Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality ...

in the

province of Pontevedra Pontevedra is a province of Spain along the country's Atlantic coast in southwestern Europe. The province forms the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Galicia. It is bordered by the provinces of A Coruña, Lugo, and Ourense, the c ...

, within the

autonomous community eu, autonomia erkidegoa ca, comunitat autònoma gl, comunidade autónoma oc, comunautat autonòma an, comunidat autonoma ast, comunidá autónoma , alt_name = , map = , category = Autonomous administr ...

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

, Spain. Located in the northwest of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...

, it sits on the southern shore of an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, the

Ria de Vigo Vigo Ria ( es, Ría de Vigo) and ( gl, Ría de Vigo) is an estuary in Galicia, Spain. It is the southernmost ria of the Rías Baixas. It is located south of the province of Pontevedra, and extends in a northeast direction over a distance of fr ...

, the southernmost of the

Rías Baixas The Rías Baixas ( Galician for "Lower Rias") are a series of four estuarine inlets located on the southwestern coast of Galicia, Spain. They are the Ría de Muros e Noia, the Ría de Arousa, the Ría de Pontevedra, and the Ría de Vigo.Mende ...

. The municipality, with an area of and a population of 299,321 on June 15, 2022 including rural parishes, is the most populous municipality in Galicia. The area of the municipality includes the

Cíes Islands The Cíes Islands ( gl, Illas Cíes, link=no; es, Islas Cíes, link=no) are an archipelago off the coast of Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain, Galicia, Spain, in the mouth of the Ria de Vigo. They were declared a Nature Reserve in 1980 and are includ ...

, part of the

Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park The Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park ( gl, Parque Nacional das Illas Atlánticas de Galicia, es, Parque Nacional de las Islas Atlánticas de Galicia) is the only national park located in the province of Pontevedra, in the autonomous com ...

. Vigo is one of the region's primary economic agents, owing to the French

Stellantis Vigo Plant The "Stellantis Vigo plant" (''Centro de Vigo de Stellantis'') is a Spanish car manufacturing and assembly plant in the Province of Pontevedra, Galicia, (Spain) owned by Stellantis (the successor of Groupe PSA). In April 1958, Citroën, respond ...

and to its

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 ...

. Close to the

Portugal–Spain border The Portugal–Spain border, also referred to as "The Stripe" ( es, La Raya, pt, A Raia, gl, A Raia, mwl, La Raia), is one of the oldest borders in the world. The current demarcation is almost identical to that defined in 1297 by the Treaty o ...

, Vigo is part of the

Galicia–North Portugal Euroregion The Galicia–North Portugal Euroregion is a cross-border Euroregion straddling Galicia (Spain) and the North Region (Portugal). It was established in 2008. This inter-regional co-operative effort has been shaped and justified both by the econ ...

. The

European Fisheries Control Agency The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) that co-ordinates the national operational activities in the area of fisheries, and assists the member states in their application of the Common Fisheries Pol ...

is headquartered in Vigo.

History

In the

Early Middle Ages The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the M ...

, the small village of Vigo was part of the territory of Galician-speaking neighbouring towns, particularly Tui, and suffered several

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and s ...

attacks. However, its number of inhabitants was so small that, historically, it was not considered a real villa until around the 15th century, when the earliest records began. Battle of Vigo bay october 23 1702

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was attacked several times. In 1585 and 1589, during an unsuccessful attack by the English counter-Armada,

Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 ...

raided the city and temporarily occupied it, burning many buildings. Several decades later a Turkish fleet tried to attack the city. As a result, the city's walls were built in 1656 in the reign of

Philip IV of Spain Philip IV ( es, Felipe, pt, Filipe; 8 April 160517 September 1665), also called the Planet King (Spanish: ''Rey Planeta''), was King of Spain from 1621 to his death and (as Philip III) King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. Philip is remembered ...

. They are still partially preserved. Plano de Vigo, Francisco Coello e Pascual Madoz, 1856

At this time, and in spite of the attacks, Vigo developed its earliest commerce and was given several privileges by the kings of Spain. In 1702, the

Battle of Vigo Bay The Battle of Vigo Bay, also known as the Battle of Rande (; ), was a naval engagement fought on 23 October 1702 during the opening years of the War of the Spanish Succession. The engagement followed an Anglo-Dutch attempt to capture the Spanish ...

occurred, and in 1719, because a Spanish fleet which departed from Vigo attempted to invade Scotland in support of the Jacobites, the city was occupied for ten days by a British force. In 1808, the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...

annexed Spain to the

Napoleonic Empire The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Eu ...

, although Vigo remained unconquered until January, 1809. Vigo was also the first city of Galicia to be freed from French rule, in what is annually celebrated on March 28 as the ''Reconquista'' (reconquest from the French in the context of the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spai ...

