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The Virgen Blanca ( Basque : Andre Maria Zuria, English : White Virgin) is the patron saint of the Spanish city Vitoria-Gasteiz (a city in the north east part of Spain, capital of the Basque Autonomous Community ). Its festivity is celebrated on 5 August, commonly known as Andre Maria Zuriaren jaiak or las fiestas de la Blanca .

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70-692: The history of the White Virgin begins with the creation of the city by King Sancho VI of Navarre in 1181. In the 17th century the Virgen Blanca brotherhood was created in order to promote the devotion of the city's patron saint. In 1921 it officially became patron saint of the city and in 1954 it was crowned as the city's "queen". The figure that it is located in San Miguel's Church in Virgen Blanca Square . San Miguel's Church

140-548: A Contemporary Culture Centre, conjures up the former industrial past of the area. Right opposite to this building lies the Cristina Enea park, a public compound with a botanic vocation. Egia holds the city cemetery, Polloe, at the north-east fringes of the district, stretching out to South Intxaurrondo. This part (meaning 'walnut tree' in Basque) is a large district to the east of the city. The original nucleus lies between

210-761: A Parisian Haussmannian style. The arcades of the Buen Pastor square were modelled upon those of the Rue de Rivoli , while the Maria Cristina Bridge was inspired by the Pont Alexandre III that crosses the Seine. The Estación del Norte train station standing directly across the bridge was inaugurated in 1864, just after the arrival of the railway to San Sebastián. Its metallic roof was designed by Gustave Eiffel . San Sebastián's central bus station

280-581: A neoclassical Parisian style, and Goicoa designed several elegant buildings, such as the Miramar Palace and La Concha Promenade. The city was chosen by the Spanish monarchy as a summer retreat following the French example of nearby Biarritz , and Spanish nobility and the diplomatic corps opened residences in the town. As the "wave baths" at La Concha were in conflict with nearby shipbuilding activity,

350-423: A string of regional sentences upheld by royal decision (regional diets of Zestoa 1527, Hondarribia 1557, Bergara 1558, Tolosa 1604 and Deba 1662). Meanwhile, the climate of war and disease left the town in a poor condition that drove many fishermen and traders to take to the sea as corsairs as a way of getting a living, most of the times under the auspices of the king Philip II of Spain , who benefited from

420-419: Is 188,102 as of 2021, with its metropolitan area reaching 436,500 in 2010. Locals call themselves donostiarra (singular), both in Spanish and Basque . It is also a part of Basque Eurocity Bayonne-San Sebastián . The economic activities in the city are dominated by the service sector , with an emphasis on commerce and tourism , as San Sebastián has long been well-known as a tourist destination . Despite

490-520: Is a district of San Sebastián on the right side of the Urumea beyond the train station. At the beginning of the 20th century, a patch of land by the railway started to be used as a football pitch, eventually turning into the official stadium of the local team Real Sociedad before it was transferred in the 1990s to Anoeta, south of Amara Berri (nowadays the site harbours houses). The former tobacco factory building Tabakalera , which has been converted into

560-536: Is built on the sandy terrain across the river from the old town. In the 19th century, shanties and workshops began to appear in this area, which was eventually named for Tomás Gros, one of the main proprietors. The former monumental bullring in the area, Chofre , was demolished in 1973, and the site is now occupied by a housing estate. A relatively recent major landmark of the district is the Kursaal Congress Centre overlooking Zurriola Beach. One of

630-499: Is derived from Latin domine ; the second part of Donostia contains a shortened form of the saint's name. There are two hypotheses regarding the evolution of the Basque name: one says it was *Done Sebastiáne > Donasa(b)astiai > Donasastia > Donastia > Donostia , the other one says it was *Done Sebastiane > *Done Sebastiae > *Done Sebastie > *Donesebastia > *Donasastia > *Donastia > Donostia . The city

700-514: Is located in the north of the Basque Country , on the south-eastern coast of the Bay of Biscay . San Sebastián has three beaches , Concha, Ondarreta, and Zurriola, and is surrounded by hilly areas: Urgull (adjacent to the old part of the city), Mount Ulia (extending east to Pasaia ), Mount Adarra (south of the city) and Igeldo (overlooking Concha Bay from the west). San Sebastián lies at

770-457: Is located underground adjacent to the train station. The Parte Vieja (Spanish) or Alde Zaharra (Basque) — Old Town – is the traditional core area of the city, and was surrounded by walls until 1863, when they were demolished in order to occupy the stretch of sand and land that connected the town to the mainland. A part of these walls is still standing at the exit from the Old Town towards

