Santander, Cantabria
| Santander | |||
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| — Municipality — | |||
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  Santander
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country |  Spain |
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| Autonomous community |  Cantabria |
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| Province | Cantabria | ||
| Comarca | Santander Bay | ||
| Judicial district | Santander | ||
| Founded | 26 BC, as Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium 9 January 1755, granting the title of city | ||
| Capital | Santander | ||
| Government | |||
| - Alcalde | Íñigo de la Serna (2007) (PP) | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 35 km2 (13.5 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) | ||
| Highest elevation | 108 m (354 ft) | ||
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) | ||
| Population (2009) | |||
| - Total | 183,466 | ||
| - Density | 5,241.9/km2 (13,576.4/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym | Santanderino/a, santanderense, pejino/a, chani | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postal code | 39001-39012 | ||
| Official language(s) | Spanish | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain between Asturias (to the west) and the Basque Country (to the east). The population in 2007 was about 184,000. Just over a third of Cantabrians live in Santander. The city is the home of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santander.
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History
In the Roman Empire, the town was known as Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium. Its present name is derived from Saint Emeterio (Santemter, Santenter, Santander), a martyr whose head was brought there in the 3rd century, along with that of Saint Celedonio, according to legend.[1]
In 1187, King Alfonso VIII of Castile made the abbot of San Emeterio lord of the town, and in 1248 Santander participated in the battle for Seville, receiving a coat of arms as reward.
The city owes its existence to the excellent harbour of the Bay of Santander. Santander was an important port for Castile in the later Middle Ages, and also for trade with the New World. It officially became a city in 1755.
In 1893 the freighter Cabo Machichaco exploded in the harbour, killing 500 people.
In the early 1900s Santander became the favoured summer residence of King Alfonso XIII, who built the Palacio de la Magdalena as the residence of the royal family during the holidays. The city gained great popularity from this and from the 19th century enthusiasm for sea bathing and it remains popular with the Spanish for beach holidays today.
Great Fire of 1941
Santander fell victim to a great fire in 1941. Fanned by a strong south wind, the fire burned for two days. There was only one casualty, a firefighter killed in the line of duty, but thousands of families were left homeless and the city was plunged into chaos.
The fire destroyed the greater part of the medieval town centre and gutted the city’s Romanesque cathedral.
Demography
As of 2004[update], Santander has a population of 183,800. The number has remained fairly steady since 1981. Spain's low fecundity rate and aging population have combined with rising immigration figures to keep the population growth fairly stagnant. Nevertheless, the Santander conurbation continues to sprawl as young families move away from the high cost of living in the heart of the city.
Education
- University of Cantabria is the largest university in Cantabria.
- Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP) specializes in teaching foreigners about Spanish language and culture
Sport
The La Liga club Racing Santander, founded in 1913, is based in the city.
Tourism
Today Santander remains a popular tourist destination. It is renowned for its mild, (though rainy) climate.
Gallery
 Palacio de la Magdalena |
 Santander Cathedral |
 Banco Mercantil |
 Ayuntamiento |
 Lighthouse of Cabo Mayor |
 Edificio de Correos |
 Plaza de Italia |
 Monument at José María de Pereda |
 Ships in Puertochico, in the city of Santander |
 Monument at the urchins in Puertochico |
 El Puente del Diablo in Cueto, Santander |
 Panoramic of Cabo Menor |
Climate
| Climate data for Santander | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
13.8 (56.8) |
14.9 (58.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.5 (65.3) |
20.8 (69.4) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.6 (67.3) |
16.1 (61) |
14.4 (57.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.5 (49.1) |
9.9 (49.8) |
10.7 (51.3) |
12.0 (53.6) |
14.6 (58.3) |
17.1 (62.8) |
19.4 (66.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
12.2 (54) |
10.7 (51.3) |
14.1 (57.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) |
5.9 (42.6) |
6.5 (43.7) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.7 (51.3) |
13.4 (56.1) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.1 (61) |
14.1 (57.4) |
11.3 (52.3) |
8.2 (46.8) |
6.9 (44.4) |
10.2 (50.4) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 123 (4.84) |
104 (4.09) |
105 (4.13) |
125 (4.92) |
89 (3.5) |
62 (2.44) |
52 (2.05) |
72 (2.83) |
85 (3.35) |
135 (5.31) |
146 (5.75) |
117 (4.61) |
1,246 (49.06) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 128 |
| Sunshine hours | 88 | 100 | 134 | 147 | 169 | 174 | 189 | 182 | 157 | 127 | 98 | 74 | 1,638 |
| Source: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología[2] | |||||||||||||
External links
- Webcams de Santander y Cantabria — Live webcams Santander and Cantabria.
- Ayuntamiento de Santander — Official website of the Santander Ayuntamiento (In Spanish).
- Santander - Cantabria 102 Municipios
- Webcam en Puertochico — Live webcam of Santander's Puertochico district.
- Tiempo y webcam de Santander desde El Sardinero — Live webcam and weather station at Sardinero beach
- Municipios de Cantabria, incluyendo Santander—All the cities and villages in Cantabria, including Santander: History, Demography and more exhaustive information
- Pictures of Santander — More than 100 photos of this city.
- Santander, rutas y monumentos — Touristic routes, museums, monuments...
Notes
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