Teruel

Teruel is a Spanish city and municipality located in southern Aragon, capital of the homonymous province. With 35,900 inhabitants (INE 2022), it is the least populated provincial capital in the country. Located in the central-eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula, at an altitude of about 915 m above sea level, it is located at the confluence of the Alfambra and Guadalaviar rivers, known downstream of the city as Turia. Its climate is characterized by very cold winters and hot/temperate and dry summers.

It has an important Mudejar artistic heritage, part of which has been recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, as well as other tourist attractions such as the Mausoleum of the Lovers of Teruel, El Torico and the Dinópolis paleontological center. The most outstanding Mudejar monuments are the church of Santa María, cathedral of the diocese of Teruel, and the towers of El Salvador, San Martín and San Pedro, at whose feet is the church that receives the same name, also in the Mudejar style.

Geography

It is part of the Comunidad de Teruel region. The municipality occupies the depression formed by the Alfambra and Guadalaviar rivers, which join near the city. Some of the mountains belonging to the Iberian system rise around this depression. The Sierra de Peñarredonda is located to the west, south of the Guadalaviar, reaching 1,186 m, although the most prominent elevation is the Meseta de las Pedrazas (1,126 m). To the southeast is the Sierra de Camarena, which reaches 1,462 m in Las Coronillas, on the border with La Puebla de Valverde. To the northeast is the Sierra Gorda, between the Alfambra river and the Río Seco boulevard, which reaches 1,277 m at El Chopo peak, near the border with Corbalán. To the northwest, the area is less mountainous, although the so-called Cerro Gordo (1,222 m) stands out near the border with Celadas. The altitude oscillates therefore between 1462 m (La Coronilla) and 850 m on the banks of the Guadalaviar river. The city stands at 915 m above sea level.

Northwest: Cella	North: Celadas, Alfambra, Peralejos y Cuevas Labradas	Northeast: Corbalán
West: Cella and Albarracín		This: Corbalán and La Puebla de Valverde
Southwest: Blonde	South: Villastar and Cubla	Sureste: La Puebla de Valverde

Map of the municipality

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Interactive map — Teruel and its municipality

Climate

Climogram of the city

According to the Köppen climate classification, Teruel's climate is generally cold semi-arid (BSk), although it is very close to the limits of subtropical climates, with dry winters and hot summers (Cwa), and temperate sub-humid mountain (Cwb).

In summer the temperatures are mild, although with a lot of temperature fluctuations, and in winter they are cold, with low minimums, which on some occasions can drop below -10 °C. The precipitations present the minimum in winter and a maximum at the end of the spring. The temperature records recorded at the Teruel observatory are 39.3 °C on August 4, 2007 and -22.5 °C on December 26, 2001. In the area of the municipality occupied by the city of Teruel there is a thermal island with temperatures 2 °C higher than those of the surroundings.

Teruel is the capital of the Spanish province with the most days of frost per year, a total of 95 days on average. It presents an average of eleven days of snow per year. In the city it has snowed as early as October (1992) and has had late snowfall as late as May.

Average weather parameters of Observatorio de Teruel (900 msnm) (Reference period: 1986-2010, extremes: 1986-2019)
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	21.2	23.8	28.0	30.0	35.8	38.8	39.0	40.2	36.7	31.0	25.1	20.3	40.2
Average temperature (°C)	9.7	12.1	15.7	17.0	21.8	27.0	31.3	30.7	25.3	19.3	13.4	9.9	19.4
Average temperature (°C)	3.7	5.3	8.2	9.9	14.3	18.7	22.2	22.0	17.6	12.7	7.2	4.2	12.2
Temp. medium (°C)	-2.3	-1.6	0.8	2.8	6.8	10.5	13.0	13.2	9.9	6.0	0.9	-1.4	4.9
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	-16.2	-11.8	-10.6	-5.3	-2.7	1.8	4.6	3.0	-0.4	-4.0	-12.2	-22.5	-22.5
Total precipitation (mm)	18.8	14.9	21.2	39.2	57.3	46.1	25.7	34.0	35.7	46.7	22.0	19.2	378.2
Precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	3.7	3.0	3.8	6.3	7.6	6.1	2.7	3.8	5.1	6.6	4.3	4.5	57.4
Days of snow (≥)	2.5	2.6	1.9	1.5	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.9	1.7	11.2
Relative humidity (%)	76	68	63	62	61	57	52	56	63	71	74	78	65
Source: State Meteorology Agency

History

Background

According to some authors, it could correspond to the city called by the Phoenicians Thorbat or Thorbet. It could also be the Turba of the Celtiberians, or the Túrbula mentioned by Ptolemy.

