port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
town in the province of
Biscay
Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. ...
, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, Spain. It is located in the
Bilbao Abra
The Bilbao Abraabra is Spanish for a small bay. is a
left bank
In geography, a bank is the land alongside a body of water. Different structures are referred to as ''banks'' in different fields of geography, as follows.
In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terra ...
Greater Bilbao
Greater Bilbao ( Basque: ''Bilboaldea'', Spanish: ''Gran Bilbao'') is an administrative division of the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven comarcas of Biscay and the most populated one. The capital city of ...
''
agglomeration
Agglomeration may refer to:
* Urban agglomeration, in standard English
* Megalopolis, in Chinese English, as defined in China's ''Standard for basic terminology of urban planning'' (GB/T 50280—98). Also known as " city cluster".
* Economies of ag ...
. It has a population of 45,853 (2019) and a land area of 6.77 km².
The district of Santurce of the city of
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
derives its name from Santurtzi.
History and Toponyms
According to legends, the current church of St. George was originally founded as a monastery by English monks fleeing from religious persecution. They established themselves on the Basque coast, specifically the
Somorrostro
Somorrostro Beach is one of the beaches in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is located between Hospital del Mar and Marina Street, in the far east area of the Barceloneta neighborhood, in the Ciutat Vella district. It is long and wide. The Somor ...
Valley, from which would later develop the town of Santurtzi.
The name Santurtzi is derived from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
''Sant Georgi'', as was the hermitage in Gordejuela near current Oquendo. In neighbouring
Cantabria
Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...
,
Burgos
Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos.
Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence o ...
and Araba exist several towns with variations of the same name: Santurde, Santiurde de Reinosa and Santurdejo.
The Spanish language form ''Santurce'' first appeared in 1333, whilst its Basque counterpart would first be shown written in 1372. During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
it could also be found referred to as ''San Jurdic, San Yurdie, Sturse'' and ''Santursi,'' amongst others. In current day, both names are used interchangeably, with certain preference given to ''Santurtzi'', given its frequent use in Spanish.
The official name of the municipality has also seen various changes. During the 19th century it was officially considered to be Santurce, however in 1901 it was divided in two. The inland part of this division would become Santurce Ortuella, as the mining town of Ortuella had grown enough to promote itself as the largest urban conglomeration of Santurce. The coastal side maintained its population base in Santurtzi, and began to be called Old Santurce. The cultural and traditional relationship between the two divisions can still be observed in the border area of Kabiezes.
Geography
In general, Santurtzi has a very rough
orography
Orography is the study of the topographic relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain. Orography (also known as ''oreography'', ''orology'' or ''oreology'') falls within the broader discip ...
, although excluding ''Mount Serantes'' (452m) - one of its most symbolic topographic elements - it is not at high altitude, the significant heights being spurs of the Serantes (Serandi): ''The Mallet'' (245m) and the ''Fortified Heights'' (123 and 106m). Its relief is contained within the north flank of the
anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a type of fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex up in which the hinge or crest is t ...
of Biscay. It is a structural type relief composed of urgonian limestone from the
Cretaceous period
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of t ...
found all throughout Punta Lucero-Serantes, smoothly inclined towards the
Estuary of Bilbao
The Estuary of Bilbao (Spanish: ''Ría de Bilbao'' / Basque: ''Bilboko Itsasadarra'') lies at the common mouth of the rivers Nervion, Ibaizabal and Cadagua, which drain most of Biscay and part of Alava in the Basque Country, Spain. In this inst ...
.
The climate in Santurtzi pertains to the humid
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
type. The temperatures are moderate throughout the year, with more frequent rains in spring and autumn. Winters are mild and summers not excessively warm. The average temperature is 20 °C (70ªF) in summer and 8 °C (48ªF) in winter.
Demographics
Mayors
Geographic location
Tourism
The life in the area is focused on the sea, which inspires its work and its leisure. Fishing boat and rowing boat races, and the celebrations of the Virgin of the Carmen are carried out each year.
Events and festivities
* Easter Monday - Pascua - Cornites
* April 23, San Jorge
* June 24, San Juan, San Juan neighbourhood
* June 29, San Pedro (Cabieces neighbourhood)
* July 16,
Virgen del Carmen
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order, particularly within the Catholic Church. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Ca ...
*San Jorge church (1725, the tower in 1844)
*House Toasts (1890)
*Town Hall (1905)
*Monument to Cristóbal Murrieta (1923)
*Patronato Santa Eulalia (1914)
*Home and clinical San Juan de Dios (1925)
*Oriol Palace (1913)
*Science of navigation school (1860) and Hijas de la Cruz college (1863)
*Virgen del Mar church (1901)
*Fishermen Confraternity (1916)
*Town Park (1918) and Central Kiosk (1917)
*Mamariga fountain (1882)
*Monument to the Sardinera (1964)
*Fishing Port (1916) and Virgin of Carmen (1950)
*Museum of Sculptures
*Monument to Miguel de Unamuno
*Señorío de Vizcaya Square (redesign 2007)
File:Señorio Bizkaia General Noche 2.jpg, Señorío de Vizcaya Square
File:Palacio de Oriol.jpg, Oriol Palace