Avilés (
Asturian and ;) is a town in
Asturias
Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
, Spain. Avilés is, along with
Oviedo
Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...
and
Gijón
Gijón () or () is a city and municipality in north-western Spain. It is the largest city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality by population in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Asturias. It is located on the coa ...
, one of the main cities in the
Principality of Asturias
Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
.
The town occupies the flattest land in the municipality, partially in a land that belonged to the sea, surrounded by small promontories, all of them having an altitude of less than 140 metres. Situated in the
Avilés estuary, in the Northern Central area of the Asturian coast, west of
Peñas Cape, is its national
seaport
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 Hamburg, Manc ...
.
Avilés is mainly an industrial city. It is close to popular beaches like Salinas. It also has important churches like
St. Thomas of Canterbury.
Avilés has also cultural spaces such as the
Palacio Valdés Theatre (in Spanish: ) or the
Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre (in Spanish: ).
History
Toponymy
The existence of the town proper is documented only in the latter
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages (historiography), Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start o ...
, although the
etymology
Etymology ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...
of the name "Avilés" is likely ancient. It is thought to come from a local
Roman landowner or likely a Romanized
Germanic warrior who settled there from/to the
Kingdom of the Suebi
The Kingdom of the Suebi (), also called the Kingdom of Galicia () or Suebi Kingdom of Galicia (), was a Germanic peoples, Germanic Migration Period, post-Roman kingdom that was one of the first to separate from the Roman Empire. Based in the fo ...
or
Visigothic Kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom, Visigothic Spain or Kingdom of the Goths () was a Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian kingdom that occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th centuries. One of the Germanic people ...
, as much
toponymy
Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' ( proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for a proper na ...
in northern Spain shares a Germanic origin named ''Abilius''.
Chronology
Archaeological excavations have shown that the area was already settled in the
upper palaeolithic
The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Very broadly, it dates to between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago (the beginning of the Holocene), according to some theories ...
era.
The first well known document is an endowment of two churches by Asturias King
Alfonso III, in 905. During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, it was one of the most important ports of the
Biscay Bay, trading mainly with
French ports, the main trade was salt. At this time, it had two nuclei: a fishermen's district, Sabugo, and the aristocratic centre, La Villa, standing each other across a small water inlet at the site of present-day Avilés' main Park. La Villa was surrounded by strong
walls
Walls may refer to:
*The plural of wall, a structure
* Walls (surname), a list of notable people with the surname
Places
* Walls, Louisiana, United States
* Walls, Mississippi, United States
*Walls, Ontario
Perry is a township (Canada), ...
, which demonstrated its strategic and commercial importance. On 15 January 1479 the
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Isabella I of Castile, Queen Isabella I of Crown of Castile, Castile () and Ferdinand II of Aragon, King Ferdinand II of Crown of Aragón, Aragon (), whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of ...
granted a free market on each Monday of the year, which still takes place. The importance of the town as a naval centre is supported by the building of ships with wood harvested from nearby forests, and with the participation of local sailors in the conquest of
Seville
Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...
by the
Castilian army, which is reflected in Avilés's
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
.
It is the birthplace of
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (; ; 15 February 1519 – 17 September 1574) was a Spanish admiral, explorer and conquistador from Avilés, in Asturias, Spain. He is notable for planning the first regular trans-oceanic convoys, which became known as ...
, a soldier in the army of
Felipe II, who explored
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
in the 16th century and founded in 1565 the first successful (continuously populated) European town in what is now the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
San Agustín (now St. Augustine, Florida). St. Augustine and Avilés are now sister cities. Avilés is also the birthplace of
Juan Carreño de Miranda, court painter to the king
Charles II.
The estuary, which had been closed to navigation since the early modern era, was partially drained and cleared in the 19th century. The water inlet dividing the place was covered, so that the two nuclei, Sabugo and La Villa, could be joined together. Then the city began to grow outside the medieval wall, which had been demolished in 1818. In the 20th century, there was an enormous growth in population due to the arrival of several large factories to the town. In 1953 were started the first earthworks for the construction of the factory of
ENSIDESA, a large steel mill, currently
Aceralia (part of
ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal S.A. is a Luxembourg-based multinational steel manufacturing corporation, headquartered in Luxembourg City. It is ranked second on the list of steel producers behind Baowu, and had an annual crude steel production of 58 millio ...
); other companies in the area are Cristalería Española, which together with ENDASA, currently
Alcoa
Alcoa Corporation (an acronym for "Aluminum Company of America") is an American industrial corporation. It is the world's eighth-largest producer of aluminum. Alcoa conducts operations in 10 countries. Alcoa is a major producer of primary alu ...
, transformed Avilés into one of Spain's industrial centres. Nowadays, the city is trying to focus on new industries, particularly cultural tourism, and recover its antique flavour.
Culture
Architecture
Sights include:
* St.
Thomas of Canterbury church (dating from the 13th century)
* Church of
Saint Nicholas of Bari (12th-13th century), in
Romanesque style
* , the sole example of civil medieval architecture in the town
*
Palacio de Llano Ponte (1700–1706)
* , fortified in its north façade against the English pirates
* , a 14th-century funerary monument in Romanesque-Gothic transition style
* Old church of Sabugo (13th century)
* , in Modernist style
*
Palacio Valdés Theatre, in Neobaroque style
Museums and arts centres
*
Museum of Avilés Urban History
* Black Pottery Museum
* Alfercam Museum, where visitors can find a combination of world musical instruments and vintage cars.
* , including the Bances Candamo public library, art gallery, reading and study areas.
