Cities are currently the center of human life. In the last decades there has been a significant change in the world demographic model that, in addition, has favored the population increase exponentially in large municipalities.
The smallest towns or municipalities have thus seen a very considerable drop in population. Although cities were already the centers of commerce and power in the ancient empires, today this importance has managed to increase greatly.
In spain Any population center that exceeds 10,000 inhabitants is considered a city. They currently exist in our country, thanks to the data provided by the National Statistics Institute (INE)a total of a total of 8131 municipalities spread throughout the territory.
Thus, not all are the same and they present great differences between them. One of the notable points is the antiquitysomething that can be several centuries in different Spanish municipalities.
For this reason, we delve into exposing which are the oldest Spanish cities in each province. It should be noted that the data tends to vary because the municipalities were not founded on a specific day or a specific year, a fact that may have caused some confusion. Even so, the list shows the years or approximations that present the greatest consensus to name the longest-lived city in the Spanish territorial distribution at present.
The most historic municipality
ALAVA – Vitoria (1181): although the Romans already used the area, the city was founded about 1000 years later. It is currently the official seat of the Parliament and Government of the Basque Country and, in addition, it has a great monumental heritage that earns it the title of “very noble and very loyal”.
ALBACETE – Albacete (12th century): it is the largest city in Castilla y La Mancha with more than 170,000 inhabitants. In it we can find great monuments such as the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista or the Provincial Palace.
ALICANTE – Elche (5th century BC): more than 25 centuries old, the city was founded by the Iberians. After passing through the hands of different empires, it currently has 240,000 inhabitants, being one of the most important cities in Valencia.
ALMERIA – Other (8th century BC): this ancient port city has a great history and tradition since the Phoenicians settled there. This was an important Iberian trade center thanks to its coastal position.
ASTURIAS – gijon (5th century BC): on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea they founded the first Noega towns south of present-day Gijón. From that moment, with the Romans, the city we know today was created, which has more than 260,000 inhabitants.
AVILA – Avila (1st century BC): another of the cities founded by the Romans previously had different settlements, although the exact date of its creation is unknown. Its historic center is also one of the many Spanish sites declared World Heritage Sites.
BADAJOZ – Medellín (79 BC): the Roman foundation of this municipality has given great historical heritage value to the city, which has great importance in agriculture.
BALEARES – Ibiza (654 BC): Founded by the Carthaginians, it is the first documented city on the islands that is currently a tourist reference point.
BARCELONA – Barcelona (3rd century BC): the second population with the most inhabitants in Spain has gone from being a Roman colony to a world benchmark thanks to economic, political and cultural expansion.
VIZCAYA – Bilbao (1300): historical territory of the province, since its foundation the municipality has been an important economic point in the north of the peninsula.
BURGOS – Burgos (884): with settlements in different historical periods, the city was founded by Count Diego Rodríguez Porcelos and has enjoyed great importance in the history of Spain.
CACERES – choria (8th century BC): founded before the arrival of the Romans, it is one of the oldest municipalities in Spain that has the distinction of Very Noble and Very Loyal City of Coria.
CADIZ – Cadiz (1104 BC): the coastal municipality in southern Spain has a long and influential history since its founding more than 3,000 years ago.
CANTABRIA – Santander (26 BC): This Cantabrian municipality is one of the most important cities in northern Spain that extends around its famous bay.
CASTELLON – Castellon de la Plana (1251): until the year it was founded, the inhabitants lived on Cerro de la Magdalena, a fact that changed after the permission granted by King James I of Aragon.
REAL CITY – Real city (1255): founded by Alfonso X the Wise, this area had been inhabited by different populations, becoming a royal town.
CÓRDOBA – Córdoba (169 BC): General Marco Claudio Marcelo was important for different civilizations, the founder of the city, although he kept the name of the previous Iberian population.
CORUÑA – Santiago de Compostela (820): this important city of Catholic pilgrimage marks the end of the path that bears the name of the city.
CUENCA – Cuenca (784): founded on a Muslim fortress, this city preserves a great historical and architectural heritage from all the peoples that have conquered the area.
GERONA – Gerona (79 BC): although the Iberian presence is known, the city was founded by the Roman Pompey and repopulated with nearby settlements.
GRANADA – luncheon (8th century BC): founded by the Phoenicians, it is one of the oldest municipalities in the country. As a curiosity, it should be noted that this population is called “Sexi”.
GUADALAJARA – Guadalajara (8th century): the Arabs founded this municipality thanks to the Henares river. The municipality achieved great historical relevance despite being the field of innumerable battles.
