Tortosa

Tortosa
Tortosa
—  Municipality  —

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Tortosa is located in Catalonia
Tortosa
Location in Catalonia
Coordinates: 40°48′46″N 0°31′24″E / 40.81278°N 0.52333°E / 40.81278; 0.52333Coordinates: 40°48′46″N 0°31′24″E / 40.81278°N 0.52333°E / 40.81278; 0.52333
Country Spain
Community Catalonia
Province Tarragona
Comarca Baix Ebre
Government
 – Mayor Ferran Bel i Accensi
Area
 – Total 218.45 km2 (84.3 sq mi)
Elevation 12 m (39 ft)
Population (2010)
 – Total 34,473
 – Density 157.8/km2 (408.7/sq mi)
Demonym Tortosí, tortosina
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 – Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Ebre river in Tortosa

Tortosa (Catalan pronunciation: [turˈtozə], locally: [toɾˈtoza]. Latin: Dertusa or Dertosa, Arabic: طرطوشةṬurṭūšah) is the capital of the comarca of Baix Ebre, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain.

Tortosa is located at 12 metres above sea level, by the Ebre river, protected on its northern side by the mountains of the Cardó Massif, of which Buinaca, one of the highest peaks, is located within Tortosa's municipal term.

Before Tortosa, across the river, rise the massive Ports de Tortosa-Beseit mountains. The area around Mont Caro and other high summits are ofen covered with snow in the winter.

Contents

Population centers

  • Bítem, 1.139; includes Santa Rosa
  • Campredó, 1.168; includes La Font d'en Quinto
  • Jesús, 3.755
  • Els Reguers, 679
  • Tortosa, 27.131
  • Vinallop, 363, includes Mianes

History

Tortosa is probably identical to the ancient Hibera, capital of Ilercavonia. This may be the ancient settlement the remains of which have been found on the hill named Castillo de la Zuda. In Roman times, the town adopted the name Dertosa. After more than 400 hundred years of Muslim rule, the city was conquered by the Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona in 1148, as part of the Second Crusade. Because of the crusading appeal made by Pope Eugene III and his representative Nicholas Brakespear (the future Pope Hadrian IV), the siege received the aid of crusaders from multiple nationalities (Genovese, Anglo-Normans, Normans, Southern-French, Germans, Flemish and Dutch), who were on their way to the Holy Land. The siege of Tortosa was narrated by the Genovese chronicler and diplomat Caffaro.

After its conquest, the city and its territory were divided among the victors, with multiple lands being granted to foreign crusaders and to the military and religious orders.[1]

Formerly there was a railway line between Tortosa and Alcañiz, opening a communication gate between this region and Aragon.[2] Construction work began in 1891, but it was haphazard and the first trains between Alcañiz and Tortosa began only in 1942. The last stretch between Tortosa and Sant Carles de la Ràpita was never completed before the line was terminated by RENFE in 1973.[3]

Main sights

  • Castle of San Juan, or Zuda, commanding the city from a 59 m-high hill. Though the Roman were the first to fortify the place, the current structure date to Muslim caliph Abd ar-Rahman III. After the conquest by Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, in 1148, it became a residence of the Montcada and the Knights Templar, and from the 13th century it became a royal mansion.
  • The Cathedral, begun in 1347 and consecrated in 1597.
  • Bishop Palace
  • Convent of Santa Clara, founded in 1283.
  • Lonja (market), the oldest in Aragon.
  • Montagut Palace
  • Despuig Palace (14th century)
  • Oliver de Boteller Palace (15th century)

Demography

Historical population of Tortosa
1991 1996 2001 2004
29,452 30,088 28,933 31,979

See also

References

  1. ^ Lucas Villegas-Aristizabal, "Anglo-Norman involvement in the conquest of Tortosa and Settlement of Tortosa, 1148-1180", Crusades 8 (2009), pp. 63-129.
  2. ^ Historia de la línea de La Puebla de Híjar-Alcañiz-Tortosa-Sant Carles de la Ràpita
  3. ^ El Punt - El cruel divorci entre Tortosa i el tren

External links


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  • Tortōsa — Tortōsa, 1) Stadt u. Festung in der spanischen Provinz Tarragona (Catalonien), links am Ebro mit Schiffbrücke, wird durch einen starken Brückenkopf u. drei Forts vertheidigt, hat einen Bischof, viele Kirchen u. Klöster, Fabriken in Seife, Papier… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Tortōsa — (im Altertum Dertosa), Bezirkshauptstadt in der span. Provinz Tarragona, am Abhang eines Hügels am linken Ufer des Ebro und an der Bahnlinie Valencia Tarragona, Bischofssitz, hat eine an Stelle einer Moschee erbaute gotische Kathedrale von 1347,4 …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Tortosa — Tortōsa, befestigte Stadt in der span. Prov. Tarragona, am Ebro, (1900) 24.452 E., Sternwarte …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

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  • TORTOSA — hodie dicitur, quae olim Antarados. Hinc Templarii Equites captivi abducti sunt in Aegyptum a Sultano, A. C. 1304 …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

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