Gijon

History

Gijon is an industrial city situated on the coast of Asturias in Spain. The town itself has a long history. The oldest material remains are in the form of human settlements that go back to pre-history. As the Roman Empire spread, the town became a part of it. In the 7th century it was attacked by the Visigoth tribes and later on by the Arabs.

Apart from southern and central Spain, Gijon kept its independence and remained free. During the 11th century, many monasteries and churches were built as a result of the strong Christian influence in the town. In the 14th century Gijon was the scene of a battle.

Rebellions against the crown were under a siege lasting several months, when most parts of the town were destroyed and many locals lost their lives. Gijon disappeared from history. In the 17th century building of the fortification around the city started.

At that time the first monumental buildings were also built in the town. In the 18th century, the town started to trade with South America. After the industrial revolution in the 19th century, the golden age for Gijon started.

Things to see

Gijon has lot of buildings and museums worth visiting. Universidad Laboral is a building built in the 20th century situated few kilometers from the city center. It was designed to be an orphanage. This enormous building has eight and a half thousand square meters of space and a theatre for fifteen hundred people.

From its 117 meter high balcony tower, visitors can see a magnificent view of the town. Campo Valdes Roman Baths is another attraction of Gijon. Because of its huge popularity, it is not surprising to see queues outside.

This is a museum that displays models and films of the Roman baths. Campa Torres Archaeological Park is an area where the visitors can see the remains of a pre Roman fortification. In the park there is also an exhibition of the ancient pottery excavated near the fortification.

Beaches and parks

Gijon has two big city beaches. Near the first smaller beach is situated the city marina. It has its own parking places and a railway museum nearby. The second city beach is known as the Beach of San Lorenzo. This is a very large, sandy beach with a path.

It offers a number of facilities for the tourists: car parking places, a tourist office and the beautiful gardens around. The city has a large park on the hill above it – the Cerro de Santa Catalina. From this park, tourists can have a great view of the city and the nearby marina.

It also has a sculpture called the “Elogio del Horizonte” and the remains of the old city walls in it. Jardin Botanico Atlantico occupies twenty five hectares and has more than 30 000 plants from all over the world. The oldest parts of this garden are from the 19th century. It also has many cultivated trees and flowers. For those who like walking, rural walks are the right thing to do. Take Nora or La Camocha to walk and enjoy the nature.