Everything about La Rioja Autonomous Community totally explained
La Rioja is a
province and
autonomous community of northern
Spain. Its capital is
Logroño. Other
cities and towns in the province include
Calahorra,
Arnedo,
Alfaro,
Haro,
Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and
Nájera.
History
In Roman times the territory of La Rioja was inhabited by the tribes of the
Berones (central country),
Autrigones (upper country, extending also north and west of it) and the
Vascones (lower country, extending also north and east of it). It was part of the province of
Hispania Tarraconensis.
In Medieval times La Rioja was often a disputed territory. The
Visigoths created the
Duchy of Cantabria that probably included most of La Rioja, as border
march against the
Vascones. After the
Muslim invasion of
711, La Rioja fell into the Muslim domains of
Al Andalus.
In the early
10th century,
Sancho I of Pamplona conquered most of the territory, being the lower region around
Arnedo under control of his allies the
Banu Qasi of
Tudela. La Rioja formed the independent
Kingdom of Viguera from
970 to about
1005, at which point it became a part of the
Kingdom of Pamplona.
Nájera, in the Rioja, often served as capital of the kingdom.
After the independence of
Castile in
1035, this new kingdom fiercely fought against Pamplona for the possession of
Bureba, La Rioja and other territories. In
1076, after the murder of
Sancho VI, Navarre was divided and Castile obtained La Rioja and many other Navarrese lands.
Nevertheless, since
1134,
García Ramírez the Restorer and his son
Sancho VI the Wise fought bitterly with Castile for the recovery of the former Pamplonese domains. Only in
1179 would they reach a peace agreement by which La Rioja went definitively to Castile.
The territory remained divided between the provinces of
Burgos and
Soria until the administrative reform of
Riego in
1822 that created the province of Logroño.
In
1980 it changed its name to province of La Rioja and in
1982 it was constituted as uni-provincial autonomous community with that name.
Recent history
The territory of La Rioja (the name appeared in a charter of 1099) was formerly known as the province of
Logroño for the fortified site around which it developed. The 12th-century church Iglesia de Santa Maria de Palacio recalls its original as a chapel of the administrative
palace. Logroño was a
borderland disputed between the
kings of Navarre and the
kings of Castile starting in the
10th century; the region was awarded to
Castile in a judgement by
Henry I of England and annexed in 1173 (1177?). Its importance was that here the pilgrimage route to
Santiago de Compostela, the
Camino de Santiago, crossed the River Ebro on the stone bridge, the
Puente de Piedra.
La Rioja was taken by Napoleonic forces in the
Peninsular War and remained solidly in French hands until 1814.
In the 1810 project of
Llorente it was to be a part of the
prefecture of
Arlanzón (capital in
Burgos).
The
Constitutional Cortes declared La Rioja an independent province at the time of the Liberal
Constitution of 1812, and
in January 1822 the
province of Logroño was created by royal decree, taking in the whole of the historical geography of La Rioja. However,
Ferdinand VII soon annulled these decisions and recovered most of the divisions of the
Ancient Regime.
In the 1833 reorganization, a province of Logroño appeared again in the region of
Castilla la Vieja.
In 1841, the province increased its territory temporarily.
It was made into an
autonomous community during the reorganization following
the democratic transition following the death of
Francisco Franco, owing to its economic distinction from the surrounding regions. It is the second-smallest autonomous community in Spain and has the smallest population; fully half of its 174 municipalities have populations under 200. Nearly half of its citizens live in the capital.
Geography
It is bordered by the
Basque Country (province of
Álava),
Navarre,
Aragón (province of
Zaragoza), and
Castile and León (provinces of
Soria and
Burgos). The Río
Ebro flows through this region, as does the
Río Oja, for which it's known.
Mountains and mountain ranges
Climate
The climate is mainly Mediterranean climate. The Rioja Alta comarca receives more precipitation than Rioja Baja, as well as colder winters and hotter summers .
The average temperature ranges from 11.8°C - 31.8°C (53°F - 88°F) and the precipitation ranges between 300 mm - 600 mm as an annual average.
The wind called Cierzo is very frequent around La Rioja during the winter.
Hydrography
Ebro - the more important river that crosses the Community. In La Rioja have the following affluents:
Flora and Fauna
Holm Oak
Thyme
Rosemary
Common Juniper
Oak
Natural resources
Mining:
Spa town in Arnedillo
Economy
It is known for its production of Rioja DOCa wines (although the Rioja viticultural region extends slightly into the neighboring administrative regions of Álava and Navarra).
Agriculture:
Animal husbandry of sheep
Rioja (wine)
Industry:
- Wine Production and conserves: in Logroño, Cenicero, Haro and Calahorra.
- Textil and footwear: in Logroño, Arnedo, Cervera del Río Alhama and Ezcaray.
- Furniture factories: in Ezcaray, Logroño and Nájera.
- Rubber, plastics, chemical products and transport machinery.
Transports and commerce
Logroño-Agoncillo Airport
N-111
N-232
Autovía A-12
Autopista AP-68
Autopista AP-69 (proposed)
Piqueras Tunnel
Puerto de Oncala
Puerto de Piqueras
Main imports to Spain:
International partners:
European Union
United States
Canada
Demography and major cities
The population of La Rioja, (as 2006) is 301,084 inhabitants.
La Rioja has 174 municipalities: see List of municipalities in La Rioja
Government and Politics
Statute of Autonomy - (External Link
)
Presidents - Current President: Pedro Sanz Alonso of Partido Popular.
Diputación General - Official Website
Consejo de Gobierno - Official Website
Tribunal Superior de Justicia - Official Website
Monuments
Santa María la Real in Nájera
San Millán de la Cogolla
Concatedral de Santa María de la Redonda
Catedral de Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Iglesia de Santo Tomás
.... more.
Native or Famous people from La Rioja
Gonzalo de Berceo
Domingo de Silos
Manuel Bretón de los Herreros
Gustavo Bueno
see also
Others topics
University of La Rioja, the autonomous university. Official Website
Dulzaina, a popular musical instrument from La Rioja.
Jota (music), a popular dance practiced in some comarcas of La Rioja.
History of Rioja wine
Caparrones, one of the most important dishes in Riojan cookingFurther Information
Get more info on 'La Rioja Autonomous Community'.
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