). In 1833, the city of

Pontevedra Pontevedra (, ) is a Spanish city in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula. It is the capital of both the ''Comarca'' (County) and Province of Pontevedra, and of the Rías Baixas in Galicia. It is also the capital of its own municipality wh ...

was designated the provincial capital of the

, within which lies Vigo. Vigo grew very rapidly in the 20th century, thanks to the fact that the Franco government granted it a tax-free zone in 1947 allowing companies to be set up there for free, as well as an Industrial Development Pole in 1964, a very unusual case for a non-capital of a Spanish province. Continuous urban-planning changes left Vigo less structured than other Galician cities such as

and

A Coruña A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and ...

Toponym

Bandera de la ciudad de Vigo (39023915704)

Vigo's urban area is built on both a hill-fort ('' Castro'') and a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

settlement. It is generally accepted that the name Vigo is derived from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the 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 the power ...

word ''

vicus In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (plural ) designated a village within a rural area () or the neighbourhood of a larger settlement. During the Republican era, the four of the city of Rome were subdivided into . In the 1st century BC, Augustus ...

spacorum'', meaning "small village". The standard pronunciation of Vigo in both Galician and Spanish is . Vigo has been given the nickname ''cidade olívica'' (city of olives). It is said that, after the conflict between Isabel de Castilla and

Juana la Beltraneja Joanna ''la Beltraneja'' (21 February 1462 – 12 April 1530) was a claimant to the throne of Castile, and Queen of Portugal as the wife of King Afonso V, her uncle. Birth and parentage King Henry IV of Castile married Joan of Portugal, da ...

- where Galician nobility fought for the latter - the victor ordered all of Galicia's

olive tree The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ' ...

s to be cut down, as they symbolized peace. The tree in Vigo however, couldn't be uprooted as it was planted in sacred ground. The tree is represented in the city seal, and a descendant of it is still alive in Vigo's city centre.

Geography

Location

To the northeast, Vigo borders the municipality of

Redondela Redondela is a town in the province of Pontevedra, Galicia, northwestern Spain. The most famous icons of the village are its two major railway viaducts built in the nineteenth century. Due to these infrastructures Redondela is known under the nic ...

; to the east, Mos; to the south,

O Porriño O Porriño (historically known in English as ) is a municipality in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. An industrial town, in the Vigo metropolitan area, it is an important economic dependency. One of its main industries is granite p ...

and Gondomar; and to the southwest,

Nigrán Nigrán is a municipality of Galicia, Spain in Pontevedra Province, within the metropolitan area of Vigo Vigo ( , , , ) is a city and municipality in the province of Pontevedra, within the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. Located in ...

. On the other side of the bay are the municipalities of Cangas and

Moaña Moaña is a municipality of 18,709 inhabitants located in Galicia, Spain in the province of Pontevedra. It is one of the five municipalities with Bueu, Cangas do Morrazo, Marin and Vilaboa that forms the peninsula of O Morrazo. This peninsula sepa ...

Climate

Vigo has a transitional climate between the

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 ...

"''Cfb''" and the

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

"''Csb''" according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

. Although Vigo is the rainiest city in Galicia, with its noticeable drying trend in the summer, Vigo's climate is more similar to the variant of the oceanic climate commonly seen in the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

region of North America. The average annual temperature in Vigo is . Compared to many other Galician towns, Vigo and

experience warmer summer temperatures than

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of S ...

and milder winters than inland areas. This is due to its sheltered location, surrounded by mountains and the Illas Cíes out in the bay towards the sea. The all-time record high for the city is set on August 7, 2016. Vigo is known for its extreme rainfall in winter. December 1978 saw fall at the weather station in a single month. During that month on 7th December, fell on a single day. Normal values for 1981-2010 was falling on just 129.2 days indicating heavy rain to be common. The airport where values are taken is located further inland at a considerably higher elevation () than the city itself located at the coastline in the

estuary, which is likely warmer year-round.

Demographics

The municipality of Vigo had 293,642 inhabitants in 2018 (198,537 in the city) with an extended metropolitan population of 478,508, in the southern part of the

making it Spain's 14th-largest metropolitan area. In 2020 - according to the data provided by the INE on 1 January 2020 - it had a population of 482,858 inhabitants in total, of which 296,692 lived in the municipality of Vigo, which represented 61.44% of the total population of the metropolitan area.In 2019, 15,319 foreigners lived in the city, 5.2% of the total population. The main nationalities are

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Port ...

(12%),

Venezuelans Venezuelans ( Spanish: ''venezolanos'') are the citizens identified with the country of Venezuela. This connection may be through citizenship, descent or cultural. For most Venezuelans, many or all of these connections exist and are the source o ...

(9.2%),

Brazilians Brazilians ( pt, Brasileiros, ) are the citizens of Brazil. A Brazilian can also be a person born abroad to a Brazilian parent or legal guardian as well as a person who acquired Brazilian citizenship. Brazil is a multiethnic society, which me ...