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840-675: Is now the Old Part of the city, according to excavations carried out in the convent of Santa Teresa, on the slopes of Urgull . San Sebastián is thought to have been in the territory of the Varduli tribe in the Roman times. 10 km (6 mi) east of the current city lay the Basque Roman town of Oiasso ( Irun ) which was subsequently incorrectly identified with San Sebastián for some time by many historians. No written records about

910-541: Is one of four churches from the Middle Ages in Vitoria. The figure was made by Alejandro Valdivieso in 1854. In 2008, a copy of it was made in order to protect the figure from the weather and from vandalism. The Andre Maria Zuriaren Jaiak/Fiestas de la Virgen Blanca have been celebrated every year, since 1884. It is held on 5 August, but the celebrations begin the day before, on the 4th, and end on 9 August it honours

980-603: The Pact of San Sebastián , leading to the Second Spanish Republic . Unrest and repression did not stop with the new political regime, and large-scale industrial action was called several times by the growing anarchist, communist and socialist unions. The 1936 military coup was initially defeated by the resistance, led by the Basque Nationalists , anarchists and communists, but later that same year

1050-518: The mouth of the Urumea river, and it was in large part built on the river's wetlands during the last two centuries. The city centre and the districts of Amara Berri and Riberas de Loiola lie on the former riverbed, which was diverted to its current canalized course in the first half of the 20th century. San Sebastián features an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) with warm summers and cool winters. Like many cities with this climate, San Sebastián typically experiences cloudy or overcast conditions for

1120-443: The 1960s and 1970s led to rapid and chaotic housing and building activity, resulting in a maze of grey landscape of skyscrapers with a population of 32,531 in 1970. The population is 20,000 as of 2013 . Ibaeta stands on the former location for various factories (e.g., Cervezas El León) of San Sebastián, with the buildings of the old industrial estate being demolished in the late 20th century. The levelling of this large flat area paved

1190-503: The Accord of Soria , Castile was eventually confirmed in its possession of conquered territories. In the face of a possible Castilian military takeover of further western Navarrese territories, Sancho VI re-asserted royal authority by founding several towns in 1181, including San Sebastián , Vitoria and Treviño , among others. He was hostile to Count Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona , but Raymond's son King Alfonso II of Aragon divided

1260-644: The City Hall. In 1953, city businessmen organised the first San Sebastián International Film Festival to stimulate the economic life and profile of the city. Mass immigration from other parts of Spain, spurred by growing industrial production, greatly increased the population, initiating rapid and chaotic urban development on the outskirts of the city (Altza, Intxaurrondo, Herrera, Bidebieta). Social, cultural and political conflicts followed, leading to popular dissatisfaction. Protests and street demonstrations became more common, driven by Basque nationalists (especially

1330-594: The French assault and many urban structures were reconstructed, e.g. a new opening in the middle of the town, the Plaza Berria (that was to become the current Konstituzio Plaza). In 1728, the Guipuzcoan Company of Caracas was founded and boosted commerce with the Americas . Thanks to the profit the company generated, the town underwent some urban reforms and improvements and the new Santa Maria Church

1400-521: The Modern Age brought a period of instability and war for the city. New state boundaries were drawn that left Donostia located close to Spain 's border with France; thicker and more sophisticated walls were erected, with the town becoming involved in the 1521–1524 military campaigns that formed part of the Spanish conquest of Navarre . The town provided critical naval help to Emperor Charles V during

1470-498: The N-1 E-5 E-80 E-70 ring road (South Intxaurrondo). The police force Guardia Civil runs controversial barracks there (works for new housing are underway). Altza ( Basque for alder tree) is the easternmost district of San Sebastián, along with Bidebieta and Trintxerpe. In 1910 it was a quaint village comprising scattered farmhouses and a small nucleus, with 2,683 inhabitants, but the arrival of thousands of immigrants in

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1540-400: The Old Part. Most current buildings date back to the 19th century, built as part of the city's reconstruction after the 1813 destruction of the town by the allied Anglo-Portuguese troops. There is a small fishing and recreation port, with two-floor houses lined under the front-wall of mount Urgull . These houses are relatively new, resulting from the demilitarization of the hill, sold to

