed into the Arabic Mursiya, and then, Murcia.

Demographic evolution

The city in its present location was founded with the name Medinat Mursiya in A.D. 825 by Abd ar-Rahman II, who was then the emir of Al-Andalus. Moorish planners, taking advantage of the course of the river Segura, created a complex network of irrigation channels that made the town's agricultural existence prosperous. This model of irrigation networks was developed by the Moors as a precursor to modern irrigation systems. The traveler and writer, Muhammad al-Idrisi, in the 12^th century described the city of Murcia as populous and strongly fortified. After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba in 1031, Murcia passed under the successive rules of the powers seated variously at Almería, Toledo and Seville. In 1172 it was taken by the Almohades, and from 1223 to 1243 it briefly served as the capital of an independent kingdom.

The Castilians, with forces led by King Alfonso X, took the city at the end of this period of autonomy, whereupon large numbers of mixed immigrants from north Catalonia and Provence resettled the town. As with much of the Spanish Reconquest, these Christian populations were brought to the area with the goal of establishing a Christian base here, one that would be loyal to the Crown of Castile and whose culture would supplant that of the subjugated Moorish peoples. During the process of Christianization, many of the city’s mosques were destroyed or converted into Catholic churches. In 1296, control over Murcia and the surrounding region was transferred to the Kingdom of Aragon and, in 1304, was finally incorporated into Castile under the Treaty of Torrellas.

Murcia flourished in the 18th century, benefiting greatly from a boom in the silk industry. Many of the modern city's landmark churches and monuments date from this period of nascent mercantilism.

However, this was to be followed by nearly a century of mishap. In 1810, Murcia was looted by Napoleonic troops; it then suffered a major earthquake in 1829. According to contemporaneous accounts, an estimated 6,000 people died from the disaster's effects across the province. Plague and cholera followed, and by the 19th centuary the city was in freefall.

The town and surrounding area suffered badly from floods in 1651, 1879, and 1907, though the construction of a levee helped to stave off the repeated floods from the Segura. A popular pedestrian walkway, the Malecon, runs along the top of the levee.

Murcia has been the capital of the province of Murcia since 1838 and, with its creation by the central government in 1982, capital of the autonomous community (which includes only the city and the province). Since then, it has become the seventh most populated municipality in Spain, and a thriving services city.

[edit] Demographics

Murcia has 433,850 inhabitants (INE 2008) making it the seventh-largest Spanish municipality by population. When adding in the municipalities of Alcantarilla, Alguazas, Beniel, Molina de Segura, Santomera, and Las Torres de Cotillas, the metropolitan area has 564,036 inhabitants making it the twelfth most populous metropolitan area in Spain. Nevertheless, due to Murcia's large municipal territory, its population density (472 hab./km², 760 hab./sq.mi.) does not likewise rank among Spain's highest.

According to the official population data of the INE, 10% of the population of the municipality reported belonging to a foreign nationality as of 2005.

[edit] Sights and monuments

Cathedral of Murcia.

The Cathedral of the Diocese of Cartagena (based in Murcia) was built between 1394 and 1465 in the Castilian Gothic style. Its tower was completed in 1792 and shows a blend of architectural styles. The first two stories were built in the Renaissance style (1521–1546), while the third is Baroque. The bell pavilion exhibits both Rococo and Neoclassical influences. The main façade (1736–1754) is considered a masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque style.

Other noteworthy buildings in the square shared by the Cathedral (Plaza Cardenal Belluga) are the colorful Bishop's Palace (18^th century) and a controversial extension to the town hall by Rafael Moneo.

The Glorieta, which lies on the banks of the Segura River, has traditionally been the center of the town. It is a pleasant, landscaped city square that was constructed during the 18^th century. The ayuntamiento (city hall) of Murcia is located in this square.

Pedestrian areas cover most of the old town of the city, which is centered around Platería and Trapería streets. Trapería goes from the Cathedral to the Plaza de Santo Domingo, formerly a bustling market square. Located in Trapería is the Casino, a social club erected in 1847, with a sumptuous interior that includes a Moorish-style patio inspired by the royal chambers of the Alhambra near Granada. The name Plateria refers to plata, silver, as this street was the historical focus for the commerce of rare metals by Murcia's Jewish community. The other street, Traperia, refers to trapos, or cloths, as this was once the focus for the Jewish community's garment trade.