(9%),

Romanians The Romanians ( ro, români, ; dated exonym '' Vlachs'') are a Romance-speaking ethnic group. Sharing a common Romanian culture and ancestry, and speaking the Romanian language, they live primarily in Romania and Moldova. The 2011 Roman ...

(7.5%),

Colombians Colombians ( es, Colombianos) are people identified with the country of Colombia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Colombians, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the sour ...

(6.5%),

Senegalese Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

(4%) and

Chinese people The Chinese people or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation. Chinese people are known as Zhongguoren () or as Huaren () by speakers of sta ...

(3%). By language, according to 2013 data, 7.68% of the population spoke exclusively in Galician, and 51.39% in Spanish; 11.38% spoke in Galician more often than Spanish, and 29.55% more often in Spanish than Galician. This made Vigo the least Galician-speaking city in Galicia. The creation of Vigo Metropolitan Area was approved in 2016 and, in addition to Vigo, it originally accounted for the following 13 municipalities: Baiona, Cangas,

Fornelos de Montes Fornelos de Montes is a municipality in Galicia, in the province of Pontevedra, Spain. It is composed of seven parishes: Calvos, Stakes, Fornelos de Montes (San Lorenzo), Lage, Oitaven (San Vicente), Traspielas (Santa Maria), and Ventin (San Migue ...

, Gondomar,

, Mos,

, Pazos de Borbén,

Salceda de Caselas Salceda de Caselas is a municipality in Galicia, Spain, in the province of Pontevedra. It is bordered to the north by the municipality of Ponteareas, to the southeast by the municipality of Salvaterra de Miño, to the southwest by the municipality ...

, Salvaterra de Miño and

Soutomaior : ''For the former Formula-1 driver see Nelson Piquet Souto Maior'' Soutomaior is a municipality in the province of Pontevedra, autonomous community of Galicia, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = E ...

. It has been however suspended since its creation. The

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been ...

's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy assigns Vigo a wider functional urban area (FUA), with 21 municipalities and a population of 541,000 inhabitants.

Government and administration

Vigo is a

, the basic level of local government in Spain. The

Ayuntamiento ''Ayuntamiento'' ()In other languages of Spain: * ca, ajuntament (). * gl, concello (). * eu, udaletxea (). is the general term for the town council, or ''cabildo'', of a municipality or, sometimes, as is often the case in Spain and Latin Amer ...

(''concello'' in Galician) is the body charged with the municipal government and administration. The Plenary of the ''concello'' is formed by 27 elected municipal councillors, who in turn invest the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

. The last municipal election took place on 26 May 2019, leading to a plenary formed by 20 councillors from the Socialists' Party of Galicia–PSOE, 4 from the People's Party, 2 from the Marea de Vigo and 1 from the

Galician Nationalist Bloc The Galician Nationalist Bloc ( gl, Bloque Nacionalista Galego, BNG ) is a political alliance of left-wing Galician nationalist parties. It is self-defined as a "patriotic front". Formed in 1982, under the guidance of historical leader Xosé Ma ...

. The current mayor is

Abel Caballero Abel Ramón Caballero Álvarez (born 2 September 1946) is a Spanish professor of Economics and since June 2007, the current Mayor of Vigo, representing PSdeG-PSOE . Since 19 September 2015, he has also served as the president of the Spanish Fed ...

(

Spanish Socialist Workers Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( es, Partido Socialista Obrero Español ; PSOE ) is a social-democraticThe PSOE is described as a social-democratic party by numerous sources: * * * * political party in Spain. The PSOE has been in gove ...

), who has won four mandates in a row since becoming mayor in 2007.

Parishes

Vigo is administratively divided into 23 '' parroquias'' ("parishes"). Vigo parroquias

