Santander, Cantabria 167546 225230257 2008-07-12T16:13:44Z 194.158.83.34 {{Spanish city | image_skyline = | image_skyline_size = | image_skyline_caption = | native_name = Santander| spanish_name = Santander| nickname = | city_motto = | city_motto_means = | image_flag = City of Santander, Spain Flag (Oficial version).PNG| image_flag_size = 115px| image_coat_of_arms = City of Santander, Spain Coat of arms (Oficial version).png| image_coat_of_arms_size = 90px| image_city_map = Santander, Spain location.png| image_city_map_size = 255px| image_city_map_caption = Location of Santander| lat_long = | time_zone = | time_zone_summer = | founded = | native_language = Spanish| community = Cantabria| community_link = Cantabria| province = Cantabria| province_link = Cantabria| comarca = Santander Bay| comarca_link = Santander Bay| divisions = | neighborhoods = | mayor = Íñigo de la Serna| political_party = PP| political_party_link = People's Party| area = 35 | altitude = 0-15| population = 182.926| date-population = 2007| population-ranking = | density = 5.226| date-density = 2007| website = http://portal.ayto-santander.es/ | postal_code = 39.0XX| area_code = | }} 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). 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]]. ==History== In the [[Roman Empire]], the town was known as '''Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium'''. Its present name is derived from [[St Emeterio]] (''Santemter, Santenter, Santander''), a martyr whose head was brought there in the [[3rd century]], along with that of [[St Celedonio]], according to legend.<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13458d.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Santander<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In [[1187]], King [[Alfonso VIII of Castile|Alfonso VIII]] 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 [[Crown of Castile|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 harbor, killing 500 people. In the early 1900's Santander became the favored summer residence of King [[Alfonso XIII of Spain|Alfonso XIII]], the city gained great popularity from this and from the Victorian enthusiasm for [[sea bathing]] and it remains popular with the Spanish for beach holidays today. ===Great Fire of 1941=== Santander fell victim to a [[list of historic fires|great fire]] in 1941. Fanned by a strong [[south]] [[wind]], the fire burned for two days. There was only one [[Casualty (person)|casualty]], a [[firefighter]] killed in the line of duty, but thousands of families were left [[homeless]] and the city was plunged into [[chaos]]. When it was over, the historic part of Santander was almost completely destroyed. The fire destroyed the greater part of the [[Middle Ages|medieval]] [[downtown]] and gutted the city’s [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] [[cathedral]]. ==Demography== [[As of 2004]], 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 [[urban sprawl|sprawl]] as young families move away from the high [[cost of living]] in the heart of the city. {{demography 7col|510px|[[1981]]|[[1986]]|[[1991]]|[[1996]]|[[2000]]|[[2004]]|[[2006]] |180 328|186 145|191 079|185 410|184 264|183 799|183 955}} ==Tourism== [[Image:Cabo Menor.jpg|200px|thumb|Santander]] Today Santander remains a popular tourist destination. It is renowned for its mild, (though rainy) climate. * Next to the Sardinero beach is a European style [[casino]]. * The [[Sardinero]] beaches are nice urban beaches, certain parts of which are popular among local surfers. * The [[Plaza de Cañadío]] is a very popular place to start a night of drinking. The Plaza immediately borders seven different bars, and many other taverns are close by. * There are many interesting shops at the [[Cuatro Caminos]] and the area bordering the [[Ayuntamiento]] <gallery> Image:Santander.Playa.Sardinero.jpg|El Sardinero Image:Santander.Playa.Magdalena.jpg|La Magdalena Image:Santander.Gran.Casino.jpg|Casino Image:Santander.Plaza.Cañadio.jpg|Plaza de Cañadío </gallery> ==Education== *[[University of Cantabria]] is the largest university in [[Cantabria]]. *[[Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo]] (UIMP) specializes in teaching foreigners about Spanish [[Spanish language|language]] and [[Spanish culture|culture]] ==External links== {{commons|Santander|Santander}} *[http://www.webcamsantander.com Webcams de Santander y Cantabria ] &mdash; Live webcams Santander and Cantabria. *[http://portal.ayto-santander.es/ Ayuntamiento de Santander ] &mdash; Official website of the Santander [[Ayuntamiento]] (In [[Spanish language|Spanish]]). *[http://www.cantabria102municipios.com/santander/santander/descripcion_general.htm Santander] - Cantabria 102 Municipios *[http://www.gobcantabria.es/pls/interportal/url/page/inet/servicios/webcam Webcam en Puertochico] &mdash; Live webcam of Santander's [[Puertochico]] district. *[http://tiempo.fiochi.com Tiempo y webcam de Santander desde El Sardinero] &mdash; Live webcam and weather station at Sardinero beach *[http://www.cantabria102municipios.com Municipios de Cantabria, incluyendo Santander]&mdash;All the cities and villages in Cantabria, incluiding Santander: History, Demography and more exhaustive information *[http://www.rutasporcantabria.com/santander_pictures.php Pictures of Santander] &mdash; More than 100 photos of this city. *[http://www.rutasporcantabria.com/santander Santander, rutas y monumentos] &mdash; Touristic routes, museums, monuments... {{Geolinks-cityscale|43.4611|-3.8094}} ==Notes== {{reflist}} {{Cantabria}} [[Category:Cantabria| ]] [[Category:Municipalities in Cantabria]] [[Category:Port cities and towns in Spain]] [[ar:سانتاندير]] [[an:Santander]] [[roa-rup:Santander]] [[ast:Santander]] [[be-x-old:Сантандэр (горад)]] [[ca:Santander]] [[cs:Santander]] [[cy:Santander]] [[de:Santander]] [[et:Santander]] [[es:Santander (España)]] [[eo:Santandero (Hispanio)]] [[eu:Santander]] [[fa:سانتاندر]] [[fr:Santander (Espagne)]] [[fy:Santander (Spanje)]] [[ga:Santander]] [[gl:Santander, España]] [[ko:산탄데르 (스페인)]] [[haw:Santander]] [[hr:Santander]] [[id:Santander, Spanyol]] [[os:Сантандер]] [[it:Santander (Spagna)]] [[he:סנטנדר]] [[jv:Santander]] [[lad:Santander]] [[la:Santander]] [[lb:Santander]] [[nl:Santander (Spanje)]] [[ja:サンタンデール (都市)]] [[oc:Santandèr]] [[pl:Santander]] [[pt:Santander]] [[ro:Santander]] [[ru:Сантандер]] [[sr:Сантандер]] [[fi:Santander]] [[sv:Santander, Spanien]] [[tet:Santandér]] [[tr:Santander]] [[zh:桑坦德 (西班牙)]]