Teruel has been populated since the time of the Celtiberians, who called the place Turboleta. ^{[citation required]} The place name Turboleta could come from the term Basque-Iberian itur + olu + eta (place of source, spring), according to the Basque-Iberian theory. There are remains in the Alto Chacón site. The area was later occupied by the Romans, leaving remains in nearby towns, such as those of Cella.

Middle Ages

Mudejar Tower of San Martín

Some authors claim that in the same location of the current city of Teruel (specifically in the Jewish quarter), Tirwal was settled, a name that would come from Arabic, with the meaning of "tower", a Muslim enclave cited in the year 935. However, although the presence of Islamic occupation of this space has been detected archaeologically, the remains located do not belong to a population center, but rather to a defensive construction.

On October 1, 1171, the Aragonese king Alfonso II took Tirwal with the intention of reinforcing the southern border of his kingdom, which he considered threatened by the capture of the city of Valencia by the Almohads. And in that same year he founded the city of Teruel, endowing it with charters and privileges to thus facilitate the repopulation of the area.

Fuero de Teruel

It should be noted due to its historical importance that, in the Torreón del Cubo, next to the missing Zaragoza gate, are the oldest bars of Aragon that have been preserved, thus signifying Alfonso II the Chaste, when sculpting its four bars Gules in stone when walling Teruel, which was a royal town.

The foundation of Teruel represents an unprecedented change in the political and territorial structure of southern Aragon, since the predominance of Albarracín and Alfambra from the Muslim period will be replaced by that of the new foundation, Teruel in particular, to the detriment of Alfambra, which will remain in the background under the legal formula of lordship.

According to a legend, to found the new city the wise men and the main people of the town met and looked for various signs and omens, finding favorable the fact that a bull bellowed from a height (which would correspond to the current main square, that of the Torico) and that a star would shine on the bull. From this encounter, according to some authors, the city takes its name, since it would come from joining in one word the word "bull" and the name of the star, "Actuel", thus forming the word "Toroel", and later «Toruel». The symbol of the bull and the star would also come from this fortuitous encounter, which can be seen both on the flag and on the city's coat of arms, as well as on the Vaquilla monument (in which a vaquillero is seen facing a a bull and an angel placing the star on the bull). After its foundation and repopulation, the community of Teruel was established, a group of villages around the town.

The inhabitants of Teruel took part in the conquest of Valencia, which was in the hands of the Muslims, and in the war of the Dos Pedros against Castile, the town being granted the title of city in 1347 by Pedro IV of Aragon, for his help in the Union wars. It is necessary to highlight the considerable importance that the Jewish and Mudejar communities reached within the social and economic life of the city, since their aljamas were consolidated towards the end of the century XIII. The case of the Jewish quarter of Teruel is notable, which still preserves its place name, and of which abundant archaeological remains have been located.

Modern Age

Teruel in the centuryXVIII

The Los Arcos aqueduct, the most relevant engineering work of the Teruel Renaissance, was built between 1537 and 1558.

One of the most relevant events in the history of the city occurred in the so-called Alterations of Teruel and Albarracín. During the reign of Felipe II, the Court of the Inquisition committed constant violations, which is why it was not accepted by these populations, causing frequent popular riots, sometimes with violence towards the inquisitors. In the year 1572 there were such riots that the king, exercising his authority, sent a Castilian army under the command of the Duke of Segorbe to invade Teruel. There was fighting for several days as the city was fortified, but the square finally surrendered on Holy Thursday of that year. For a week the ringleaders were executed in the gardens of the Baron de Escriche, now Plaza de San Juan. This fact greatly discredited the Aragonese forality. At the beginning of the 18th century, during the Spanish Succession War, the city aligned itself with Felipe V.

Contemporary Age

Teruel in the Chronicle of the province of Teruel (1866) by Pedro Pruneda

During the War of Independence (1808-1814) Teruel received orders from the Captain General of Aragon, José Rebolledo de Palafox, to rise up in arms against the French. However, a few months later and with little resistance, it was occupied by imperial forces under the command of Marshal Suchet, who kept the square under their control until their withdrawal in 1813. The French blew up several civil buildings and convents in the capital, leaving them as Inherited from these destructions are the current open spaces of the Plaza del Seminario and the Oval. In 1817, repair works were carried out at the Seminary, which had been the headquarters of the French garrison during the war.