# Alcabre: Ameixeira, Barreiro, Carregal, Castañal, Cristo, Forte, Gándara, Igrexa, Pardaíña, Roade, Sobreira, Viñagrande # Beade: Babio, Balde, Carballo do Pazo, Coutada, Gándara, Porto, A Pena, Quintián, O Seixo, A Venda, Sáa # Bembrive: Baruxans, Carballal, Chans, Xestoso, Mosteiro, Outeiro, San Cibrán, Segade, Areeiro, Eifonso, Mouteira, Recaré, Xesteira # Bouzas # Cabral: Becerreira, Carballal, Sello, Figueiras # Candeán: Igrexa, Candeán de Arriba, Rabadeira, Fonte Oscura # Castrelos: Alvite, Castreliños, Costa, Chantada, Espedrigada o Pereiró, A Pousa, Falcoa, Macal, Pazó, Portoloureiro, Viloura # Coia # Comesaña: Casas, Cocheiros, Comesaña, Eidos, Igrexa, Muíños, Pazo, Pedra Branca, Pedreira, Pereiras, Ponte, Romeu, Rodeira, Sanin, Tombo, Viña da Veiga # Coruxo: Roteas, Río, Molans, Cean, Fontela, Breadouro, Silveira, Combro, Calzada, Cotarelo, Romeu, Verdeal, Melcas, Taberna, Burdes, Abade, Igrexa, Quintas, Carballal, Rozo, Coto de Arriba, Coto de Abaixo, Carrasqueira, Muiños, Gándara, Longra, Luz, Bouzas, Tarrío, Gato, San Lourenzo, Torre de Abaixo, Torre de Arriba, Laxes, Viño, Pedreira, Parrocha, Fragoselo, Tintureira # Freixeiro: Mantelas, A Salgueira, Riobó # Lavadores: Arriero, A Bagunda, Barreiro, Cambeses, A Ceboleira, O Couto, Gandariña, Gandarón, Naia, Pardavila, Riomaio, San Paio de Abaixo, San Paio, Igrexa # Matamá: Balsa, Balvis, Barxa, Beirán, Campos, Carapuxa, Carneiras, Dehesa, Castro, Igrexa, Lagarella, Moo, Outeiro, Parada, Pazos, Pereiro, Revolta, Rivas, Ribelas, Roupeiro, San Amaro, Vilar # Navia: Devesa, Gándara, Goberna, Pereiras, Quintela, Redondo, Samil, Tomada, Torre, Xuncal #

Oia Oia or OIA may refer to: Places *Oia, Spain, a municipality in Galicia, in the province of Pontevedra *Oia, Greece, a small town on the island of Santorini *Oia, alternate name of Oea (Attica), a town of ancient Attica *Oia, alternate name of Oe ...

: Bouzo, Cabo Estai, Canido Praia, Carretera Cortada, Cerqueiro, Cruceiro, Curras, Eiras, Estea, Esteriz, Estomada, Figueiras, Gontade, Grades, Hermida, Igrexa, Loureiro, Estación, Lantexa, Lavandeira, Liñares, A Maris, Matoca, Mide, Oia, Outeiro, Poza, Rochas, Rozo, Senra de Arriba, Senra de Abaixo, Silval, Toxal, Toucido, Verdella, Xistro # Saiáns: Carballido, Cal do Outeiro, Garcias, Aral, Fontán, Gándara, Cova da Becha, Curbeira, Horta, Orxas, Castañal, Borreiros, Portiño, Tomada, San Xurxo, Capela, Misarelas, Estea, Pinal, Budiases, Souto, Cova da Barxa, Domeira, Cachoa, Dovesa, Fortiñon, Gondufe, Volta, Vilaverde # San Paio # San Xoán do Monte # Sárdoma # Teis: Cacharela, Mouta, Ferreira, Paradela, Fervenza, Ríos, Travesán, Presa, Chumba, Igrexa, Trapa, Arnel, Praixal, Rorís, Balbarda, A Guía, Oliveira, Espiñeiro, Frian, Santa Tegra, Bellavista, Calzada, Coutadas, Os Caños, Tovel, A Rabuda, Guixar, Barrio das Frores, Montecelo # Valadares # Vigo centro # Zamáns: Casal de Abade, Cidáns, A Igrexa (San Mamede), As Lagoas, Marcosende, A Menda, Paredes, Vilariño, Vilaverde, Erville.

Main sights

An industrial and recent city, Vigo has few remarkable old buildings but is home to the Co-Cathedral of Santa María and several museums, most of which were inaugurated between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Among them are the Museum of Contemporary Art (MARCO) and the Museum of the Sea. The oldest museum is the Quiñones de León Municipal Museum. The most important historic centre of the region is located in its capital and rival city,

* Casco Vello (historic centre) * Porta do Sol, Policarpo Sanz and Alameda area (modern centre) * Príncipe and Urzaiz Streets (commercial area) * Celtic Castro ruins * Castro fortress * Collegiate church of Santa Maria de Vigo

Museums

* Naturnova Museum: Museum dedicated to the environment. Interactive contents. * Museum of the Sea: Museum dedicated to the Sea, and to tinned food and to naval. Important building designed by famous architects

Aldo Rossi Aldo Rossi (3 May 1931 – 4 September 1997) was an Italian architect and designer who achieved international recognition in four distinct areas: architectural theory, drawing and design and also product design. He was one of the leading expon ...

and

Cesar Portela Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * Ces ...

