Gasteiz

( Vitoria-Gasteiz )

Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish: [biˈtoɾja ɣasˈtejθ, -ɣasˈtejs]; Basque: [bitoɾja ɣas̺teis̻]), also alternatively spelled as Vittoria in older English-language sources, is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community's House of Parliament, the headquarters of the Government, and the Lehendakari's (Prime Minister's) official residency. The municipality—which comprises not only the city but also the mainly agricultural lands of 63 villages around—is the largest in the Basque Country, with a total area of 276.81 square kilometres (106.88 sq mi), and it has a population of 253,093 (January 2021). The dwellers of Vitoria-Gasteiz are called vitorianos or ga...Read more

Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish: [biˈtoɾja ɣasˈtejθ, -ɣasˈtejs]; Basque: [bitoɾja ɣas̺teis̻]), also alternatively spelled as Vittoria in older English-language sources, is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community's House of Parliament, the headquarters of the Government, and the Lehendakari's (Prime Minister's) official residency. The municipality—which comprises not only the city but also the mainly agricultural lands of 63 villages around—is the largest in the Basque Country, with a total area of 276.81 square kilometres (106.88 sq mi), and it has a population of 253,093 (January 2021). The dwellers of Vitoria-Gasteiz are called vitorianos or gasteiztarrak, while traditionally they are dubbed babazorros (Basque for 'bean sacks').

Vitoria-Gasteiz is a dynamic city with strengths in healthcare, aeronautics, the automotive industry, and viticulture. It is consistently ranked as one of the 5 best places to live in Spain, ranking highly in quality of life and business opportunities, it is the first Spanish municipality to be awarded the title of European Green Capital (in 2012) and it has been also recognized by the UN with the Global Green City Award (in 2019). The old town has some of the best preserved medieval streets and plazas in the region and it is one of very few cities with two cathedrals. The city also holds well known festivals such as the Azkena rock festival, FesTVal, Vitoria-Gasteiz jazz festival, and the Virgen Blanca Festivities.

Vitoria-Gasteiz's vicinity is home to acclaimed wineries such as Ysios, designed by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, and Marqués de Riscal, by Frank Gehry. Relevant heritage sites including the Neolithic remains of Aizkomendi, Sorginetxe and La chabola de la Hechicera; Iron Age remains such as the settlements of Lastra and Buradón; antique remains such as the settlement of La Hoya and the salt valley of Añana; and several medieval fortresses including the Tower of Mendoza and the Tower of Varona.

Ludwig van Beethoven dedicated his Opus 91, often called the "Battle of Vitoria" or "Wellington's Victory", to one of the most famous events of the Napoleonic Wars: the Battle of Vitoria, in which a Spanish, Portuguese and British army under the command of General the Duke of Wellington broke the French army and nearly captured the puppet king Joseph Bonaparte. It was a pivotal point in the Peninsular War, and a precursor to the expulsion of the French army from Spain. A memorial statue can be seen today in Virgen Blanca Square.

 Vitoria-Gasteiz in the 17th century

In 581 AD, the Visigoth king Liuvigild founded the city of Victoriacum, trying to emulate the Roman foundations, as a celebration of the victory against the Vascones near what is assumed to be the hill occupied by the primitive village of Gasteiz. This however is not sufficiently proven, and some historians and experts believe that Victoriacum was located not on the site of present-day Vitoria-Gasteiz but nearby. Several possible locations have been proposed, the foremost of which is the late Roman military camp of Iruña-Veleia (cf. J. M. Lacarra). Veleia is located some 11 km north of modern Vitoria, on the banks of the same river. However, modern archeological studies of the site suggest that Veleia was last inhabited c. 5th century AD, and archeologists are still to find a 6th-century Visigothic resettlement in the site.[1] Another theory has suggested that Victoriacum was located at the foot of Mount Gorbea where there is a village called Vitoriano. The town of Armentia, nowadays in the outskirts of Vitoria, has also been proposed as a possible location of Victoriacum.[2] In either case, Victoriacum vanishes from history shortly after its foundation.[3]