The town hall	Casino	Plaza Cardenal Belluga (seen from the Cathedral)	Old Bridge
Casa Cerdá	Traperia street	The stranded sardine and the Molinos del Río Hydraulic Museum	El Carmen quartie

Other notable places around Murcia include the Malecón boulevard, La Fuensanta sanctuary and adjacent El Valle regional park, Los Jerónimos monastery, Romea theatre, Almudí Palace, Monteagudo Castle, the Salzillo Museum, and the San Juan de Dios church-museum. In the metropolitan area, you can also see the Azud de la Contraparada reservoir and the Noria de La Ñora water wheel.

[edit] Festivals

The Holy Week procession hosted by the city is among the most famous throughout all of Spain. This traditional festival portrays the events which lead up to and include the Crucifixion according to the New Testament. Life-sized, finely-detailed sculptures by Francisco Salzillo (1707–1783) are removed from the museums and carried around the city in elegant processions amid flowers and, at night, candles, pausing at stations which are meant to re-enact the final moments before the Roman crucifixion of Jesus.

The most colorful festival in Murcia may come one week after Holy Week, when locals dress up in traditional huertano clothing to celebrate the Bando de la Huerta (Huerta parade) on Tuesday and fill the streets for the Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine) parade the following Saturday.

Murcia's Three Cultures International Festival happens each May and was first organized around overcoming racism and xenophobia in the culture. The festival seeks to establish understanding and reconciliation between the three cultures that have cohabited the peninsula for centuries, if not millennia: Christians, Jews^[1] and Muslims. Each year, the festival celebrates these three cultures through music, exhibitions, symposiums and conferences.

[edit] Economy

Murcia serves as a major producer of agricultural products; it is common to find Murcia's tomatoes and lettuce, and especially lemons and oranges, in European supermarkets. Murcia is also a nation of wines. They devote about 100,000 acres to grape vinyards. Most of the vinyards are located in the town Jumilla. Jumilla is a plateau where the vinyards are surrounded by mountains.

Murcia was also a popular location for industry, with many British companies choosing it as a location for satellite factories, such as Henry Milward & Sons for the manufacture of surgical and knitting needles

These days, the economy of the region is turning towards "residential tourism" in which many people from northern European countries have a second home there.

The economy of Murcia is also supported by fairs and congresses, museums, theatres, cinemas, music, aquariums, bullfighting, restaurants, hotels, camping, sports, foreign students, and tourism.

[edit] Transportation

Tram project

Bus: The transport is provided by Latbus which operates the urban bus and other interurban services.
Tramway: Provided by Tranvimur which operates the urban tram, a little line 2 kilometres long, finished in April 2007. There are, in total, 4 lines in project.
Train: Provided by RENFE. Murcia has two lines of Cercanías trains, to Alicante and Águilas

[edit] Healthcare

The hospitals and other public primary healthcare centers belong to the Murcian Healthcare Service. There are three public hospitals in Murcia:

Ciudad Sanitaria Virgen de La Arrixaca in El Palmar that includes obstetrics and paediatrics units
Hospital Reina Sofía
Hospital Morales Meseguer

[edit] Education

Old University Building.

Old University (cloister).

Murcia has three universities:

two public universities: the University of Murcia, founded in 1912 and the UPCT, Polytechnic University of Cartagena
one private university: the UCAM, Saint Anthony Catholic University.

There are also several high schools, elementary schools, and professional schools. Murcia has three types of schools for children: private schools such as El Limonar International School, Murcia (well-known English language school), semi-private schools (concertado) such as Los Maristas (well-known for its graduates), and public schools such as Colegio Publico (CP) San Pablo (known for mathematics and science) and Instituto de Educacion Secundaria Alfonso X El Sabio known in murcia for selectividad,the college entrance exam. The private schools and concertados can be religious (Catholic) or secular, but the public schools are strictly secular. A concertado is a school receiving government money but private in nature even religious. Such schools fill the gap by providing schools where the government isn't able to or come from a time in the past before the government developed a national school system and these private schools were working and were thus left in place and given the responsibility to act as public schools in educating all without having to become nonreligious like all other public schools.