Saragossa

Saragossa (in Spanish, Zaragoza), city in north-east Spain, capital of Aragón Region and Saragossa Province, on the the Ebro river. The city is an important industrial, rail, and commercial centre. Principal manufactured goods include textiles, agricultural machinery, glass, cement, and refined sugar. The 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 Saragossa (1533) is located in the city.

The ancient settlement Salduba originally occupied the site of present-day Saragossa. Salduba was captured in the 1st century bc by the Romans, who renamed it Caesaraugusta: its 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. Saragossa declined in importance after the unification of the kingdoms of Aragón and Castile in 1469. The city's name became famous all over Europe, however, during the Peninsular War, when its citizens displayed extreme heroism against a besieging French army in 1808-1809. Population 654,390 (2007).