It is the capital of the Costa Verde and in it urban development coexists with a privileged natural environment. Gijón has something of a great village. The affable character of its people, the absence of stress and the persistence of the Asturian landscape even in its most avant-garde neighbourhoods, make it even more charming. To the north it limits with the Cantabrian Sea, to the east with the council of Villaviciosa, and to the west it borders with Carreño. To the south, the municipalities of Siero, Corvera and Llanera.
How to get to Gijón
Gijón occupies a privileged geographical position on the Asturian map, a few minutes from Oviedo and Avilés, on the highway «Y», great artery of the Asturian metropolis, and half an hour from the airport of Asturias, which maintains daily connections with the main Madrid, Barcelona, La Coruña, Balearic, Canary, Paris and London cities.
We can highlight two large road axes:
· From south to north, it is defined by the National Highway N-630 Ruta de la Plata (Gijón-Sevilla) and parallel to it the A-66 motorway (León-Gijón) allows easy movement from the center of the peninsula.
· The East-West axis, through the entire Cantabrian Coast, is articulated by the National Highway N-634 (Irún-Santiago de Compostela).
Distances
Oviedo 28 km. // Avilés 25 km. // Ribadesella 60 km.
History
The Gijón past has enough archaeological and documentary motifs. On the Campa Torres, vestiges of a large military settlement of the first century of our era. There is also data of an important Roman settlement, as well it is seen in the ruins of the thermal complex of Campo Valdés, with defensive walls around. Some of the objects and ruins that appeared in these excavations are currently exhibited in the Clock Tower in the neighborhood of Cimadevilla. In between these two stages the toponym Gegio made its appearance, from whose ablative (Gegione) derives the current name of the city. Later Gjon would be battlefield in the dynastic wars Initiated between Enrique de Trastámara and his stepbrother Pedro I El Cruel in the second half of the 14th century.
Under the rule of The Catholic kings the town grows demographically and commercially. But it would be in the XVIII and XIX centuries, always under the tutelage and leadership of Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, when the city experienced a true modernizing leap. From the plan of improvements that this enlightened began the city takes on true dimensions with an urban widening, layout of streets, boulevards, etc. that were gradually eating land to wetlands and sand.
The implementation of the railroad in Asturian territory also benefited the growth of Gijón, which in parallel grew in port facilities with the great Port of El Musel. Railway and port, together with the coal boom in the center of Asturias, turned Gijón into one of the industrial references of northern Spain. During the twentieth century the city lived in conflict with the 34 revolution and several episodes of the Spanish Civil War that led to a hard and long postwar. Gijón came out vigorously in the 50 decade thanks to the metallurgical industry: first Uninsa, then Ensidesa, later Aceralia. Thousands of families of workers, from other peninsular regions, sought and found their new home here and, with it, brought about a demographic explosion that led to very plural social habits at the same time. Gijón boasts of being a cosmopolitan urban town, progressive and a lover of culture. Not in vain is the birthplace of Jovellanos and has a active museum network located in buildings recovered for the enjoyment of heritage and art: Palacio de Revillagigedo International Art Center, Piñole Museum, Evaristo Valle Museum, Barjola Museum, etc ...
Currently, Gijón also stands out with a wide range of commercial and services, without losing sight of the technical studies and the technological advances that are developed in its University campus. In tourism, Gijón is not ahead of other sectors, thanks to a wide cultural and landscape offer in the council, with three large urban beaches of San Lorenzo, Poniente and Arbeyal, these last two artificial, which guarantee bathing in the Cantabrian
In the old town of Cimadevilla you can contrast another of the historical facets of this great village: the sailor, in a neighborhood where architecture looks out to sea and in which Eduardo Chillida placed his Praise of the Horizon. An immense sculpture that currently serves as a symbol of the city and stands on the Hill of Santa Catalina, a promontory in which local history also begins with ancient settlements.
What is not to be missed in Gijón?
Cimadevilla, the neighborhood of the essences
The citizen charisma of Gijón is lived doubly in one of its most essential neighborhoods. Cimadevilla always…
Praise of the Chillida Horizon
It is a work of great proportions erected in 1990 on the Cerro de Santa Catalina in…
Gijón Roman Baths
The hot springs of Gijón they are inside the roman wall the urban area of Gijón has been raised,…
Festivals, fairs and cultural events in Gijón
· Antroxu. Carnival, in February/March.
· San Juan, week of June 24.
· Gijón Book Fair · FELIX, end of June.
Xixón Book Fair
A total of 87 booths…
· Indigenous Games Olympiad, June.
· Black Week, mid-July.
XXXVII Black Week 2024
It will take place from the 5th to…
· Arcu Atlánticu Festival, end of July.
Arcu Atlánticu Festival 2024
The 9th edition will take place…
Big Week 2024
Gijón is in its Week…
· International Folk Festival, July/August.
· Traditional Asturian Song Competition, early August.
· Asturias Day in Gijón, first Sunday in August.
Oktoberfest 2024
The 11th Edition of the Oktoberfest…
· Natural Cider Festival, end of August.
Gijón Cider Festival 2024
The 33rd Festival of the…
· White Night of Gijón, end of September.
White Night in Gijón 2024
In Gijón/Xixón the Municipal Foundation…
Markets in the city of Gijón
Sunday trail in the vicinity of the Molinón.
The trail of Gijón
The Gijón market is undoubtedly the largest and busiest street market in the Principality. He stands up...
Ecological and artisan market, 2º weekends of each month in the Plaza Mayor Ayto.
Ecological and artisan market of Gijón
The organic and artisan market is a shopping alternative far from the classic commercial circuits...
Tourist Offices of Gijón
Information point INFOGIJÓN. Central Breakwater of the Development Dike. c / Rodríguez Sampedro s / n. Tel: 985 34 17 71.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