1610-782: The Restorer and Margaret of L'Aigle . Sancho VI inherited a debilitated kingdom, subject of frequent raids by the Kingdom of Castile of Alfonso VII and by the County of Barcelona of Ramon Berenguer IV , also king of Aragon , who in 1140 had agreed the partition of the kingdom in the Treaty of Carrión. He tried to repair the borders of his kingdom, which had been reduced by the Treaties of Tudején and Carrión, which he had been forced to sign with Castile and Aragón in his early reign. By

1680-601: The Winds was built at the western tip of the bay. The 1970s to the mid-1980s were years of general urban and social decay marked by social and political unrest and violence. In 1979, the first democratic municipal elections were held, won by the Basque Nationalist Party , who held office along with splinter party Eusko Alkartasuna (Basque Solidarity) until 1991. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party 's Odon Elorza took over as mayor from 1991 until 2011, when he

1750-454: The Wise ( Basque : Jakituna , Spanish : el Sabio ) was King of Navarre from 1150 until his death in 1194. He was the first monarch to officially drop the title of King of Pamplona in favour of King of Navarre, thus changing the designation of his kingdom. Sancho Garcés was responsible for bringing his kingdom into the political orbit of Europe . He was the eldest son of García Ramírez,

1820-477: The area during the first months of occupation. Many children were evacuated to temporary safety in Bilbao, with the city's population falling by an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 inhabitants. In the aftermath of war, the city was stricken by poverty, famine and repression, coupled with a thriving smuggling trade. Many republican detainees were held at the beach-side Ondarreta Prison in grim and humid conditions, until

1890-762: The armed separatist organisation ETA) and various underground unions, triggering the first state of emergency in Gipuzkoa in 1968. Several more were imposed by the Francoist authorities in the period immediately preceding Franco's death in 1975. Amid the fragile economic situation and real estate speculation, the Kursaal and the Chofre bullring in Gros were demolished in 1973. From 1975 to 1977, sculptor Eduardo Chillida and architect Luis Peña Ganchegui 's landmark The Comb of

1960-619: The balcony of the Church of San Miguel, Celedón greets the crowds below and wishes everyone a happy celebration. On the morning of 5 August, the Blusas and the Neskak offer flowers to the Virgen Blanca. On 7 August the Children's Day is celebrated. The little Celedón or Celedón txiki descends in the same square as the first day, and later, Celedón txiki and neska txiki wish a happy celebration to all

2030-491: The bay pushed by urban building pressure. It lies by the Urumea at the south-east end of the city. It comprises a small patch of detached houses (Ciudad Jardín) and a core area of 6-odd floor buildings. The district has recently gone through a major makeover, with works finishing in 2008. The road axis coming from important industrial areas (Astigarraga- Hernani ) crosses the district heading downtown. A military base stands across

2100-536: The bilingual name Donostia / San Sebastián ( Basque: [doˈnos̺ti.a] , Spanish: [san seβasˈtjan] ), is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community , Spain . It lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay , 20 km (12 miles) from the France–Spain border . The capital city of the province of Gipuzkoa , the municipality's population

2170-529: The building was demolished in 1948. However, industrial development paved the way for urban expansion in the Egia and Amara Berri districts, on the marshes and riverbed of the Urumea, at the end of the 1940s and beginning of the 1950s. In 1943, the first Basque language schools were established by Elvira Zipitria, who taught in Basque from her home in the Old Town. In 1947, the Grand Casino was converted into

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2240-599: The children in Vitoria, from the Town Hall. On 10 August at one o'clock in the morning Celedon ascends and this marks the end of the Virgen Blanca Festivities. It is said that the brotherhood was created in the 15th century, but according to its own chronicles it was officially created in the 17th century by a group of candle markers in order to protect The White Virgin and their own interests. After that other brotherhoods were created to protect and cult

2310-449: The city began from the 1940s, after the completion of works to canalize the river. Nowadays the name Amara usually refers to this district, which has exceeded Amara Zaharra both in size and population. The district revolves around the axis of Avenida Sancho el Sabio and Avenida de Madrid , and is the main road entrance to the city. Facilities of many state run agencies are established here, as well as many business offices. The district

2380-690: The city council by the Ministry of War in 1924. This part is located on the western side of the city beyond the Miramar Palace. The monastery of San Sebastián el Antiguo ('the Old') is mentioned in historical documents from the time of the foundation of the city in the 12th century. In the mid 19th century, industrial enterprises developed in the district, such as Cervezas El León, Suchard, and Lizarriturry, and it subsequently came to be populated by workers. Industry has since been replaced by services and