. * Museum of Contemporary Art, Vigo: One of the most important museums of Contemporary Art in Spain. * Museum of Castrelos. * Verbum, Casa das Palabras. A museum dedicated to languages and communication. Important building designed by famous architect Cesar Portela. *Pinacoteca de Vigo * Galician Center of Photography * Ethnographic Museum Liste * Pedro Barrié de la Maza Foundation

Romanesque architecture of Vigo

The municipality of Vigo is not only one of the major industrial cities in Galicia, but it is also one of the more important Roman centers of

. Although within the city one will not find much Romanesque architecture, it can be seen a few kilometers away from the city center. In many of the municipality's neighborhoods and parishes a large number of Roman ruins remain. Such is the importance of the Roman remains in Vigo that many Spanish authors have come to coin the term ''Romanesque Vigo'' (''románico vigués'' in Spanish). Vigo retains some interesting examples of Romanesque churches in southern Galicia: * Santa María de Castrelos * Santiago de Bembrive * San Salvador de Coruxo

Beaches

Throughout the municipality of Vigo there are 47 coves and beaches, including sandy areas with waves for water sports, wild coves, family beaches, nudist beaches and urban beaches. Some of these coves and beaches have various facilities or services for their users, such as sports areas, showers, footbaths, public address system, promenade, Red Cross lifeguard and rescue post, areas adapted for people with disabilities, etc. In June 2020, the Association for Environmental and Consumer Education (ADEAC) awarded the blue flag distinction to the following 10 beaches in Vigo: Argazada, Canido, Carril, Fontaíña, Muíños de Fortiñón, Punta, Rodas,

Samil SAMIL Trucks (South African MILitary) are the standard logistical transport vehicles of the South African National Defence Force (and its predecessor the South African Defence Force). SAMILs are currently re-manufactured by Truck-Makers in Ros ...

, Tombo do Gato and Vao.

Transport

;Airport Vigo is served by Vigo-Peinador Airport (VGO/LEVX). Located 12 kilometres to the east of the city of Vigo, straddling halfway the municipalities of Vigo,

and Mos, it offers 7 domestic destinations. ;Ferry A ferry service operates between the Port of Vigo and the towns of Cangas and Moaña as well as the

, 15 kilometres away from the city, part of the

, the only National Park in Galicia, which includes

Ons Island The Ons Island ( gl, Illa de Ons; es, Isla de Ons) is the main island of a small archipelago in the Ria de Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain. Ons belongs administratively to the municipality of Bueu, which has a regular ferry boat connection to the i ...

in the Pontevedra Bay. ;Rail transport The Urzáiz and Guixar railway stations serve Vigo, allowing direct connections to the rest of Galicia as well as to

Porto Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropo ...

across the border in Portugal. ;Road

European route E01 European route E1 is a series of roads in Europe, part of the United Nations International E-road network, running from Larne, Northern Ireland to Seville, Spain. There is a sea crossing between Rosslare Harbour, in Ireland, and Ferr ...

goes through the town. This highway goes south through Lisbon and north to the

area. The A-52 road goes inland, east to

Ourense Ourense (; es, Orense ) is a city and capital of the province of Ourense, located in the autonomous community of Galicia, northwestern Spain. It is on the Camino Sanabrés path of the Way of St James ( Camino de Santiago), and is crossed by t ...

and

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), an ...

from

. A branch of the AP-9 Motorway connects Vigo to Portugal in the south and with

and

Ferrol Ferrol may refer to: Places * Ferrol (comarca), a coastal region in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain * Ferrol, Spain, industrial city and naval station in Galicia, Spain ** Racing de Ferrol, an association football club * Ferrol, Romblon, municipality in ...

in the north. ;Public transport Urban transport is provided by buses by Vitrasa Transportation.

Economy

Vigo is characterized by a diversified economy linked to the fishing sector, industry, trade, tourism and services. It is often considered with

one of the economic and industrial engines of Galicia.

Fishing sector

Vigo is the home port of many of the world's largest fishing companies, such as

Pescanova Pescanova, S.A. was the main company of a fishing group of companies based in Redondela, Galicia. The Pescanova group operated in 24 countries with approximately 12,400 employees. In April 2013, the company filed for bankruptcy due to liquidity p ...

and Iberconsa and the most important centre of the Galician canned and processed fish industries. The fishing sector in Vigo generates more than 32,000 direct and indirect jobs and a turnover of more than 1 billion euros per year. More than 660 fishing vessels are registered in the port of Vigo, making it one of the main ports for the marketing of fresh fish for human consumption in the world, with around 800,000 tonnes per year. Vigo regularly hosts congresses and trade fairs related to industrial fishing, such as the World Tuna Conference (biannually), Conxemar (annually), or the World Fishing Exhibition (which was held periodically from 1973 to 2009). Vigo is home of the

Industry

Vigo is one of the leading industrial areas in Galicia, with a car factory, shipyards, and auxiliary industry in both automotive and marine sectors. Situated in Vigo since 1958, the Stellantis Plant is one of the largest employers in the region. In 2007, it produced a total of 545,000 vehicles, of which more than 82% were sold outside Spain. Biotech and other advanced industries play an important role on Vigo's economy. The publishing industry in Galician is prominent in the city, with Editorial Galaxia and Editorial Xerais.

