.gal .es .en .fr .pt .de .it Tourist GUIDE Lots to enjoy A Coruña, a welcoming and hospitable city, directly overlooking the sea and open to travellers with a traveling spirit. We are an Atlantic people, we like sharing, receiving, getting to know others and displaying our cultural, inherited, landscape and gastronomical treasures. And we like diversity, plurality and equality of opportunities to enjoy life, travelling and people we meet along the way. A Coruña has a lot to offer to the traveller and a lot to discover even for those who live here. See you in A Coruña GALICIA · SPAIN · EUROPE This guide is designed to introduce you to our many tourist attractions and is packed with ideas and plans for exploring this fun-filled city. It includes information about accommodation options, getting around the city, museums, historic buildings, parks, gardens, squares, beaches, city routes and events that take place each year. 3 NW 43° 23’ 09” N 8° 24’ 23” W W N SW NE S E SE TOWER OF HERCULES EUROPE A CORUÑA ATLÁNTIC OCEAN BEACHES OLD TOWN CITY CENTER A Coruña and the world GALICIA · SPAIN · EUROPE A Coruña, situated on the north-west coast of Spain, PORT is a major Atlantic commercial port. The city stands on a peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus with two maritime fronts: on the one side the port, facing the coastal inlet of the Ría da Coruña, and on the other side the city’s main beaches, Riazor and Orzán, bathed by the open sea. A MILD SUMMER ÁRTABRO AVERAGE TEMP. GULF o o 23 /18 C SPAIN GALICIA A MILD WINTER AVERAGE TEMP. 16o/10oC 5 A CORUÑA History has shaped the 1208 1587 1809 20th century historic events city of A Coruña. Alphonse IX, King of León, Work began on the The British general Sir New industries and The Pre-Roman period ordered the re-founding construction of the San John Moore was mortally overseas trade allowed of the town, famed for its Antón fortress under the wounded in the Battle of for the expansion of the chronology The Artabri tribe inhabited lighthouse, granting it a orders of King Charles I. Elviña, which took place city and the building of the area that today is town charter, as well as a on the outskirts of A luxurious homes in the known as the Ártabro Gulf. series of other rights and 1589 Coruña and was one of Modernist and eclectic 2009 The remains of the Elviña privileges. ‘Crunia’ was the principal and bloodiest styles. Industrial growth castro or Iron Age fortified part of the quarter known English troops, led by the confrontations fought would also lead to the On 27th June 2009 the settlement are testimony today as the ‘Old City’, privateer Francis Drake, in Galicia during the consolidation of a strong Tower of Hercules, the to these Pre-Roman overlooking the port. were ordered to attack Peninsular War. trade union movement in only working Roman centres of population. and lay siege to A Coruña the city. lighthouse, was included 1446 by Elizabeth I, Queen of 19th century on the World Heritage List. 61 BCE England. Local heroine 1936 The UNESCO committee King John II raised the María Pita headed the A growing population made particular reference Julius Caesar disembarked status of the town to that defence of the city. led to changes in the Local resident Santiago to the outstanding 18th in the ‘Great Gulf of the of a city, and authorised city’s appearance, as well Casares Quiroga was century restoration work. Artabri’, just outside the free trade with England. 1778 as improvements to its appointed President of modern-day city of A Coruña thoroughfares. Public the Council of Ministers. Nowadays in search of tin and gold. 1520 King Charles III authorised buildings were constructed During his term as Forty years later, the legions the start of trading in the Pescadería district, President, he held the Modern-day A Coruña is of the Emperor Augustus King Charles I held court operations between the originally a fishing quarter, referendum on Galicia’s an open, outgoing and would annex Gallaecia to in the city and also set port of A Coruña and and the tobacco factory Statute of Autonomy. dynamic city. It boasts a the Roman Empire. sail from its port to be America. began production in the major port, making it an crowned Holy Roman area known as A Palloza. 1986 attractive destination, as 1st century CE Emperor in Germany. 