2450-446: The city over whether to pursue an economy based on tourism or manufacturing, Donostia developed into a fully-fledged seaside resort, but some industry developed in the district of Antiguo and on the outskirts of the city. Following the outbreak of World War I, San Sebastián became a destination for renowned international figures of culture and politics, including Mata Hari , Leon Trotsky , Maurice Ravel , and Romanones . San Sebastián

2520-491: The city's identity in the centuries to come. In 1265, the use of the city as a seaport was granted to Navarre as part of a wedding pact. The large quantity of Gascons inhabiting the town favoured the development of trade with other European ports and Gascony . The city steered clear of the destructive War of the Bands in Gipuzkoa, the only town in doing so in that territory. In fact, the town only joined Gipuzkoa in 1459 after

2590-781: The city's relatively small size, events such as the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the San Sebastian Jazz Festival have given it an international dimension. San Sebastián, along with Wrocław , Poland, was the European Capital of Culture in 2016. In spite of appearance, both the Basque form Donostia and the Spanish form San Sebastián have the same meaning — Saint Sebastian . The dona/done/doni element in Basque place names signifies "saint" and

2660-438: The creation of a wide network of cycle lanes, underground car-parks and significant improvements to public transport. Districts of cutting-edge design have been erected, such as Ibaeta and Riberas de Loiola , while some other major public works are still pending confirmation of funding and approval. New districts developed after the walls of the city were demolished in 1863, as the city expanded in several directions, first into

2730-524: The current city is the settlement of Ametzagaña , between South Intxaurrondo and Astigarraga . The unearthed remains, such as knapped stones used as knives to cut animal skin, date from 24,000 to 22,000 BC. The open-air findings of the Upper Paleolithic have revealed that the settlers were modern human ( Homo sapiens ) hunters, besides pointing to a much colder climate at the time. There were Roman settlements (from around 50-200 AD) in what

2800-524: The disruption caused to and wealth obtained from the French and Dutch trade ships. In 1660, the city was used as the royal headquarters during the marriage of the Infanta to Louis XIV at Saint-Jean-de-Luz nearby. After a relatively peaceful 17th century, the town was besieged and taken over by the troops of the French Duke of Berwick up to 1721. However, San Sebastián was not spared by shelling in

2870-463: The flatlands shaped by the river Urumea and later up the hills. The first expansion of the old town was towards the river's mouth, on the old quarter called Zurriola (a name later given by Council decision to the sand area and the avenue across the river). The orthogonal layout of the modern city centre (the Cortazar development) was built up until 1914 (when the first phase finished) reflecting

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2940-471: The foot of the Mount Ulia Park, on the left hand side of the road heading from San Sebastián to Pasaia and Irun . It consists of a residential area, besides holding a number of educational institutions, culture and sports centres built since 1980. The Park of Nurseries of Ulia sits at the base of the road leading to Mount Ulia, with its name deriving from its function as a nursery of plants for

3010-637: The ground for a carefully planned modern and elegant housing estate, featuring a new university campus for the public University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) and institutions such as the Donostia International Physics Center or the Nanotechnology Center . A stream called Konporta flows down along the eastern side of the area, but it was canalized under the ground almost all along to its mouth on

3080-726: The lands taken from Murcia with him by treaty of Sangüesa in 1168. In 1190, the two neighbours again signed a pact in Borja of mutual protection against Castilian expansion. The Kingdom of Artajona ( eu:Artaxoako Erresuma ) was returned from Sancho III of Castile to Sancho the Wise in 1157. He died on 27 June 1194, in Pamplona, where he is buried. On 20 July 1153, Sancho Garcés married Sancha of Castile , daughter of Alfonso VII , King of León and Castile and his wife Berengaria of Barcelona . They had six children: San Sebasti%C3%A1n San Sebastián , officially known by

3150-648: The majority of the year, typically with some precipitation. The city averages roughly 1,650 mm (65 in) of precipitation annually, which is fairly evenly spread throughout the year. However, the city is somewhat drier and noticeably sunnier in the summer months, experiencing on average approximately 100 mm (3.94 in) of precipitation during those months. Average temperatures range from 8.9 °C (48.0 °F) in January to 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) in August. The first evidence of human stationary presence in

3220-604: The newest parts of the city, Aiete retained a rural character until not long ago. The post-war city council purchased the compound of the Aiete Palace for the use of Francisco Franco in 1940, immediately after the Civil War. The palace became Franco's summer residence until 1975, and is now home to the Bakearen Etxea (Peace Memorial House). Egia, stemming from (H)Egia ( Basque for either bank/shore or hill),