Port of Vigo

The

Port of Vigo Port of Vigo ( gl, Porto de Vigo, es, Puerto de Vigo) located in Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain is the biggest fishing port in the world and one of the busiest in transportation. It is home of the world's largest fishing company, Pescanova. ...

covers a length of more than 20 km and offers more than 9 km of docks. The largest port traffic is general freight, highlighting

container A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping. Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...

traffic,

RO-RO Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using ...

vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles ( motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles ( trains, trams ...

s (the second in Spain in Ro-Ro traffic for new vehicles), natural

stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

and

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies und ...

(the first of Spain in

traffic),

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of ligni ...

and preserved

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ...

Education

The main campus of the

University of Vigo The University of Vigo ( gl, Universidade de Vigo) is a public university located in the city of Vigo in the Province of Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain. There are three campuses: * Campus of Vigo in Lagoas-Marcosende, between the municipalities of V ...

is located on top of one of the mountains that surrounds the town, in the parish of Zamáns. The local transportation service Vitrasa enables shuttles in order to communicate the campus with the town. The majority of the students of the university come from Vigo itself and from other towns and villages in Galicia and can choose from a wide range of studies, with a focus on ocean studies and engineering. The University of Vigo was founded in 1990 as split from the

University of Santiago de Compostela The University of Santiago de Compostela - USC ( gl, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela - USC, es, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela - USC) is a public university located in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. A second ...

and has two additional campuses located in

and

. The Zamáns Campus features several buildings that constitute excellent examples of modern architecture that blends in with the shape of the mountain in which it is located. These buildings were projected by the likes of

Enric Miralles Enric Miralles Moya (12 February 1955 – 3 July 2000) was a Spanish architect from Barcelona. He graduated from the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in 1978. After establishing ...

, Alfonso Penelas, Pilar Díez y Alberto Noguerol César Portela, Gabriel Santos Zas and César Padrón.

Culture

Language

Vigo has two official languages: Galician and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

, being the latter the most used nowadays due to the cultural

repression Repression may refer to: * Memory inhibition, the ability to filter irrelevant memories from attempts to recall * Political repression, the oppression or persecution of an individual or group for political reasons * Psychological repression, the p ...

and substitution imposed by

Franco Franco may refer to: Name * Franco (name) * Francisco Franco (1892–1975), Spanish general and dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975 * Franco Luambo (1938–1989), Congolese musician, the "Grand Maître" Prefix * Franco, a prefix used when ...

's fascist regime.

Music

'' A movida viguesa'' was a hedonistic cultural movement akin to the '' Movida madrileña'' that took place in Vigo during the 1980s triggered by the explosion of liberties after the death of dictator

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 19 ...

. The most important artists of this postmodern movement were musicians; particularly punk and new wave bands such as '' Siniestro Total'', '' Golpes Bajos'', ''

Aerolíneas Federales Aerolíneas Federales was a Spanish pop/rock band from the decade of the 1980s. It was formed in Vigo, Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a ...

'', ''Semen Up'' or ''

Os Resentidos Os Resentidos (The Resentfuls) was a Galician rock band from Vigo, Spain founded in 1982 by Antón Reixa, Alberto Torrado, Rubén Losada, and Javier Soto. In 1985, Javier later left the band, being replaced by Xabier Debesa. The leader of the ba ...

''. At the moment, the city still has notorious bands like

Iván Ferreiro Iván Ferreiro Rodríguez (born 15 August 1970) is a Spanish singer-songwriter born in Vigo, Galicia. He was the voice, leader and composer of the popular pop-rock band Los Piratas. Career After Los Piratas split, by late 2003, Iván kept pl ...

(ex-singer of

Los Piratas Los Piratas was a Spanish rock band from Vigo, founded in 1991. They were considered one of the most influential groups in the pop and rock scenes in Spain. They released five studio albums (one of them a gold record), two live albums, three ...

) and Mon.

Media and entertainment

Vigo has two daily newspapers; the ''

Faro de Vigo ''Faro de Vigo'' is a Spanish daily newspaper for the town of Vigo. It is the oldest Spanish newspaper in circulation. The word "faro" means lighthouse. History and profile ''Faro de Vigo'' was published for the first time on November 3, 1853 ...

'', the oldest newspaper in Spain still in circulation, and the ''

Atlántico Diario ''Atlántico Diario'' is a Spanish language daily newspaper for the Vigo metropolitan area of Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman ...

'', a little local newspaper. There also exist a local edition of the Galician main headline newspaper "

La Voz de Galicia ''La Voz de Galicia'' ( en, The Voice of Galicia) is a Spanish daily newspaper owned by the Corporación Voz de Galicia. ''La Voz'' is highest circulation newspaper in Galicia and the eighth-highest circulation general-interest daily newspaper ...

