- For other meanings, see Vigo (disambiguation)
Vigo is the largest city in Galicia, Spain, in terms of population, located in the province of Pontevedra. Vigo also is the largest non-capital city in Spain.
According to the 2007 census, the population of the city of Vigo itself was 294,772; and the population of the entire metropolitan area was estimated to be 420,672. This makes Vigo the 14th-largest metropolitan area of Spain. The city is well known for its fishing industry, shipyards, food, cultural and night life, and football (soccer) team, Celta de Vigo.
History
The urban area of Vigo is built over both a hill-fort (Castro) and a Roman settlement.It is generally accepted that the name Vigo comes from the Latin word Vicus. During the Middle Ages the small village of Vigo was part of the territory of neighbouring towns, particularly Tui, and suffered several Viking attacks. However, the number of inhabitants was so small that, historically, Vigo is not considered to be a real village until around the 15th century, when the earliest records began.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the city was attacked several times. In 1585 and 1589 Francis Drake raided the city and temporarily occupied it, leaving many buildings burnt. Several decades later a Turkish fleet tried to attack the city. As a result the walls of the city were built in 1656 during the reign of Felipe IV. They are still partially preserved.
During this time, and in spite of the attacks, the city of Vigo developed its earliest commerce, and was given several privileges by the kings of Spain.
In 1702 the Battle of Rande occurred, and in 1719, because a Spanish fleet which departed from Vigo attempted to invade Scotland in support of the Jacobites, the city was temporarily seized by an English fleet.
In 1808 the French Army annexed Spain to the Napoleonic Empire, although Vigo remained unconquered until January, 1809. Vigo was also the first city of Galicia to be freed from French rule in what is now celebrated as the Reconquista (reconquest from French in the context of the Peninsular War) on the 28th of March each year.
The city grew very rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries. This resulted in continuous urban planning changes, making Vigo less structured than other Galician towns.
World War II
The following German U-Boats are reported to have been sunk somewhere near the Port of Vigo:
Geography of Vigo
Climate
Monthly temperature and average precipitations (Peinador winter station)
| Month |
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
| Temperature °C |
10 |
11 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
17.3 |
19.4 |
19.4 |
18.0 |
14.6 |
11.3 |
9.2 |
| Rainfall mm. |
255 |
219 |
145 |
148 |
141 |
73 |
43 |
40 |
113 |
215 |
228 |
298 |
Demography
Vigo metropolitan area
The following villages are in the Vigo metropolitan area:
Vigo population progression
- Babío (1,214 p.)
- Saa (1,296 p.)
- Penís (1,079 p.)
- Fonte Escura (1,242 p.)
- Pereiró (4,284 p.)
- Ponte (1,564 p.)
- Freixeiro (2,456 p.)
- Mantelas (1,595 p.)
- Salgueira (1,268 p.)
- Bagunda (2,762 p.)
- Bouciña (1,823 p.)
- Barreiro (1,383 p.)
- Ceboleira (2,989 p.)
- Pardavila (4,128 p.)
- Garrida (1,245 p.)
- Population: 294,772 (2007)
- average age: 41.1 years (2005)
- Foreign population: 11,571 (2005)
- Births: 2,632 (2005)
- Deaths: 2,383 (2005)
- Migratory balance: +565 (2005)
Organization of Vigo
Vigo is part of the Comarca de Vigo, which also comprises the following municipalities:
Parishes of Vigo
| Parish |
Inhabitants |
| Alcabre |
3,183 |
| Beade |
5,430 |
| Bembrive |
4,290 |
| Bouzas |
5,000 |
| Cabral |
6,772 |
| Candeán |
4,699 |
| Castrelos |
7,849 |
| Coia |
30,000 |
| Comesaña |
3,031 |
| Coruxo |
5,344 |
| Freixeiro |
5,928 |
| Lavadores |
16,667 |
| Matamá |
4,247 |
| Navia |
2,190 |
| Oia |
3,910 |
| Saiáns |
1,067 |
| San Paio |
3,700 |
| San Xoán do Monte |
500 |
| Sárdoma |
1,992 |
| Teis |
2,330 |
| Valadares |
5,468 |
| Zamáns |
780 |
| Vigo and Santiago de Vigo |
207,892 |
Economy
Vigo is the leading industrial area in Galicia, with car factories, shipyards, and auxiliary industry. Situated in Vigo is Galicia's leading employer, PSA Peugeot Citroën, which in 2007 produced a total of 545,000 vehicles, of which more than 82% were sold outside Spain.
Vigo is the largest fishing port in Europe, and the home port of the world's largest fishing company, Pescanova. In Vigo is the headquarters of the European Fisheries Agency.
Higher education
The University of Vigo is situated in a mountainous area outside the city. It is an important center for research, with a focus on study related to ocean-based industries. The University has other campuses in Pontevedra and Ourense. The campus of Vigo is a modern project of the architect Enric Miralles.
Sailing in Vigo
The Rias Baixas offer a privileged environment for the practice of the nautical sports. Institutions as the Real Club Nautico de Vigo (founded in 1906) and the Liceo Marítimo de Bouzas (founded in 1907) are good examples of promotion of the nautical sports, especially sailing.
The Real Club Nautico de Vigo organizes important events like the Atlantic Week, that in September 2006 received the World Championship of the Platu 25 class. The RCNV also organizes every year in August one of the races with more sailboats of the Iberian peninsula: the Regata Rias Baixas, that in the 2006 edition included the participation of 130 sailboats of different nationalities.
The Liceo Marítimo de Bouzas is a yacht club that agglutinates around 400 associates. The LMB has a long and intense activity in sailing and recreational fishing. The LMB organizes two important regattas of the Galician calendar of sail: the Regata Vila de Bouzas and a Regata de Solitarios y a Dos. The Regata Vila de Bouzas honors the neighborhood where is located the LMB. The Regata de Solitarios y a Dos is sponsored by the firm Aister and is for crews of one and two members. It is a difficult race with two steps. One step consists of a race through the coastal inside the bay of Vigo and the other step is longer race around the Cies Islands (and/or Ons Islands). Likewise, the LMB has schools of sailing and fishing. Yearly it organizes a cephalopods fishing competition.
The push and enthusiasm of the local sailors did not pass unnoticed to the organization of the regatta Volvo Ocean Race that started from Vigo on November 12, 2005.
Cultural movements and the arts
"A movida viguesa" was a hedonistic cultural movement that took place in Vigo during the '80s triggered by the explosion of liberties after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The most important artists of this postmodern movement were musicians; particularly punk and new wave bands such as Siniestro Total, Golpes Bajos, Aerolineas Federales, Semen Up or Os Resentidos.
At the moment, the city still has notorious bands like Iván Ferreiro (ex-singer of Los Piratas) and Mon.
The locally produced award-winning feature movie Mondays In The Sun (original title Los lunes al sol) evocatively depicts the life of several men who have lost their work at the port. This film is not based on a real story. It is based on thousands.
Looking South from Monte das Figueiras (Monteagudo Island)
Miscellaneous
Ría de Vigo (View of the harbour, which is named after the city).
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Ponte de Rande (The Rande Bridge is part of the toll road that links both sides of the harbour and which runs north up to A Coruña).
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Distinguished people from Vigo
See also
External links
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