3290-407: The old town, has a neoclassical, austere and systematic style of architectural construction. Constitution Square was built in 1817 and the town hall (currently a library) between 1828 and 1832. Housing in the old town was built gradually alongside the rest of the area. The liberal and bourgeois San Sebastián became the capital of Gipuzkoa (instead of Tolosa ) until 1823, when absolutists besieged

3360-408: The patron saint of the city, and features a programme of special events, activities and free open-air concerts. Festivities begin at six o'clock in the afternoon with the txupinazo and Celedon 's (a rag doll with an umbrella) descent. Once Celedón reaches a balcony in the square, it is replaced by a human Celedón who then crosses the square on foot with some difficulty amongst the crowds. On arriving to

3430-519: The patron saint of the city. In 1927 after the official become of the Virgin in patron saint all the brotherhoods were joined in one. http://www.petrarestauracion.com/otros-servicios/realizacion-de-reproducciones/virgen-blanca-del-portico-de-san-miguel http://www.euskomedia.org/aunamendi/128546 http://cofradiavirgenblanca.com/index.php?56 Sancho VI of Navarre Sancho Garcés VI ( Basque : Antso VI.a ; 21 April 1132 - 27 June 1194), called

3500-462: The place are known until, in 1014, the monastery of Saint Sebastian with its apple orchards for cider production, then located within the boundaries of the town of Hernani , was reportedly donated to the Abbey of Leire by Sancho III of Pamplona . By 1181, the city was chartered (given the fuero ) by king Sancho VI of Pamplona on the site of Izurum, having jurisdiction over all the territory between

3570-612: The port, through the Portaletas gate. The Old Town is divided into two parishes relating to the Santa Maria and San Vicente churches; the inhabitants belonging to the former are known traditionally as joxemaritarrak , while those attached to the latter are referred to as koxkeroak . Until the early 18th century, the koxkeroak mostly spoke Gascon . Especially after the end of the Franco dictatorship, many bars were established around

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3640-468: The province and annexation to Navarre in 1841. In 1863, the defensive walls of the town were demolished (their remains are visible in the underground car park on the Boulevard) and an expansion of the town began in an attempt to move on from its previous military function. Jose Goicoa and Ramon Cortazar were appointed to oversee the work. They modelled the new city according to an orthogonal shape in

3710-548: The province fell to Spanish Nationalist forces during the Northern Campaign . The occupation proved disastrous for the city's residents. Between 1936 and 1943, 485 people were executed as a result of show trials by the Spanish Nationalists ( Requetés and Falangists ). It has been estimated that extrajudicial executions ( paseos ) by the occupying military forces accounted for over 600 murders in

3780-485: The railway and the Ategorrieta Avenue, where still today the farmhouse Intxaurrondo Zar, declared "National Monument", is situated since the mid-17th century. The railway cuts across the district, the southern side being the fruit of the heavy development undergone in the area during the immigration years of the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, further housing estates have been built up more recently souther beyond

3850-473: The river, home to an uprising in 1936. Attempts by the city council to close it have been unsuccessful so far. New modern district erected in the 2000s next to the city's inner bypass and south road entrance to San Sebastián. A pedestrian bridge spans the Urumea river onto the Cristina Enea Park. The Martutene district bordering to the south on the town of Astigarraga comes next to Loiola in

3920-419: The rivers Oria and Bidasoa . In 1200, the city was conquered by Castile , whose king Alfonso VIII , confirmed its charter (fuero), but the Kingdom of Navarre was deprived of its main direct access out to the sea. Perhaps as soon as 1204 (or earlier), the city nucleus at the foot of Urgull started to be populated with Gascon -speaking colonizers from Bayonne and beyond, who left an important imprint in

3990-473: The sea between the waters of the Bay of Biscay and the broad estuary of the Urumea River, the town was hard to get at and well fortified – "it was the strongest fortification I ever saw, Gibraltar excepted", wrote William Dent. Three days later, on 31 August, British and Portuguese troops besieging San Sebastián assaulted the town. The relieving troops ransacked and burnt the city to the ground. Only

4060-463: The shipyards relocated to Pasaia , a nearby bay that had formerly been part of San Sebastián. However, in 1875, war came to the town again, and in 1876 shelling over the city by Carlists claimed the life of acclaimed poet Bilintx . From 1885, King Alfonso XII of Spain 's widow Maria Cristina spent every summer in Donostia along with her retinue, staying at the Miramar Palace. In 1887, a casino