Teruel attacked on August 4, 1874 during the third Carlist War

During the Carlist Wars, the capital remained faithful to the liberal governments against the Carlist power of the Maestrazgo, without ever being threatened by the troops of General Cabrera. On the contrary, expeditions left Teruel to repel the Carlist harassment of Tierra Baja and to come to the aid of the besieged Alcañiz in 1838. Already in the second half of the century, during the Third Carlist War, the city was attacked by Marco de Bello and Alfonso Carlos, the suitor's brother, with numerous troops on July 3 and August 4, 1874, but they failed and only managed to penetrate the outskirts of the city.

Plano de Teruel (1881)

In 1858 the current Torico fountain, the icon of the city, was built. At the end of the XIX century, Teruel enjoyed a certain prosperity, fostered by the petty bourgeoisie that inhabited it. The result of this period of prosperity are the modernist works that dot the urban area, dating from the beginning of the XX century. It was around these dates (1901) when the railway arrived in the city.

Civil War

Teruel became famous during the Civil War as it was the scene of the Battle of Teruel. In July 1936, the Francoist uprising triumphed in Teruel, as in the rest of the Aragonese capitals, thanks to the support of the Civil Guard and the Assault Guard of the city. The arrival of Popular Front columns from Levante, however, meant that most of the surrounding territories remained in the hands of the Republic, leaving the front stabilized for almost a year and a half, despite the multiple Republican offensives.

In December 1937, in order to alleviate the pressure that the rebel troops exerted on Madrid, the Republican high command assembled twelve divisions, with more than 110,000 men framed in three army corps, which had to reduce the salient that Teruel meant for the war front, and the threat it represented for the Levant, in the hands of the Republic. The first part of the operation was a success, since Teruel was the only provincial capital conquered by the Republic during the war.

Map of the environment where the battle of Teruel was developed. The initial and final situations are indicated, as well as that for 20 December 1937, when the city is surrounded by the republican troops and the battle for the taking of the capital begins

The Republican troops, under the command of General Vicente Rojo, began their offensive on December 15, 1937, through the Corbalán area, with aerial bombardments of communications nodes and the urban center of Teruel, until they reached positions close to the capital. On the other hand, Colonel Domingo Rey d'Harcourt prepared the defense with his few troops, which did not reach 5,000 men, concentrating on strong points in the city, such as the Command building, in the Plaza de San Juan, and the seminary. Numerous neighbors came to take refuge in it. They reached more than 1,500 civilians and 1,759 the military, with another 1,059 added from other positions, which prepared themselves for defense. Upon reaching the outskirts of the capital, the Republic forces began a large artillery preparation on the center of the city, reducing it to rubble in the central areas. There were many hand-to-hand combats within the urban center, in which many civilians were involved.

Entry of Republican Troops in Teruel (1938)

The rebel army reacted promptly to help the besieged, but the low temperatures and a heavy snowstorm that made operations impossible, prevented the forces of General Aranda from penetrating the city and breaking the Republican siege, so they the defenders surrendered the city on January 8, 1938. In this capitulation, the Republican forces took as prisoners, among others, Colonel Rey d'Harcourt and the bishop of the diocese of Teruel-Albarracín, Anselmo Polanco. Both were assassinated a year later, almost at the end of the war and in full retreat from Catalonia, on February 7, 1939, in the Girona town of Pont de Molins by forces under the command of Enrique Líster.

The response of the rebel forces had continued on December 31 with attacks led by General García Valiño. On January 2, the attackers took up positions around the city, although they did not manage to enter it until February 7. With a strong artillery offensive and air support from the Condor Legion (the German Ju-87 Stuka plane was used for the first time in the battle of Teruel, and as a prelude to what would happen in World War II), they closed the siege around the 20th. Despite the republican efforts, the surrender was complete on the 22nd, with the taking of more than 15,000 prisoners and abundant war material. In this way, the front was returned to a state similar to that prior to the operation, with Teruel recovered for the rebels and very marked losses in men and material for the Republic, which did not achieve its initial objectives, but only delayed the actions of Franco on Madrid, who opted to act in Levante, leaving the republican territory shortly after.

Finally, with the new insurgent offensive in Aragon towards the Mediterranean, in March 1938, taking advantage of the accumulation of forces in Teruel, the front moved away from the capital and little by little life in the battered city began to return to normal. which was practically destroyed after two severe sieges.