1788 In 1857, the factory’s well as a city of commerce female workers, known as Work began on Europe’s and trade and is firmly The Romans built the 1522 Eustaquio Giannini cigarreras, demonstrated largest urban sea positioned at the forefront lighthouse known as commenced the major on the factory roofs, promenade. of the latest trends in ‘the Tower of Hercules’, The Spice Exchange was renovation of the Tower demanding better rights. It Atlantic gastronomy. It is a clear indication of the founded in A Coruña, of Hercules. The project was during this period that a major reference in the importance of maritime bringing prosperity to the preserved the monument’s the foundations were laid worlds of fashion and trade in the waters that city, but also converting it Roman remains and for the modern city. culture both here and bathed A Coruña. into target for pirates and provided an exhibition throughout the world. enemies of the Crown. space for them. 6 7 A CORUÑA historic figures profiles 1 2 3 4 5 As you stroll around the María Pita Eusebio da Guarda Picadillo Casares Quiroga Luis Seoane city you will come across Sigrás, 1565 - 1643 A Coruña, 1825 - París, 1897 Santiago, 1874 - A Coruña, 1918 A Coruña, 1884 - París, 1950 Buenos Aires, 1910 characters who will offer A Coruña, 1979 a series of clues as to who In 1589, the troops led by Eusebio da Guarda, The city’s tapas A lawyer, politician, we are and our nature, the corsair Francis Drake married to the widow of a competition, which takes advocate of Galician An artist, writer and providing you with a attacked the city on the shipowner, will always be place each September, is nationalism and President intellectual who, in the fascinating insight into our orders of Queen Elizabeth remembered for his love named after Don Manuel of the Government during 1970s, revolutionised true history. I of England. María Pita’s of the city. Examples of María Puga y Parga, the Second Republic, from Galician art and history husband died during the his philanthropy include ‘Picadillo’, mayor of the city May to July 1936. Whilst with his designs for El Caio Sevio Lupo struggle. Filled with rage, the secondary school that in 1915 and 1917. A famous in office, the referendum Castro and Sargadelos A native of Coimbra she seized the English flag bears his name, the former gourmet, he wrote highly on the Galician Statute of ceramic factories. Seoane from a lance, killing Francis marketplace in the Plaza de entertaining recipe books Autonomy was held. is attributed with the The Tower of Hercules is Drake’s brother as she cried Lugo and the reconstruction featuring classic Galician phrase: “The Galicians will the only Roman lighthouse out in Galician “Quen teña of the Chapel of San Andrés. dishes in a defence of Casares Quiroga House eventually learn about their that can be attributed to honra que me siga” (“Let all traditional cooking at a Museum (4) history, even though it is a named architect. It was men and women of honour Rosalía de Castro time when high society Panadeiras, 12 limited to bric-a-brac and the architect himself who follow me”). María Pita and Santiago, 1837 - Padrón, 1885 showed a clear preference Discover the history of other knick-knacks...” took pains to ensure that the city’s 4,000 inhabitants for French-style cuisine. A Coruña and Galicia’s he would be remembered, put up a successful fight This poet and novelist is Republicanism. Luis Seoane Foundation (5) carving his name on a votive against the 12,000 strong considered to be the most Pablo Picasso San Francisco, 27 inscription dedicated to English army. important female Galician Málaga, 1881 - Mougins, 1973 Wenceslao Fernández Learn about his artistic career the god Mars Ultor that can writer of all time. She lived Flórez be seen at the base of the María Pita House Museum (1) in the Old Town with her He spent his childhood in A Coruña, 1885 - Madrid, Elisa and Marcela tower. Ferrerías, 28, Old Town husband, Manuel Murguía, A Coruña. He came to the 1964 A Coruña in 1900 An exhibition space who was also a writer. city as a child but left as Eustaquio Giannini dedicated to A Coruña’s an artist. His father was an This writer and journalist, Two female teachers, Elisa Badajoz, 1750 - 1814 most famous heroine. Emilia Pardo Bazán art teacher at the school born on Torreiro Street, and Marcela, were married A Coruña, 1851 - Madrid, 1921 which today is known as is widely held to be one in A Coruña’s Church of A military engineer who, in Sir John Moore the Eusebio Daguarda of the greatest Spanish San Jorge in 1901. To carry the late 18th century, was Glasgow, 1761 - A Coruña, 1809 A countess, writer and Secondary School. literary humourists of the off their ploy, Elisa took on commissioned with the feminist with a particular 20th century. Many of his the personality of Mario, most radical alteration work A British general who led devotion for the city of A Picasso House Museum (3) works have been made into a male cousin who had to be carried out on the the retreat of the English Coruña.