4130-615: The siege of Hondarribia , which earned the town the titles "Muy Noble y Muy Leal", recorded on its coat of arms. The town also aided the monarch by sending a party to the Battle of Noain and providing help to quash the Revolt of the Comuneros in 1521. After these events, Gascons, who had played a leading role in the political and economic life of the town since its foundation, began to be excluded from influential public positions by means of

4200-399: The south direction. This part of the city features an industrial area, a football pitch for lower leagues, a disused vocational training building and enclosure as well as a prison, much in decay and due to be transferred soon to a new location, probably in the municipality's exclave of Zubieta, while this option is coming in for much opposition. This part stands on the east side of the city at

4270-410: The street at the foot of the hill (now called 31 August Street) remained. After these destructive events, reconstruction of the city was commenced in the original location with a slightly altered layout. A modern octagonal layout as drafted by the architect P.M. Ugartemendia was turned down and eventually M. Gogorza's blueprint was approved, then supervised and implemented by the Ugartemendia. This area,

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4340-422: The tourism sector. The Matia kalea provides the main axis for the district. Amara Zaharra ("Old Amara") is named after the Amara farmhouse. Over time it has mostly merged with the city centre, as the former Amara lay on the marshes on the left of the River Urumea . The core of this district is the Easo plaza , with the Euskotren railway terminal closing the square at its south. This southern expansion of

4410-401: The town (only 200 inhabitants remained in the town when the offensive troops entered). It was designated again as the capital in 1854. In 1835-6, the British Auxiliary Legion under Sir George de Lacy Evans defended the town against the Carlist besiegers. Some of those who died were buried in the English Cemetery on Mount Urgull . At the beginning of the 19th century, the local government

4480-445: The war came to an end. Up to the 16th century, Donostia remained mostly out of wars, but by the beginning of the 15th century, a line of walls of simple construction is attested encircling the town. The last chapter of the town in the Middle Ages was brought about by a fire that devastated Donostia in 1489. After burning to the ground, the town began a new renaissance by building up mainly with stone instead of bare timber. The advent of

4550-408: Was built, which eventually became the current city hall, and some time later the Regional Government building was completed in Plaza Gipuzkoa following Jose Goicoa's design. Cultural life thrived in this period, giving rise to various events that still take place in the city, such as the Caldereros or the Tamborrada , and journalistic and literary works in both Spanish and Basque. After much debate in

4620-409: Was carried out on the Urumea river at the southern edge of the city. However, after the city's Belle Epoque in the European wartime, repression under Miguel Primo de Rivera 's dictatorship was not favourable for the city. In 1924, gambling was prohibited by the authoritarian regime, causing existential problems for the Grand Casino and the Kursaal (1921). In 1930, Spanish republican forces signed up to

4690-451: Was defeated unexpectedly by Juan Carlos Izagirre ( Bildu ) in elections. From the 1990s, a major makeover of the city centre began, aimed at enhancing and revamping the neoclassical and modernist side of San Sebastián's architecture. Other regeneration projects included the reshaping and enlargement of Zurriola beach and promenade, the opening of the Kursaal Palace cubes (1999), the new university campus and technology facilities in Ibaeta,

4760-412: Was erected by subscription. This period of wealth and development was to last up to the end of 18th century. In 1808, Napoleonic forces captured San Sebastián in the Peninsular War . In 1813, after a siege of various weeks, on 28 August, during the night, a landing party from a British Royal Navy squadron captured Santa Clara Island , in the bay. Situated on a narrow promontory that jutted out into

4830-465: Was one of earliest towns hit by the 1918 Influenza epidemic , dealing with a first wave outbreak in February of that year. Officials feared for the city's reputation and attempted to keep the disease's spread quiet, to no avail, and the outbreak soon spread throughout Spain. Various rationalist architectural works, typically white or light-coloured, were built in the 1920s and 1930s, such as La Equitativa, Nautico, and Easo. In 1924–1926, canalisation work

4900-449: Was still ruled by the principle of nobility, while inhabitants of foreign origin or descent had always been numerous in the town, especially among the trading community. Although San Sebastián benefited greatly from the charter system established in the Southern Basque Country ( foruak , with borders in the Ebro river and no duties for overseas goods), the town was at odds with the more traditional Gipuzkoa , even requesting secession from

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