GUIPUZCO – Saint Sebastian (1180): this coastal municipality in the north of Spain has the first written news of the city about a monastery, located in the neighborhood that is still called El Antiguo today.
HUELVA – Huelva (10th century BC): another of the oldest cities in Spain was founded by the Phoenicians as a commercial city.
HUESCA – Huesca (179 BC): the Iberians called it Bolskan, where they minted a local currency. The area was a battlefield that passed through the hands of different empires.
JAEN – Jaen (10th century BC): founded by the Iberians, it passed into the hands of different empires such as the Romans. At present, agriculture is its main characteristic where the olive fields represent an emblem of Spain.
LEÓN – León (29 BC): Born as a Roman military camp, it was consolidated years later where it would pass into Arab hands, suffering significant depopulation until it was reconquered by the Kingdom of Asturias.
LÉRIDA – Lleida (6th century BC): under the name of Iltrida the Iberians gave this name to the oldest city in present-day Catalonia.
LUGO – Lugo (1st century BC): throughout history the municipality has experienced important moments of abandonment, although it managed to consolidate.
MADRID – Alcala de Henares (1st century): the first municipality of the current Community of Madrid, its foundation dates back to Celtiberian times.
MÁLAGA – Málaga (7th century BC): the Phoenicians founded this city that currently belongs to Andalusia under the name of Malaka.
MURCIA – Cartagena (227 BC): founded by the Carthaginians on an Iberian settlement, the city has a great history and heritage value.
NAVARRA – Pamplona (74 BC): although there are different theories, the most accepted is that it was founded by the Roman general Pompey, being one of the most important of the Basque territories.
ORENSE – orense (1st century): crossed by the rivers Miño, Barbaña and Lonia, the city has a Roman origin thanks to its famous hot springs.
PALENCIA – brazier (824): on the southern slope of the Sierra de Híjar is what is considered the first town hall in Spain by the Kingdom of Asturias.
THE PALMS – The Gran Canarian palms (1478): thanks to the conquest by Juan Rejón, it settled at the mouth of the Guiniguada ravine, which would give the beginning of this city.
PONTEVEDRA – Vigo (2nd century BC): this coastal city was founded thanks to Roman maritime trade, although it cost you different previous populations in the area.
THE RIOJA – Calahorra (182 BC): with the arrival of the Romans on the peninsula, General Cato achieved the subjugation of the towns of the Ebro valley, which would give rise to this city.
SALAMANCA – Salamanca (4th century BC): originating from a village settled on a nearby hill, there are documents from the Iron Age. Even so, the foundation is also considered in 220 BC when the Carthaginian general Hannibal conquered the city.
SANTA CRUZ OF TENERIFE – Santa Cruz of Tenerife (1493): although there is human documentation from more than 2,000 years ago, it was with the conquest of the island by Alonso Fernández de Lugo when the city was founded.
SEGOVIA – Segovia (1st century): conquered by the Romans after different battles in the area, the city has human remains from more than 50 thousand years ago.
SEVILLA – Sevilla (8th century BC): one of the most important cities in the history of Spain was founded by the Tartessians who managed to settle in one of the most prosperous places on the peninsula.
SORIA – Soria (1109): its official foundation dates from the date set forth thanks to the repopulation of the area by the Aragonese king Alfonso I the Battler.
TARRAGONA – Tarragona (5th century BC): capital of the region during the Roman Empire, ancient Tarraco was a commercial reference point thanks to its privileged coastal position.
TERUEL – Teruel (1171): although the area had remains of other civilizations, it was in 1171 when the Aragonese king Alfonso II took Tirwal with the intention of reinforcing the southern border of his kingdom.
TOLEDO – Toledo (192 BC): important since the Roman conquest of the area, it is one of the historic cities of Spain with great heritage value.
VALENCIA – Valencia (138 BC): thanks to its foundation by the Romans, this city has grown exponentially over the years, being one of the most important in Spain today.
VALLADOLID – Valladolid (1072): although there are dated prehistoric settlements, the city did not have a stable population until the repopulation of the area, when Alfonso VI handed over his lordship to his favorite Pedro Ansúrez.
ZAMORA – Zamora (852): this city has different theories about its foundation. These are debated about the presence since the Bronze Age or part of the reconquest against the Arabs.
ZARAGOZA – Zaragoza (3rd century BC): although it is believed that it was founded by the Iberians, the city has the name given by the Romans as in many other cases in Spanish history.
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