Pamplona

Pamplona is also called Laso Iruñea or Iruña in Basque. Pamplona is the main town in the province of Navarre. Moreover, it was the capital of the ancient Navarre kingdom. This city is world famous for the festival of San Fermin, where the operation of bulls or Bull Run is one of the biggest attractions. This festival called San Fermines by the locals was brought to the world’s attention with Ernest Hemingway’s first novel.

Location

Place of Pamplona is located in the center of Navarre in a valley known as the Pamplona Basin which connects the northern mountains to the valley of the Ebro. Furthermore, it is 92 km from the city of San Sebastian and 407 miles from the capital Madrid. The climate and landscape is a transition between the two main geographical regions of Navarre. Its central location at the crossroads served as a trade link between the very different parts of the natural beauties of Navarre.

History

In 1975-1974, the region was used as the field for the Roman General Pompey in the war with Sertorius. He is assumed to be the founder of Pompaelo, which was Pamplona later. It is also assumed that Pamplona was the capital of the Vascones and they called it Pampilona. Although it cannot be regarded as one of the leading cities of Roman Hispania, latest archaeological researches have shown a high degree of development.

3 Burgos

In the 11th century in the spur of economic development Pamplona resumed its life. Bishops from Pamplona regained their leadership church which was in previous centuries in isolated monasteries and they actually emerged as the religious authority. The pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela had done much to boost trade and cultural ties with Christian Europe beyond the Pyrenees.

Urban growth

Urban growth has been accompanied by the development of industry and services. Population growth was the result of strong immigration process in 1960 and 1970: Navarre is rural and less developed than other places in Spain, especially Castilla y Leon and Andalusia. Since 1990, immigration is mostly from abroad.

Like many other European cities, it is very easy to distinguish what is called Old Town (Casco Viejo) and the new neighborhoods. The oldest part of the old town is equivalent to the Roman city Navarrería. During the 12th century neighborhoods in Saint-Sernin (San Saturnino and San Cernin) and Saint-Nicolas (San Nicolás) were established. Charles III united three sites under a single municipality in 1423.