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Gijón

es: Gijón
ast: Xixón

lt: Chichonas lv: Hihona
el: Χιχόν
bg, mk, ru, sr: Хихон be, uk: Хіхон

2723 Gijón Gijón (Asturian: Xixón) is situated on the coast of central Asturias, from sea level to an elevation of 513 metres at Picu Samartín and 672 metres at Peña de los Cuatro Jueces, bordered on the West by Carreño, the East by Villaviciosa, and to the South by Siero and Llanera. The municipality has a population of about 277,500 (2011).

We must go back at least two thousand five hundred years to find the origins of Gijón. On the "Campa Torres", an enclave on the western border of Gijón Borough Council, the remains of an important hill-fort were found. It was probably inhabited by the Astur gens of the "Cilúrnigos", whose name reflects the main activity they carried out, metalworking. During the Roman times, both the Cilurnigos and Romans settled in the village. It was also during this time that the village was moved from the hill to a nearby peninsula. This formally started Gijón History. The city became a vital place for interaction between the cities because it was situated at the center part of the Cantabrian coast. By the year 300, the whole Roman settlement in the area was fortified. The territory was occupied continuously during the Middle Ages, during which the place was known as Gigia, proof of which is the Romanesque churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. The founding of the Puebla (village) in 1270 implied an urban expansion that was to come to a standstill at the end of the 14th century, when Gijón became the stage for the Trastámara conflicts, during which the town was almost completely destroyed. In the 18th century, the erudite Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos laid out the plans for the development of Gijón. The process of industrialisation begun in the mid-19th century changed the city into the industrial centre of Asturias, with its leading El Musel Port, shipyards and numerous manufacturing installations. Today Gijón's economic success is only surpassed by the region’s capital city of Oviedo and its population is now the largest in Asturias.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gijón, http://www.northspain.info/gijon/gijon-history]

The picture on glass no. 2723 shows a view of the Embarcadero de mineral.


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