The City of Murcia

Introduction to Murcia

The charming city of Murcia is situated in the southeast of Spain and is the capital of Murcia province. Murcia is an ancient city founded in 831 by Abd-AL-Rahman and lies next to the Segura River, on a site where Iberian and Roman settlements are thought to have existed. A 50-foot wall erected for defence within the foundations, and at one time this wall comprised 95 towers. This confirms what an important comMurcial centre Murcia was at that time, a peerless capital of the kingdom. From 1266 onwards Murcia experienced a complete transformation and it was from that time that the guilds started to play an important role. This is reflected in many of the major street names that persist even today like Traperia (Drapers), Plateria (Silversmiths) and the Vidrieros (Glaziers). Christian places of worship came to replace Mosques as the kingdom changed hands.

From the 16th Century the city withstood a barrage of misfortunes such as epidemics, floods and other crises. In the 18th Century expansion took on further momentum, and this set the foundation for a series of social and economic changes up to the present day. Nowadays the soils of the land surrounding Murcia are well irrigated and fertile, providing ideal conditions for many sorts of citrus fruits, cereals, olives and peppers. The city is an important centre for trade and transport, and also for the food, fabric and building materials industries.