Just after the war, reconstruction work began under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Devastated Regions. Its activity lasted until the mid-fifties, when it was used to provide Teruel with more open spaces and rationalization of streets. Its main performances are reflected in the Seminary and its surroundings, the street and Plaza de San Juan and the Ovalo complex.

Demographics

Among the Spanish provincial capitals, Teruel is the least populated capital, with a population in 2018 of 35,691 inhabitants (known as Turolenses), the one with the lowest percentage of population between 15 and 29 years of age and, therefore, On the contrary, the capital with the highest rate of old age (people over 65 years of age). In 2016 it had a total population of 35,564.

Graphic of demographic evolution of Teruel between 1842 and 2018

Source: Spanish National Statistical Institute - Graphical development by Wikipedia Note: Between the census of 1930 and the previous one the term of the municipality grows because it incorporates Concud and between the census 1981 and the previous one incorporates Aldehuela, Campillo, Castralvo, Caudé, Tortajada, Valdecebro and Villalba Baja.

Population centers

In the municipality of Teruel there are, in addition to the provincial capital, the towns of Aldehuela, El Campillo, Castralvo, Caudé, Concud, San Blas, Tortajada, Valdecebro, Villalba Baja and Villaspesa.

Administration and politics

After the 2019 municipal elections, the municipal corporation was made up of 7 councilors from the Popular Party, 5 from the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, 3 from Ciudadanos, 2 from the Aragonese Party, 1 from Vox, 1 from Ganar Teruel-Izquierda Unida and 1 of the Chunta Aragonesista. A few days later, Emma Buj, of the Popular Party, was sworn in as mayor, with the support of the councilors of her own formation, Ciudadanos and Vox.

Headquarters of the City of Teruel

Economy

Paseo del Óvalo with terraces and shops

Currently, the economy of the city of Teruel is based mainly on the service sector where the public sector and a developed tourism sector stand out, having become an inland or cultural tourist destination since the 1990s.

There are several livestock farms and meat industries, mainly dedicated to pigs, to supply the market with meat products with designation of origin, as well as feed and derived fertilizers. The regulatory council of the Teruel ham denomination of origin has its administrative headquarters in the city of Teruel.

Other types of industries settled in Teruel are, for example, those related to automobile derivatives and furniture manufacturing.

The Teruel airport has been operating since 2013, dedicated to the parking, maintenance and dismantling of aircraft, rocket motor tests, flight school, helicopters, flight tests, aeronautical and aerospace research, training and development. It is being expanded thanks to its great activity, providing employment in the area. Its first general director is Alejandro F. Ibrahim Perera, Dr. aeronautical engineer, who directs and manages the airport infrastructure with a unique and new business model in the industry aeronautics, surpassing more than twenty airports in the Spanish network in revenue since 2019. With a planned expansion of 200 ha and new warehouses and hangars, highlighting the second largest hangar in the country with capacity for two A380s.

Services

Transportation

Southwest panoramic view of the city, between the diocesan seminar (left) and the old viaduct (right)

By road

• Autovía Mudéjar, A-23: Sagunto - Teruel - Daroca - Zaragoza - Huesca - Somport
• N-420: Córdoba - Montoro - Puertollano - Ciudad Real - Daimiel - Alcázar de San Juan - Mota del Cuervo - Cuenca - Ademuz - Teruel - Utrillas - Alcañiz - Valdealgorfa - Reus - Tarragona
• N-330: Alicante - Almansa - Requena - Utiel - Teruel - Daroca - Zaragoza - Huesca - Jaca - Somport
• N-234: Sagunto - Teruel - Calatayud - Soria - Burgos
• A-226: Teruel - Calanda
• A-1512: Teruel - Albarracín
• A-1513: Teruel - Valdecuenca

By rail

• Huesca - Zaragoza - Teruel
• Valencia - Sagunto - Teruel
• Cartagena - Alicante - Valencia - Teruel

The arrival of the AVE is currently in the project phase with the construction of the Cantabrian-Mediterranean axis connecting with Santander and Bilbao in record time.

By plane

Teruel airport can be reached by commercial flights in private and executive aircraft. Also commercial flights in aircraft up to 19 passengers.

Heritage

The Cathedral of Santa Maria is part of the "Mudejar architecture of Aragon", declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Teruel preserves several Mudejar buildings that have been declared a World Heritage Site under the name "Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon": the tower, roof and dome of the Cathedral of Santa María de Mediavilla (378-001), the tower and church of San Pedro (378-002), the tower of the church of San Martín (378-003) and the tower of the church of El Salvador (378-004). Among them, the roof of the Cathedral of Teruel, which is considered the most important medieval wooden roof in the world, stands out as a half-constructive, half-decoration Mudejar element.

