Tortosa is located at 12 metres (39 feet)above sea level, by theEbro river, protected on its northern side by the mountains of theCardó Massif, of whichBuinaca, one of the highest peaks, is located within Tortosa's municipal boundary.
Before Tortosa, across the river, rise the massivePorts de Tortosa-Beseit mountains. The area aroundMont Caro and other high summits are often covered with snow in the winter.
Tortosa (fromLatin:Dertusa orDertosa, viaArabic:طرطوشةṬurṭūshah) is probably identical to the ancientHibera, capital ofIlercavonia. This may be the ancient settlement the remains of which have been found on the hill named Castillo de la Zuda. InRoman times, the town took the name Dertosa (Ancient Greek:Δέρτωσσα).[3]
The citywas conquered by the CountRamon Berenguer IV of Barcelona in 1148, as part of theSecond Crusade. Because of the crusading appeal made by PopeEugene III and his representative Nicholas Brakespear (the future PopeHadrian IV), the siege received the aid of crusaders from multiple nationalities (Genovese, Anglo-Normans, Normans, Occitans, Germans, Flemish and Dutch), who were on their way to theHoly Land. The siege of Tortosa was narrated by the Genovese chronicler and diplomatCaffaro.
After its conquest, the city and its territory were divided among the victors, with multiple lands being granted to foreign crusaders and to the military and religious orders.[5]
Tortosa also had a sizable Jewish community in the 14th and 15th centuries; vestiges of that community can be seen throughout the City.
Marks on the side of this dwelling's portal indicate a Jewish family previously lived here, in theCall Jueu of Tortosa.
In the years 1413 and 1414, as an attempt to force conversion upon the Jews, Jews were forced to defend their religion in a two-weekDisputation of Tortosa which took place in the Cathedral of Tortosa, which is still standing today.
Construction work on a railway line between Tortosa andAlcañiz began in 1891, to open a communication gate between this region andAragon.[6] The work, however, was haphazard and the first trains between Alcañiz and Tortosa began only in 1942. The last stretch between Tortosa andSant Carles de la Ràpita was never completed before the line was terminated byRenfe in 1973.[7]
Castle ofSant Joan, orSuda, commanding the city from a 59-metre-high (194-foot) hill. Though the Romans were the first to fortify the place, the current structure dates to Muslim CaliphAbd ar-Rahman III. After the conquest byRamon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, in 1148, it became a residence of the Montcada and theKnights Templar, and from the 13th century it became a royal mansion.
The Cathedral, begun in 1347 and consecrated in 1597.
Bishop Palace.
The Royal Schools. Founded by Charles V for the education of the Moors, are one of the best examples of Renaissance civil architecture in Catalonia. The architectural known as the Royal Colleges will consist of three buildings:
The College of Sant Jaume i Sant Maties (it currently houses the local historical archive of Baix Ebre),
The church of Sant Domènec (now theRenaissance Interpretation Centre).
Convent ofSanta Clara, founded in 1283.
The Rose street: Despuig Palace (14th century), Oriol Palace and Capmany Palace.
Oliver de Boteller Palace (15th century)
Walls and fortresses: Tenasses, Sitjar, Orleans...
Architecture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries: Municipal market, the old municipal slaughterhouse (Museum of Tortosa), Montagut Palace, house Pilar Fontanet, Temple of Repair, house Lamote (Siboni), house Brunet, Sabate clinic, house Ballester, house Bernardo Grego, house Pallares, house Camós, house Llorca, Teodoro González municipal park, etc.
TortosaRenaissance Festival.[8] Over 3,000 citizens in period costumes and 60 shows a day with over 500 actors transport us to the Tortosa of 500 years ago. In the second half of July, Tortosa celebrates the Renaissance Festival. Under the titlethe Splendour of a 16th Century City, the Festival commemorates, through a wide range of cultural and recreational activities, the historical period of the 16th century, one of the most interesting periods in our city's existence.
Ports de Tortosa-Beseit. This mountains that lie between Catalonia, Valencia and Aragon, are part of a limestone massif, characterised by its abrupt cliff faces, which has been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times.[9]
Tortosa has ahot-summer mediterranean climate (Csa) in theKöppen climate classification, bordering on ahot semi-arid climate (BSh).[11] Tortosa enjoys a very warm climate for its latitude. Even considering it's located at miles inland from the coastline, this mostly happens because the city lies on the delta of theEbro river, which acts as a natural barrier against cold fronts.[citation needed] Albeit being a Mediterranean climate, winter months have less precipitation than autumn (common pattern in eastern Spain), but there is still a substantial summer drought.
Climate data for Tortosa 50m (1991-2020). Extremes (1920-present)
^Lucas Villegas-Aristizabal, "Anglo-Norman involvement in the conquest of Tortosa and Settlement of Tortosa, 1148-1180", Crusades 8 (2009), pp. 63-129.
Antoni Virgili, "Angli cum multis aliis alienigenis: crusade settlers in Tortosa (second half of the twelfth century),"Journal of Medieval History, 35,3 (2009), 297–312.
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