". Vigo was also the main location of historic newspaper such as the weekly newspaper "

A Nosa Terra ''A Nosa Terra'' (in en, Our Land, italic=yes) was a Galician newspaper in Galician language, first founded in 1907 in A Coruña, Spain. It has been published in different periods. Periods 1907 - 1908 ''A Nosa Terra'', was a bilingual Sp ...

", which was published in Galician and is now defunct. Vigo also has a TV local station: "Televigo". Although not very popular, it is known thanks to the town mayor,

, who has a show in which he answers to questions and inquiries submitted by the citizens. Radio coverage includes RNE —the Spanish public radio network—, Radio Galega —a Galician government-supported radio in Galician language—, and some private-owned stations ("Radio Vigo - Cadena Ser", "Radio Voz Vigo", "Radio ECCA", and so on). Around the 2000s, several online news websites emerged (for example, "riadevigo.com") besides of the traditional media homepages. Vigo also participated in the Europeanwide free newspapers rush led by "

Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urban ...

" and some free journals were published in the 1990s and 2000s: " 20 minutos", "Gaceta Universitaria", "Redacción Xove", etcetera. "España Exterior" is also printed in Vigo. The locally produced award-winning feature movie ''

Mondays In The Sun ''Mondays in the Sun'' ( es, Los lunes al sol, links=no) is a 2002 drama film directed by Fernando León de Aranoa, starring Javier Bardem, Luis Tosar and José Ángel Egido. The film depicts the degrading effects of unemployment on a group of me ...

'' (original title ''Los lunes al sol'') depicts the life of several men who have lost their work at the

. This film is not based on a single individual's experiences but on the perceived collective experiences of many local port workers.

Sports

Daniel Wass - RC Celta de Vigo - WMES 01

Vigo has one of the most important women's basketball team in Spain,

Celta Celta is Galician, Portuguese and Spanish for the Celts. It may also refer to: * Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults CELTA is an initial teacher training qualification for teaching English as a second or foreign language (ESL ...

, more commonly referred to today by its sponsorship name of Celta Indepo. They usually compete in the top league of women's basketball, having won the championship three times. For the season 2012–2013, and following a number of economic problems, the team will play in the Spanish women basketball second division. Vigo has a football team, Real Club Celta de Vigo, which (as of 2019–20) plays in

La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...

. The women's team from the area, Federación Viguesa de Peñas Recreativas El Olivo, was the first team from Galicia to compete in the Women's Primera División. The ''

'' offer an excellent environment for nautical sports. Institutions such as the ''Real Club Nautico de Vigo'' (RCNV), founded in 1906, and the Liceo Marítimo de Bouzas (LMB), founded in 1907, are good examples of promotion of the nautical sports, especially sailing. Regata en la Ria de Vigo (1827331441)

The RCNV organises important events like Atlantic Week, which in September 2006 included the World Championship of the Platu 25 class. Every August, the RCNV also organises one of the largest sailboat races in the Iberian peninsula: the ''Regata Rías Baixas''. In 2006 more than 130 different boats participated. The Liceo Maritimo de Bouzas (LMB) is a yacht club which counts around 400 associates. The LMB has a long and intense history of sailing and recreational fishing. The LMB organizes two important regattas in the Galician sailing calendar: the ''Regata Vila de Bouzas'' and a ''Regata de Solitarios y a Dos''. The ''Regata Vila de Bouzas'' honours the neighbourhood where the LMB is located. The ''Regata de Solitarios y a Dos'' is for crews of one and two members. It is a difficult race with two stages; the first consists of a race through the coastal bay of Vigo while the second stage is a longer race around the

Cies Islands The International Centre for Sports Studies, known mostly by the initials CIES from the French ''Centre International d'Etude du Sport'', is an independent, research and education organization, located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It had a resear ...

(and/or Ons Islands).

Notable people

* Amparo Alonso Betanzos, Spanish computer scientist *

Dores André Dores André Rodríguez (born 1985) is a Spanish ballet dancer. She is currently a principal dancer at the San Francisco Ballet. Early life André was born in Vigo, Spain, to a professor and a doctor. When she was eleven, she was sent to a small ...

, ballet dancer *

José María de Azcárate José María de Azcárate y Ristori (1919–2001) was a Spanish art historian, author, researcher, curator, and professor, specializing in medieval Castilian art and Renaissance sculpture. Biography Born 18 April 1919 in Vigo, in the province o ...

, art historian, author, researcher, curator, and professor, specializing in

medieval 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 a ...

Castilian art and

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass id ...

sculpture. Born in Vigo. *

Antonio M. Pérez Antonio Manuel Pérez (born 1947) is a businessman from Spain, former CEO of Eastman Kodak Company, based in Rochester, New York, in the United States. Education An American citizen born in Vigo, Spain, Perez studied electronic engineering, ...

