Vigo

Related Topics:
Vigoro :: Vigo,_Jean :: Vigo :: Vigo_di_Cadore :: Vigolzone :: Vigo_di_Fassa

For other meanings, see Vigo (disambiguation)

Vigo is the largest city in Galicia located in the province of Pontevedra, Spain. According to the 2005 census, the population of the city of Vigo proper was 293,725, and the population of the entire metropolitan area was estimated to be 420,672, ranking as the 14th-largest metropolitan area of Spain. The city is well known for its fishing industry, food, cultural and night life, and football (soccer) team Celta de Vigo

History

Vigo has a long history. The urban area of Vigo is built over both a Celtic village (Castro) and a Roman settlement. In fact, it is generally accepted that the name of Vigo comes from the latin word Vicus. During Middle Ages the small village of Vigo was part of the territory of neighbouring towns, mainly Tuy, and suffered several Viking attacks.

However, the number of inhabitants was so small that, historically, Vigo is not considered to be a real village until around the 15th century, when the earliest records began.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was attacked several times. In 1585 and 1589 Francis Drake raided the city and temporally occupied it, leaving many buildings burnt. Several decades later a Turkish fleet tried to attack the city. As a result the walls of the city were built in 1656 during the reign of Felipe IV. They are still partially preserved.

During this time, and in spite of the attacks, the city of Vigo developed its earliest commerce, and was given several privileges from the kings of Spain.

In 1702 the Battle of Rande occurred, and in 1719, because a Spanish fleet which departed from Vigo attempted to invade Scotland, the city was temporally seizured by an English fleet.

In 1808 the French Army annexed Spain into the Napoleonic Empire, although Vigo remained unconquered until January, 1809. Vigo was also the first city of Galicia to be freed from French rule in what is now celebrated every 28th of March as the Reconquista (reconquest).

The city grew very rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. This resulted in continuous urban planning changes, making Vigo less structured than other Galician towns.

Economics

Vigo is the leading industrial area in Galicia, with automotive plants, shipyards, and auxiliary industry. Situated in Vigo is Galicia's leading employer, PSA Peugeot Citroën, which in 2003 produced a total of 473,000 vehicles, of which more than 88% were sold outside Spain.

Vigo is the largest fishing port in Europe, and the home port of the world's largest fishing company, Pescanova. Vigo has been chosen to be, in the nearest future, the headquarter of the European Fisheries Agency.

Demography

Higher education

University of Vigo, which earlier was a branch of University of Santiago de Compostela, is situated in a mountainous area outside the city.

Cultural movements and the arts

"A movida viguesa" was a hedonistic cultural movement that took place in Vigo during the '80s triggered by the explosion of liberties after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The most important artists of this postmodern movement were musicians; particularly punk and new wave bands such as Siniestro Total, Golpes Bajos, Aerolineas Federales, Semen Up or Os Resentidos.

At the moment, the city still has notorius bands like Ivan Ferreiro and Mon.

The locally produced award-winning feature movie Mondays In The Sun (original title Los lunes al sol) evocatively depicts the life of several men who have lost their work at the port.

Museums

Vigo has a number of museums scattered throughout the city:

Museo do Mar de Galicia

Av. Atlantida, 160 . Vigo . C.P 36208 .

Tlf: 986247750 . Fax : 986247748

Museo Municipal «Quiñones de León»

Pazo de Lavandeira

Museo Etnográfico Liste

An ethnographic museum, focusing on regional folkways

Estación marítima

Verbum - Casa das Palabras

A museum exploring the world of the word (hearing, reading, alphabets, etc.), with many interactive exhibits.

Museo de Arte Contemporánea (MARCO)

Rúa do Príncipe, 54 . CP: 36202 .

Vigo . Telf: 986 11 39 00/11 . Fax: 986 11 39 01

Many of works of contemporary art displayed here are multimedia and large in size.

Casa das Artes

Casa Galega da Cultura ("House of Galician Culture")

Miscellaneous

Image:Playa samil.jpg|Samil Beach. Image:Ría de Vigo.JPG|Ría de Vigo (Sight into the harbour, that takes its name from the city). Image:Puente rande general.JPG|Ponte de Rande (The Rande Bridge is part of the highway that links both sides of the harbour and which runs North up to A Coruña).

External links

Coastal cities | Municipalities in Pontevedra | Vigo

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