Zaragoza

Zaragoza, city in northeastern Spain, capital of Aragón Region and Zaragoza Province, on the Ebro river. The city is an important industrial, railroad, and commercial center. Most notable architectural landmarks are the La Seo Cathedral, built between the 12th and 16th centuries; the 17th-century El Pilar Cathedral, containing a chapel decorated with frescoes by Spanish masters; the Castillo de la Aljafería, a citadel built originally by the Moors and later the royal residence of the former kingdom of Aragón; and the 16th-century Lonja, or Exchange, a richly decorated Renaissance building. The University of Zaragoza (1533) is located in the city.

The ancient settlement Salduba originally occupied the site of present-day Zaragoza. Salduba was captured in the 1st century bc by the Romans, who renamed it Caesaraugusta; the present name is a corruption of the Roman name. After the 6th century ad, the city was ruled successively by the Suevi, the Visigoths, and the Moors. From the 12th century to the latter half of the 15th century, it was the capital of Aragón. Zaragoza declined in importance after the unification of the kingdoms of Aragón and Castile in 1469. The city became renowned throughout Europe, however, during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), when its citizens displayed extreme heroism against a besieging French army in 1808 to 1809. Population (2007) 654,390.