Calatayud (Spanish pronunciation:[kalataˈʝuð];Aragonese:Calatayú; 2014 pop. 20,658) is amunicipality in theProvince of Zaragoza, withinAragón, Spain, lying on the riverJalón, in the midst of theSistema Ibérico mountain range. It is the second-largest town in the province after the capital,Zaragoza, and the largest town in Aragón other than the three provincial capitals. It is the seat of thecomarca ofCalatayud. Its population has been declining during the last decade due to migration.[2]
The townmotto isMuy noble, leal, siempre augusta y fidelísima ciudad de Calatayud ("The very noble, loyal, always august and most faithful town of Calatayud").[3] The first democratic elections afterFrancisco Franco's regime were called for 15 June 1977. In Calatayud they were held one day earlier than all the rest ofSpain, in order to prepare for a visit there byKing Juan Carlos I.
The city was founded on the site of aCelt-Iberian settlement[5] by the Romans with the nameAugusta Bilbilis and was the birthplace of the poetMartial in 40 CE.[6] The site of the ruins of Augusta Bilbilis are approximately four kilometers to the north of the modern city of Calatayud.[7] The modern town was founded by theMoors around the Ayyub castle, circa 716 CE.[8]
The name Calatayud came from theArabicقلعة أيوبQal‘at ’Ayyūb, "theqalat (fortress) ofAyyub". The ancient inhabitants of Bilbilis moved to the new site. Occupying a strategic placement between the centralmeseta of Spain and theEbro valley, the city retained its importance in succeeding centuries. By the eleventh century a substantialJewish community was present, surviving thereconquista until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. Judaica texts from this era refer to Calatayud as קלע איוב, קלעה איוב, orקלעיה איוב (QalʿahAyuv, Qalʿ Ayuv, Qalʿiya Ayuv).[9] The city was conquered from the Muslims byAlfonso I of Aragón in 1119. Many surviving examples ofmudéjar church architecture show that the Moorish influence lived on.[10]
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One of the most notableMudéjar towers of Aragón is the 15th-century bell tower of thecollegiate church of Santa María, which was built on the site of a mosque.[12] A Renaissance doorway was added in 1528.[13]
Santo Sepulcro, built in 1141, and restored in 1613, was long the principal church of the SpanishKnights Templar.[13]
This qalʿat is the biggest and oldest one on the Iberian peninsula.
The church of "San Pedro" was founded byFerdinand II of Aragón and it was there that the firstcortes (parliament) of Aragon was held in 1411.[14]
The majority of employment is in the service sector and in agriculture. Agriculture consists primarily of apple and pear orchards,[15] although there are also somevineyards in the area).[16][17] Industry is much less developed, although there are two industrial estates (La Charluca and Mediavega) and the creation of a third is being studied.
Calatayud has acold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification:BSk) with cool to mild winters and hot summers. Precipitation is irregular throughout the year, with spring being the wettest season and winter the driest, although August is the driest month. These precipitation patterns are typical of the semi-arid regions ofAragon. Due to its higher altitude compared to theEbro Valley, the average annual temperature is lower, with colder winters and more pleasant summers.[18]
Climate data for Calatayud (1993–2020), extremes (1993-present)
There is a popular Spanish song that says (translated) "If you go to Calatayud / ask for Dolores (a popular female name) / she is a very nice girl / fond of granting favours" that captures the (traditional) fame of girls in Calatayud. Given that reputation, traditionally boys went to the town in order to "ask for Dolores" to be "favoured" by local girls. Nowadays this tradition has dismissed although in festivities, boys from the surroundings, even fromZaragoza, visit the town with that aim.[citation needed]
^"Comunidad de Calatayud". CAI Tourism of Aragon. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved2009-05-31.
^Gutiérrez, Francisco; Cooper, Anthony H. (2002). "Evaporite Dissolution Subsidence in the Historical City of Calatayud, Spain: Damage Appraisal and Prevention".Natural Hazards.25 (3):259–288.doi:10.1023/A:1014807901461.S2CID128832226.
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