* CMAE - - arts and exhibicion centre in ''El Arbolón'' area, not far from the town centre.
*
Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre, designed by the Brazilian architect
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was b ...
. It is a magnet for different personalities, including winners of the
Prince of Asturias Awards
The Princess of Asturias Awards (, ), formerly the Prince of Asturias Awards from 1981 to 2014 (), are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Princess of Asturias Foundation (previously the Prince of Asturias Foundation) to individuals ...
, the
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
, musicians, actors, the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
, etc.
Sculptures
Throughout the town there are sculptures in various styles: the set of sculptures in El Muelle park, specially the ''Pedro Menendez'' sculpture and (the seal); the set of sculptures along the
Avilés estuary; ''Avilés'' sculpture, and others such as , (The Man who Listens to the Stone), , , etc.
Feasts and traditions
Some of the most famous are:
In autumn:
* Feast of the (Autumn).
In winter:
* The (
Carnival
Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras.
Carnival typi ...
in
Asturian) which includes the ''.''
In spring:
* The ; the is a traditional cake—.
* Lunch in the street ().
*The .
In summer:
* The
Celsius 232, a terror, fantasy and science fiction literature festival.
* The
Interceltic Festival of Avilés, which takes place in summer, with people coming from all
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations or Celtic countries are a cultural area and collection of geographical regions in Northwestern Europe where the Celtic languages and cultural traits have survived. The term ''nation'' is used in its original sense to mean a ...
(
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
,
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
,
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
,
Galicia,
Asturias
Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
).
* Feast of
Saint Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman province), Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced th ...
(Avilés'
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...
).
* rock festival.
Festivals
*
Interceltic Festival of Avilés, which takes place in summer, with people coming from all
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations or Celtic countries are a cultural area and collection of geographical regions in Northwestern Europe where the Celtic languages and cultural traits have survived. The term ''nation'' is used in its original sense to mean a ...
(
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
,
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
,
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
,
Galicia,
Asturias
Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
).
*
Avilés International Cinema and Architecture Festival
* Beer Festival
*
Avilés Acción Film Festival, an international short film festival.
* organized from Sol Street.
* ''
IndieGo Alley Festival'', International Creative Commons film and music festival (live music, videoclips, experimental cinema and short films) organized in Palacio Valdés street. It takes place for one evening.
Climate
The area experiences an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
, warm summers with both overcast and sunny days. In winter the weather is moderate, with significant rains and wind, although sometimes the cold climate of Asturias results in snowfall at sea level. The temperature is rarely below zero or over . Summer highs are exceptionally low by Spanish standards due its heavy maritime features and northerly position in the country.
Politics
The first mayor of Avilés, after
the Spanish Transition, was Manuel Ponga Santamarta (
FSA-PSOE) (1979–1983) (1983–1987) (1987–1988), then Santiago Jesús Rodríguez Vega (
FSA-PSOE) (1988–1991) (1991–1995) (1999–2003) (2003–2007), Agustín Gonzalez Sánchez (
PP) (1995–1999), Pilar Varela Díaz (FSA-PSOE) (2007–2011) (2011–2015), and the current one María Virtudes Monteserín Rodríguez (
FSA-PSOE) (2015–2019) (2019–2023).
Economy
The
Port of Avilés is a
port facility in Avilés. It handles
bulk,
breakbulk,
liquid bulk and has facilities for
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
and leisure craft.
Parishes
*Avilés
*
La Madalena de Corros
*
San Cristóbal de Entreviñas
*
San Xuan de Nieva
*
Miranda
*
Valliniello
Notable people
*
Horacio Álvarez (1881–1936), politician, lawyer and journalist
*
Kily Álvarez (born 1984), footballer
*
Sergio Álvarez (born 1992), footballer
*
Iván Candela (born 1978), retired footballer
*
Juan Carreño de Miranda (1614–1685), painter
*
Yago Lamela (1977–2014), athlete
*
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés (; ; 15 February 1519 – 17 September 1574) was a Spanish admiral, explorer and conquistador from Avilés, in Asturias, Spain. He is notable for planning the first regular trans-oceanic convoys, which became known as ...
(1519–1574), admiral, explorer and first governor of Florida
*
Esteban de las Alas, governor of Florida (in the absence of Avilés) and
Santa Elena
*
Juan Treviño de Guillamas (d. before 1636), governor of Spanish Florida (1613–1618) and Venezuela (1621–1623).
Twin towns – sister cities
*
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Loire-Atlantique Departments of France, department in western France, in traditional Brittany.
The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Oc ...
, France
*
St. Augustine, United States
See also
*
Iglesia de Santa Bárbara (Llaranes)
References
Bibliography
* ''Paseo ilustrado por el casco histórico de Avilés'', Concejalía de Turismo, Ayuntamiento de Avilés, del Río, Alberto
* ''Avilés'', Ediciones: Mases, Ovies Ruiz, José Ramón
* ''Asturias a través de sus concejos'', Ediciones: Prensa Asturiana S.A.
* ''Heráldica Institucional y Vexilología del Principado de Asturias'', Ediciones: Principado de Asturias, Panizo Gómez, Eduardo
* ''Avilés, una historia de mil años'', Ediciones Azuzel, Juan Carlos de la Madrid
* ''Avilés, su fe y sus obras'', author's edition, Ángel Garralda García
* ''Gran Enciclopedia Asturiana'', Silverio Cañada, Several authors
External links
Municipality of AvilésAvifoto - pictures of the cityrequires flash)
Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aviles
Municipalities in Asturias
Port cities and towns on the Spanish Atlantic coast
*