, CEO of

Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

* Carlos Núñez, musician * Méndez Núñez, military officer * Concepcion Picciotto, peace activist * Francisco Marcó del Pont, last governor of Chile under Spanish rule * Iago Falque, footballer *

, singer-songwriter * Manuel Manquiña, actor *

Martín Codax Martin Codax or Codaz, Martín Codax () or Martim Codax () was a Galician medieval ''joglar'' (non-noble composer and performer, as opposed to a ''trobador''), possibly from Vigo, Galicia in present-day Spain. He may have been active during th ...

, poet *

Domingo Villar Domingo Villar (6 March 1971 – 18 May 2022) was a Galician crime writer. Biography He was born and raised in Vigo, Galicia, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg ...

, author *

Ramón Souto Ramón Souto Caride (born April 21, 1976 in Vigo, Spain) is a Spanish composer. He is the founder of the Spanish chamber orchestra ''Vertixe Sonora Ensemble''. Biography Caride graduated from C.S.M. Vigo and C.L.E.M. Barcelona and went on to c ...

, composer *

Ricardo Mella Ricardo Mella Cea (April 13, 1861 – August 7, 1925) was one of the first writers, intellectuals and anarchist activists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Spain. He was characterized as an erudite in various subjects and versed in ...

, anarchist activist * Ignacio Ramonet Miguez, journalist and activist, editor-in-chief of ''

Le Monde Diplomatique ''Le Monde diplomatique'' (meaning "The Diplomatic World" in French) is a French monthly newspaper offering analysis and opinion on politics, culture, and current affairs. The publication is owned by Le Monde diplomatique SA, a subsidiary com ...

'' (1991-2008) * Roberto Losada Rodríguez, footballer * Serafín Avendaño, painter *

Manuel Porzner Manuel Porzner (born 25 February 1996) is a German racing cyclist, who currently rides for German amateur team RSG Ansbach. He rode for in the men's team time trial event at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships. Major results ;2013 : 6th Ove ...

, cyclist *

Manuela Velasco Manuela Velasco Díez (born 23 October 1975) is a Spanish actress and television presenter. She is known for playing Ángela Vidal in the horror franchise ''REC'' (2007–2014), which won her a Goya Award—Spain's equivalent to the Oscars—a ...

, actress

In popular culture

*Vigo Bay is one of the settings for

Jules Verne Jules Gabriel Verne (;''Longman Pronunciation Dictionary''. ; 8 February 1828 – 24 March 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. His collaboration with the publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel led to the creation of the ''Voyages extraord ...

's novel ''

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-J ...

''. The book's protagonist,

Captain Nemo Captain Nemo (; later identified as an Indian, Prince Dakkar) is a fictional character created by the French novelist Jules Verne (1828–1905). Nemo appears in two of Verne's science-fiction classics, '' Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' ...

, draws his wealth and the funding for his submarine ''Nautilus'' from the cargoes of the galleons sunk by the British during the

in 1702. They are depicted as still having their treasure and as being easily accessible to divers. *In the novel and the movie ''

Das Boot ''Das Boot'' (, English: "The Boat") is a 1981 West German war film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by Günter Rohrbach, and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann. It has been exhibited both ...

'', set during World War II, the German submarine ''U-96'' stops in Vigo under cover of darkness to resupply (in secret, as Spain is neutral) from a German cargo ship stationed there for this purpose.

International relations

;Twin towns and sister cities Vigo has reached twin town, sister city agreements with: * 1983 —

Lorient Lorient (; ) is a town ('' commune'') and seaport in the Morbihan department of Brittany in western France. History Prehistory and classical antiquity Beginning around 3000 BC, settlements in the area of Lorient are attested by the presen ...

(France). * 1984 —

Narsaq Narsaq is a town in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. The name ''Narsaq'' is Kalaallisut for "Plain", referring to the shore of Tunulliarfik Fjord where the town is located. History People have lived in the area for thousands o ...

(Greenland). * 1986 —

(Portugal). * 1992 —

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the Capital city, capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata ...

(Argentina). * 2014 –

Pánd Pánd is a village in Pest county, Hungary. Location Pánd is located between the towns of Káva and Tápióbicske along the minor road connecting Nagykáta and Monor. It is almost entirely located in the valleys of Őr Hill and Dobos Hill. ...

(Hungary). *

Victoria de Durango Durango City (, stp, Korian), officially Victoria de Durango is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Durango. The city, which is located in Northern Mexico has a population of 654,876 as of the 2015 census, and sits at an altitude ...

(Mexico). *

Caracas Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...

(Venezuela). *

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in the au ...

(Spain).

References

External links

*
Official city site

{{authority control Jules Verne Municipalities in the Province of Pontevedra Populated coastal places in Spain Port cities and towns on the Spanish Atlantic coast