Cover and cloister of the Museum of Sacred Art

There are also several modernist buildings, with examples of historicist styles, such as neomudéjar. The Casa de Tejidos El Torico, in Plaza Carlos Castel, the bullring or the Escalinata, are examples of the aforementioned styles. In addition, the city preserves some Gothic buildings that have their best exponent in the church of San Francisco.

It is also worth noting its walls or cisterns from this period. Dating from the XVI century, the largest aqueduct built in Spain in the Renaissance stands out, known as Los Arcos. In addition to this period, the palace of the Teruel Community of Villages stands out, currently the Provincial Museum, within the so-called Aragonese style (Renaissance).

Another place of interest is the Torico fountain and its square, a meeting point, nerve center and symbol of the city. On the road to Santa Bárbara you can appreciate the best view of the city and its surroundings from the Mirador de Los Mansuetos, with its interpretation table.

Culture

Gastronomy

Ham of Teruel

Due to the livestock vocation of some areas, meat dishes are popular, especially those based on lamb (called ternasco), pork (and its slaughter) as well as various farmyard animals. Wheat cakes called "sollapas" and the shepherd's stew are well-known. One of the most popular foods is Teruel ham (which is part of some toasts called delicias de Teruel: a kind of bread with tomato) and lamb from Aragon. Some dishes of interest are the regañaos, the migas from Turolense, the garlic soups and the Teruel soup. Among the Turolense confectionery are the "lover's sighs", some pastries with a cheese base.

Parties

The Angel Vaquilla

Its main festivals (Fiestas del Ángel) are held in the first half of July and last one week. The most important days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday) coincide with the weekend closest to San Cristóbal (July 10), and are popularly known as La Vaquilla del Ángel, one of the free music festivals, in street and stage format, the most important in the country, in addition to the traditional roped bulls on Monday through the streets of the city center and all the activities that the clubs develop for their members.

Isabel de Segura weddings

Another of the events with great public attraction is Las Bodas de Isabel de Segura, the weekend that coincides with the third Friday of February, in memory of Los Amantes de Teruel, Juan Martínez de Marcilla, popularly called Diego de Marcilla, and Isabel de Segura. Thousands of people from Teruel dress in early medieval attire, a varied market is also installed and the streets are decorated, transferring the atmosphere of the city to the XIIIth century.

On Easter Tuesday the Sermon on Tortillas is celebrated. It has its origin in the Christian foundation of the city, when on Easter Tuesday of each year the people of Teruel elected the positions of the council. The celebration consists of enjoying a meal outdoors in the surroundings of the city.

Holy Week

His Holy Week stands out for its sobriety and the rumble of drums, bass drums and kettledrums, as well as the passing of the processions.

Music

Among the musicians from Teruel we can mention the composers Antón García Abril and Javier Navarrete, the pop singer David Civera and the tenor Andrés Marín. Maestro Manuel Lillo Torregrosa composed the work Jotas de Teruel, inspired by the popular folklore of the province. The musician Modesto Linares Izquierdo is the great promoter of music in Teruel and founder of the Professional Conservatory of Music.

Sports

The Teruel Volleyball Club stands out, which is considered one of the best Spanish volleyball clubs. It has an outstanding track record: 7 Super Leagues (2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/2011, 2011/2012, 2013/14, 2017/18 and 2018/19), 6 SM el Rey Cups (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2020), 9 Spanish Super Cups (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) and 1 FEV League. In the 2017/18 season they achieved the treble in national competitions, having won the Super League, the Copa del Rey and the Super Cup.

In soccer, Club Deportivo Teruel played in Segunda División B (after being promoted in the 2009/2010 season), but was relegated in the 2012/2013 season. Five years later, in the 2017/2018 season, the team coached by Dani Aso returned Club Deportivo Teruel to the bronze category of Spanish football but it would be relegated again the following season. Currently he continues to play in the Aragonese Third Division. Currently the club is trained by César Laínez and is trying to return Club Deportivo de Teruel to Second Division B.

There is also a basketball club, CAB Teruel, and a chess team, which plays in the highest Aragonese category. The Teruel Archery Club has recently achieved various titles at the regional and national level at the hands of Diego Guillén.

Notable people