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GALICIA

It is a region located in the North-West of Spain. The green part of Spain. It borders the Atlantic Ocean on the West, Portugal on the South, Cantabric Sea on the North and the Spanish regions As turias and Catilla-León on the East.
We have our own language, Galician. It is similar to Portuguese and Spanish becauseit also comes from Latin.It is the official language but we can also speak Spanish.
Our flag is white with a light blue line from the top left to the bottom right. It represents the main river,Miño. It runs across Galicia from North-East to South-West.
We have our own Government but we are also governed by the National Government, only in some aspects.
There are three Universities: A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela and Vigo.
Galicia is divided into four provinces: A Coruña, Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra.Only Ourense does not border the sea.
Each province has a capital town. Their names are the same as the province name.But Galicia has a capital town where the regional Government is placed: Santiago de Compostela.

Province of A CORUÑA

This province is situated in the North-West. The economy is based on agriculture, fishing and industries (derived from petrol, fishing, clothing, pottery and metalurgic). The most important towns are: A Coruña, Ferrol and Santiago. But there are some important villages: Pontedeume, Betanzos, Carballo, Corcubión, Muros, Noia, Ribeira, Ortigueira (a Festival of Celt music takes place in July).There are some preserved natural areas: Corrubedo beach (mobile dunes), The Eume wood, the lagoon of Cecebre, the lagoon of Valdoviño.


A CORUÑA

It is the capital town. It is a peninsula. It has a very important har- bour, placed on the South of the peninsula. Many ships arrive here everyday with fish, oil, soya, coal and tourists.There are two main beaches,on the North-West of the peninsula. The town has two main parts: the "old city" -it is a small part of the whole town, and the new one. The first was surrounded by a long wall but only a small part of it still remains.

The main monuments are: the church of Santa María del Campo, Santiago, the Town Hall and some mansions houses.

The most representative monument of the town is the Roman lighthouse "Tower of Hércules". It is placed at the end of the peninsula, North-East.

The most famous industry in the town is the refinery. But there are other industries:"Inespal" (metalurgical), "Zara"(clothing), "La Estrella de Galicia"(beer), "Leyma "(milk).

We also have two newspapers printed in A Coruña "La Voz de Galicia", "El ideal Gallego".

The Town Hall

FERROL

It is an important town in the province of A Coruña. It is on the right shore of the "ría" de Ferrol. It is an industrial town: iron and steel indutries and naval construction.

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

It is the capital city of Galicia. It is situated nearly in the centre of Galicia. It is between the rivers Tambre and Ulla. It has one of the most ancient universties in Spain. You can study almost all the careers here.
Santiago is very famous for its Cathedral. Many pilgrims come here every year from Europe and other parts of Spain. This year we celebrate the "Holy Year" because the Saint's day (25th July) is Sunday. When this happens the "Holy door" of the Cathedral stays open for the whole year. The pilgrims come into the Cathedral through the Holy Door. This town has an old part that surrounds theCathedral, and the new one, where the main shops are.

Santiago's Cathedral




Province of LUGO

It is the largest province. It borders the Cantabric Sea on the North, the province of A Coruña on the West, the province of Ourense on the south and the region of Castilla-León on the East. The main Galician mountain ranges are in this province: Os Ancares, O Courel. They are the border with Castilla -León.
The main towns are: Monforte de Lemos, Chantada, Viveiro, Mondoñedo (there is a Cathedral), Vilalba, Ribadeo (it is the border with the region of Asturias), Fonsagrada, Sarria (main furniture industries). One of the most important Galician ports is in this province: Saint Cirprián. There is a natural park, Os Ancares range and a natural area, the Courel Range. Both of them separate Galicia from Castilla-León region.
Its economy is based on wines, fishing, farming, smoked-cure pork meat, metallugical industry , pottery and furniture.

LUGO

It is the capital city. The ancient part of the town in surrounded by Roman Walls.
It was the only town in Galicia which was capital of a legal department in the Roman rule. Within the walls there are the most important monuments: the Cathedral, The old Monastery of San Francisco, Santo Domingo Church. The river Miño runs by this town.

The Roman Walls




Province of OURENSE

It is the only province that does not borders the sea. It also borders on the East, with Castilla-León.Its climate is very cold in winter and very hot in summer. There are three important mountain ranges in this province: Saint Mamede range, Queixa range, Xurés range and Eixe range.There is a ski resort in the Queixa range, "Cabeza de Manzaneda".
There is a preserved natural area: Invenadoiro range.
Its economy is based on wines ( "Ribeiro", "Valdeorras"), agriculture, clothing and smoked-cure pork meat.
The most important villages are: Carballiño, Xinzo de Limia, Verín, Celanova, El Barco de Valdeorras, Puebla de Trives, Viana do Bolo and Bande.

OURENSE

It is the capital city. It is placed on the slope of a hill and the river Miño runs across it. It has a famous Ro- man bridge and the Cathedral It was very important in the Roman times and in the Middle Ages.
It is famous for "The Burgas": ther- mal springs in the city centre. The water reaches a temperature around 70º C.

The Burgas in Ourense




The province of PONTEVEDRA

It is the smallest one but the most populated. There is an important port, Vigo.
Its economy is based on fishing, car factory (Citröen), agriculture, wine (Albariño, Condado) paper mill and canned or frozen food.
It is the warmest part of Galicia, with a lot of beaches and tourist resorts.
The main towns are: Pontevedra and Vigo. There are also some important villages, most of them ports: Vilagarcía de Arousa, Cambados, Marín (important harbour), Cangas, Redondela, Ponteareas, Tuy (border of Portugal) and A Guardia (where river Miño runs into the sea separating Spain and Portugal). Near this village there is a mountain "Saint Tecla's mount"where we can see remains of an ancient Celt village.
There are some preserved natural areas: Cíes Islands (in the ría de Vigo), Aloia mount, A Lanzada marshes
Pontevedra: It is the capital city. It is placed at the beginning of the "ría de Pontevedra" and it is surrounded by the river Lérez.This town has also two parts: the old one, inside a wall until 19th century and the new part that stands since 1884.
Its main monuments are: the Saint Mary's church, monastery of Franciscans, the ruins of the monastery of Dominicans, the church of the Virgen Peregrina (Pilgrim Virgin) -Saint patron of the town.
There is a very important museum there. We can see archaelogical remains from Celts, Romans and our modern History.

VIGO

It is the most populated town. It is one of the most important ports in Spain.
It is a modern town, placed on the slope of a hill. It has a very beautiful beach "Samil". It has also tourist resorts.
It is an industrial town.: car factory ("Citröen)", frozen food factories (Pescanova, Findus), naval construction (Barreras).

Saint Mary's church



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