Capital of Aragon, Spain
About Zaragoza
Zaragoza, traditionally known in English as Saragossa, is the capital city of the autonomous community of Aragon and the province of Zaragoza in Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributaries, the Huerva and the Gállego, roughly in the centre of both Aragon and the Ebro basin.
Etymology
The Iberian town that preceded Roman colonisation was called Salduie or Salduba. The Romans called the ancient city Caesaraugusta (in Greek Καισαραυγοῦστα, Kaisaraugoûsta), from which derive the Arabic name سرقسطة Saraqusṭa (used during the Al-Andalus period), the old romance Çaragoça, and the modern Zaragoza.
History
The Sedetani, a tribe of ancient Iberians, populated a village called Salduie (Salduba in Roman sources). Augustus founded the city as Caesaraugusta between 25 BC and 11 BC as a colony to settle army veterans from the Cantabrian wars. As a Roman city, it had all the typical public buildings: forum, baths, theatre, and was an important economic centre. Many Roman ruins can still be seen in Zaragoza today. It is thought it might have been the Apostle James who had built a chapel on the site of the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. On the spot where Saint Engratia and her companions were said to have been martyred on Valerian's orders was the Church of Santa Engracia de Zaragoza. Only the crypt and the doorway survived the Peninsular War. Around the early 20th century it was rebuilt, and is now a functioning parish church. …
Geography
Zaragoza lies in the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, in the rather arid depression formed by the valley of the Ebro. The Ebro cuts across the city in a west north-west by east south-east direction, entering the municipality at 205 metres above sea level and exiting the municipality at a level of 180 metres above sea level. The city enjoys a beneficial location at the geographical centre of the rough hexagon formed by the Spanish cities of Bilbao, Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona and the French cities of Bordeaux and Toulouse. The municipality has a surface of 973.78 km2 (375.98 sq mi), making it the ninth largest municipality in Spain. While the river banks are largely flat, the territory flanking them can display a rugged terrain, featuring muelas and escarpments. The surrounding elevations rise up to heights of about 600–750 metres above sea level. …
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