Palencia

Palencia
Pa·len·cia (pə-lĕnʹchə, pä-lĕnʹsyä)
A city of northern Spain north-northeast of Valladolid. Site of an ancient Roman settlement, it was recovered from the Moors in the tenth century. Spain's first university was founded here in 1208 but moved to Salamanca in 1238. Population: 74,311.

* * *

Spain
      capital of Palencia provincia (province), in Castile-León comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), north-central Spain. It lies on the Campos Plain southwest of Burgos. Called the Pallantia by the ancient Greek geographers Strabo and Ptolemy, it was the chief town of the Vaccaei, an Iberian tribe. Its history during the Gothic and Moorish periods is obscure, but it was the seat of the Castilian kings and their Cortes (courts of a parliamentary or advisory nature) in the 12th and 13th centuries. In 1520 Palencia participated in the ultimately unsuccessful revolt of the Castilian cities (comuneros) against the Holy Roman emperor Charles V (king of Spain as Charles I in 1516–56). The university founded there in 1208 by Alfonso VIII was removed in 1239 to Salamanca. The Gothic cathedral—begun in 1321, completed in the early 16th century, and dedicated to San Antolín—occupies the site of a church erected (1026–35) by Sancho III Garcés of Navarre and Castile over the cave of San Antolín. The cathedral contains El Greco's St. Sebastian and other valuable paintings, old Flemish tapestry, and magnificent carved woodwork and stonework. Portions of the hospital of San Lázaro are said to date from the time of the Cid (Cid, the), the Spanish soldier-hero celebrated in Spain's epic poem El Cantar de Mío Cid (“The Song of My Cid”), who married Jimena in Palencia in 1074.

      Palencia is an important communications centre. Its economy is based on the manufacture of iron, rugs, alcohol, leather, soap, porcelain, linen, cotton, wool, machinery, and matches. Palencia's industries have merged with those of the nearby city of Valladolid. Automaking has become one of the leading industries in the area. Pop. (2006 est.) 82,242.

      provincia (province) in the Castile-León comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), northern Spain. It is bounded by the provinces of Cantabria to the north, Burgos to the east, Valladolid to the south and west, and León to the west. It was formed in 1833. The north is traversed by the Cantabrian Mountains, rising to 8,268 feet (2,520 metres) at Curavacas peak. The remainder of Palencia, the fertile Campos Plain, belongs to the great Castilian tableland. The principal rivers are the Pisuerga and Carrión. Minerals have been found in the mountains, but only coal and small quantities of copper are mined. The Castilla Canal (built 1753–1832), on which the provincial capital, Palencia city, is located, connects the province with Valladolid and is used for irrigation as well as transport.

      Barley, wheat, alfalfa (lucerne), sugar beets, hemp, and flax are grown; sheep raising is extensive; and linen and woolen stuffs, porcelain, leather, paper, and rugs are manufactured. The metallurgical, automotive, and food-processing industries also are significant. Apart from Palencia city, the chief centres are Venta de Baños, Cervera de Pisuerga, Carrión de los Condes, and Paredes de Nava. Area 3,109 square miles (8,053 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 173,281.

Vicente Rodriguez
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Palencia — Palencia : la Cathédrale …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Palencia — • Diocese in Spain Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Palencia     Diocese of Palencia     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • PALENCIA — PALENCIA, city in north central Spain in the province of Palencia, Castile. Palencia had an important Jewish community, which is thought to have started as early as the 11th century. However, the earliest available information on Jewish… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Palencia — Palencia. (De pala, por infl. de Palencia). □ V. jabón de Palencia. * * * Palencia es una ciudad española en la comunidad de Castilla y León, capital de la provincia del mismo nombre situada en la llanura de Tierra de Campos, en la orilla del río …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Palencia —   [pa lenθi̯a],    1) Provinzhauptstadt in Spanien auf der Meseta Altkastiliens, in der Autonomen Region Castilla y León, 739 m über dem Meeresspiegel, am linken Ufer des Carrión, 79 900 Einwohner; katholischer Bischofssitz; Textil , Automobil… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Palencia — (De pala, por infl. de Palencia). ☛ V. jabón de Palencia …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Palencĭa [1] — Palencĭa, span. Provinz in der Landschaft Altkastilien, grenzt im N. an die Provinz Santander, im O. an Burgos, im S. an Valladolid, im W. an Leon und hat einen Flächenraum von 8434 qkm (153,2 QM.) mit (1900) 192,473 Einw. (22 auf 1 qkm). Die… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Palencia [1] — Palencia (spr. Palensia), 1) Provinz in Spanien, Theil des Königreichs Leon, zwischen den Provinzen Valladolid, Leon, Santander u. Burgos; 811/2 QM., 180,000 Ew.; ist im nördlichen Theile von dem Cantabrischen Gebirge durchzogen, hat im… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Palencia [2] — Palencia, Alfonso, Spanier, geb. 1423, wurde 1440 Edelknabe bei dem Bischof von Burgos, Alfonso von Cartagena, u. besuchte Italien, wo er die dortigen Griechen hörte; nach seiner Rückkehr wurde er königlicher Historiograph u. von dem Erzbischof… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Palencĭa [2] — Palencĭa, Hauptstadt der gleichnamigen span. Provinz (s. oben) und Bischofssitz, 720 m ü. M., am Carrion, am Kanal von Kastilien und an den Eisenbahnlinien Venta de Baños Santander und P. Coruña gelegen, hat eine gotische Kathedrale San Antolin… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Paléncia — Paléncia, Hauptstadt der span. Prov. P. (8434 qkm, 1900: 192.473 E.; Altkastilien), am Carrion, 15.940 E.; Fabrikation von Wollstoffen; die erste span. Universität (1209 39, nach Salamanca verlegt) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”