La Puebla, the older, on the hill overlooking the city facing the bay, included the old castle, the Abbey of the Holy Bodies and the cloister. 1590 – by Joris Hoefnagelĭuring the 12th and 13th centuries the population was contained within the walls of two different pueblas. Īlfonso VIII of Castile granted the city a fuero (charter) in 1187. Īlthough it is mentioned for the first time in 1068, in a draft document made by King Sancho II, in the 9th century Alfonso II the Chaste founded the Abadía de los Cuerpos Santos ("Abbey of the Holy Bodies") in the existing chapel on the hill of Somorrostro, housing as holy relics the heads of Saint Emeterius and Saint Celedonius and the graves of other unknown martyrs, giving the abbey its name. Moreover, the hillside provided good visibility for spotting potential attackers, making this the ideal place for the foundation of a stable settlement, which was to evolve throughout the Middle Ages. However, there would appear to be good practical reasons for ancient settlers to have chosen the north side of the bay, sheltered from it and safer from the storms of the Bay of Biscay, on the north side of the promontory of Somorrostro and along the ancient Becedo estuary. The origin of the earliest human settlements in the current Santander is not easy to establish because there is little written and archaeological data. Main article: Timeline of Santander, Spain Origins, Roman period and Middle Ages The city has a mild climate typical of the Spanish northern coastline with frequent rainfall and stable temperatures. Santander notably houses the headquarters of multinational bank Banco Santander, which was founded there. Fish and seafood dominate the local cuisine. The port is still very active and a regular ferry service operates to the United Kingdom. Today, its remaining old town, beach and other attractions are popular with tourists and other visitors and its economy is mainly service based. Much of the medieval city was lost in the Great Fire of 1941. It is believed to have been a port since ancient times, due to its favourable location, and is documented as far back as the 11th century. It is a port city located in the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Cantabrian Sea. Santander ( UK: / ˌ s æ n t ən ˈ d ɛər, - t æ n-/ SAN-tən- DAIR, -tan-, US: / ˌ s ɑː n t ɑː n ˈ d ɛər/ SAHN-tahn- DAIR, Spanish: ) is the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria Spain.
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