Coria, Cáceres

Coria
municipality

Coria Cathedral

Seal
Coria

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 39°59′N 6°32′W / 39.983°N 6.533°W
Country Spain
Autonomous community Extremadura
Province Cáceres
Comarca Vegas del Alagón
Government
 • Mayor José Manuel García Ballester (PP)
Area
 • Total 103 km2 (40 sq mi)
Elevation 280 m (920 ft)
Population (2009)
 • Total 12,896
 • Density 130/km2 (320/sq mi)
Demonym Caurienses or Corianos
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Website Official website

Coria is a Spanish municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, formed by the city of the same name and the towns of Puebla de Argeme colonization and Bishop's Corner. The whole municipality has 12,896 inhabitants and a population density of 152.2 inhabitants/km ² (INE 2009), which makes this city the capital of the Alagón Vegas and the fourth largest city in the province of Cáceres.

Founded before the Romans occupied the Iberian Peninsula, and called Caura, the Romans gave it its present name in Latin, Caurium, and later the city was granted Roman citizenship. Later in the Visigoth, created the Diocese of Coria that, except for the years of Muslim occupation, held at the Episcopal Coria until the twentieth century, when it was forced to share the capital of the diocese in Cáceres.

The centuries in which Coria was the only capital of the diocese were of great prosperity for the city. After the Reconquest, Coria became the capital of a lordship which belonged peoples still are named as Guijo Coria Coria or Casillas de Coria. After the dissolution, Coria became the judicial capital of Coria.

Today, Coria is the largest city in the northwest of the province of Cáceres and an important commercial and tourist center, to preserve many monuments and hold an annual national tourist interest in honor of San Juan.

History

Coria was taken twice during the Reconquista, firstly after 1085. It was lost to the Almoravids just after 1109 and unsuccessfully besieged in 1138. The second and permanent conquest was after a two-month siege in 1142.

Main sights

Coria castle. Basically a large square keep, but with several smaller round towers jutting out on all side.
Coria castle
Coria old bridge. The river has changed course, and no longer flows beneath the bridge. Instead there are fields of green crops
Coria old bridge
Coria sunset after rain. Sun is setting behind black silhouette of castle; and it lights heavy dark clouds from below
Coria sunset after rain
Coria bull-running square. Public square with multilevel seating around all four sides. In the centre of the square are four bulls, coming this way.
Coria bull-running square

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coria.