Baiona, Pontevedra
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| Concello de Baiona | |||
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| Nickname: Baiona | |||
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| Parroquias | Baiona, Baredo, Baíña, Belesar, Sta. Cristina | ||
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| Government | |||
| - Alcalde (Mayor) | Jesús Vázquez Almuíña | ||
| Area | |||
| - City | 34.63 km² (13.4 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - City | 11,337 | ||
| - Density | 327.38/km² (847.9/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CET (UTC+2) | ||
| Website: http://www.baiona.org/ | |||
Baiona (in Spanish and in Galician) is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra.
The town of Baiona is a tourist town with a medieval historical center situated in the outlet of Vigo Bay. Its population of just over 11,000 rises to around 45,000 in the summer, if one includes tourists. Other than tourism the major economic activity revolves around fishing.
It was founded in 140 BC by Diomedes of Aetolia. Throughout its history it has had several names including Stuciana, Abóriga, Balcagia, and Erizana. In 1201, King Alfonso IX of Leon granted the town a royal charter. In 1370, King Ferdinand I of Portugal, who was proclaimed King of Castile took up residence in the town and established his seat there until bein forced to return to Portugal. In 1474, the Baiona was seized by Don Pedro Alvarez de Soutomaior, also known as Pedro Madruga, Count of Caminha. On March 1, 1493, the Pinta, one of the ships from Columbus' voyage to discover the New World returned to Europe and arrived in Baiona, making the town's port the first to receive news of the discovery of America. A replica of the ship can be visited, and the event is celebrated every year.
In 1585, the inhabitants of Baiona repelled an attempt to take the town by the privateer Francis Drake. Five years later Phillip II of Spain beat the pirates that were laying the Galician coast to waste with a fleet of 98 vessels and 17,000 soldiers.
[edit] External links
- Concello de Baiona Official website (Partially in English)
| edit | Municipalities in Pontevedra |  |
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Agolada | Arbo | Baiona | Barro | Bueu | Caldas de Reis | Cambados | Campo Lameiro | Cangas | A Cañiza | Catoira | Cerdedo | Cotobade | Covelo | Crecente | Cuntis | Dozón | A Estrada | Forcarei | Fornelos de Montes | Gondomar | O Grove | A Guarda | A Illa de Arousa | Lalín | A Lama | Marín | Meaño | Meis | Moaña | Mondariz | Mondariz - Balneario | Moraña | Mos | As Neves | Nigrán | Oia | Pazos de Borbén | Poio | Ponte Caldelas | Ponteareas |Pontecesures | Pontevedra | O Porriño | Portas | Redondela | Ribadumia | Rodeiro | O Rosal | Salceda de Caselas | Salvaterra de Miño | Sanxenxo | Silleda | Soutomaior | Tomiño | Tui | Valga | Vigo | Vila de Cruces | Vilaboa | Vilagarcía de Arousa | Vilanova de Arousa |
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