In 1181, Sancho the Wise, King of Navarre founded the town of Nova Victoria as a defensive outpost on top of a hill at the site of the previous settlement of Gasteiz. The existence of Gastehiz, apparently inhabited by Vasconic people,[4] can be traced back to the Middle Ages; it is certain that by the 11th century, prior to the foundation of Nova Victoria, the settlement was already walled. It is assumed that Sancho the Wise gave the new city its name in memory of the old settlement of Victoriacum, which must had long since been abandoned.[3] In 1199, the town was besieged for nine months and eventually captured by the troops of Alfonso VIII of Castile, who annexed the town to the Kingdom of Castile. The town was progressively enlarged and in 1431 it was granted a city charter by King Juan II of Castile. In 1463, it was one of the five founding villas of the Brotherhood of Álava alongside Sajazarra, Miranda de Ebro, Pancorbo and Salvatierra/Agurain.

 Cathedral of Santa María de Vitoria, completed in the 17th century

The Battle of Vitoria of the Peninsular War occurred near Vitoria-Gasteiz along the river Zadorra on 21 June 1813. An allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. The victory assured the eventual end of French control in Spain. There is a monument commemorating this battle in the main square of the city known as the Monument to Independence.

When news came to Vienna in late July of that year, Johann Nepomuk Mälzel commissioned Ludwig van Beethoven to compose a symphony, the op. 91 Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria (Wellington's Victory, or the Battle of Vitoria) or Siegessymphonie.

Work began on the Institute for Middle Education in 1843, with classes beginning during the 1853–54 academic year. It is now current headquarters of the Basque Parliament and formerly the convent of Santa Clara. The Free University opened in the wake of the revolution of 1868. The university operated from 1869, to just prior to the 1873–1874 term, largely because of the second Carlist War. Some of its most notable academics were Ricardo Becerro de Bengoa, Julián Apraiz and Federico Baraibar. The latter was also among the first teachers of Basque in Vitoria-Gasteiz as an off-syllabus subject.

Spanish Civil War

At the start of the Spanish Civil War Álava and Vitoria were easily captured by the rebel Nationalists led by General Angel García Benítez, assisted by Colonel Camilo Alonso Vega.[5] Vitoria was captured on 19 July 1936.[6] In November 1936 an attempt by Republicans to retake Vitoria was thwarted after being spotted by Nationalist reconnaissance aircraft.[7] The 1937 Nationalist campaign in Vizcaya was supported by 80 German aircraft based at Vitoria,[8] where the Condor Legion fighter wing was concentrated.[9]

Transition to democracy

During the Spanish transition to democracy, the Church of St. Francis of Assisi was the scene of a police shooting on March 3, 1976 during a peaceful labour assembly. Under the orders of Interior Minister Manuel Fraga, the police shot tear-gas into the church where 5,000 demonstrators and others had reunited, firing on them as they struggled their way out of the building. It resulted in five dead and over one hundred wounded by gunshot.[10][11]

On 20 May 1980, by decision of the Basque Parliament, Vitoria-Gasteiz became the place of the common institutions of the Basque Autonomous Community.

^ Moreno, Luis A. García; Fernández, Luis Suárez (10 March 2018). Leovigildo: unidad y diversidad de un reinado. Real Academia de la Historia. ISBN 9788496849402 – via Google Books. ^ "Nova Victoria - Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia". ^ a b Moreno, Luis A. García; Fernández, Luis Suárez (10 March 2018). Leovigildo: unidad y diversidad de un reinado. Real Academia de la Historia. ISBN 9788496849402 – via Google Books. ^ S. Villimer: Vitoria, historia de una ciudad, p. 160 (Vitoria 1977). ^ Thomas, Hugh (2012). The Spanish Civil War (50th Anniversary ed.). London: Penguin Books. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-141-01161-5. ^ Beevor, Antony (2006). The Battle for Spain. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 72. ISBN 978-0-7538-2165-7. ^ Beevor (2006) p.251 ^ Thomas (2012) p.596 ^ Beevor (2006) p.253 ^ "Masacre del 3 de marzo en Vitoria-Gasteiz (1976)". Artium. 2010. Retrieved 2016-07-14. ^ Malaina, Guillermo (2008-02-13). "Los fantasmas de Fraga". Público. Retrieved 2016-07-15.

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