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León, Spain

León
León's gothic Cathedral, also called The House of Light or the Pulchra Leonina
León's gothic Cathedral, also called The House of Light or the Pulchra Leonina
Flag of the city of León
Flag
Coat of arms of León
Coat of arms
Motto: Cuna del Parlamentarismo ("The cradle of Parliamentarism")
Anthem: Himno a León
León is located in Spain
León
León
Location of León
Coordinates: 42°36′20″N 5°34′12″W / 42.60556°N 5.57000°W / 42.60556; -5.57000
Country Spain Spain
Autonomous community Castile and León
Province León
Founded 1st century BC
Founded by Legio VI Victrix
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Body Ayuntamiento de León
 • Mayor Antonio Silván (PP)
Area
 • Land 39.03 km2 (15.07 sq mi)
Elevation 837 m (2,746 ft)
Population (2015)
 • City 127,817
 • Metro 202,793
Demonym(s) Leonés (Spanish)
Llïonés (Leonese)
Leonese (English)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 24001 - 24010
Telephone prefix 987
Website Ayuntamiento de León

León (/lˈɒn, -ˈn/; Spanish: León [leˈon]; Leonese: Llión [ʎiˈoŋ]) is the capital of the province of León, located in the northwest of Spain. Its city population of 127,817 (2015) makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for more than one quarter of the province's population. Including the metropolitan area, the population is estimated at 202,793 (2015).

Founded as the military encampment of the Legio VI Victrix around 29 BC, its standing as an encampment city was consolidated with the definitive settlement of the Legio VII Gemina from 74 AD. Following its partial depopulation due to the Umayyad conquest of the peninsula, León was revived by its incorporation into the Kingdom of Asturias. 910 saw the beginning of one its most prominent historical periods, when it became the capital of the Kingdom of León, which took active part in the Reconquista against the Moors, and came to be one of the fundamental kingdoms of medieval Spain. In 1188, the city hosted the first Parliament in European history under the reign of Alfonso IX, due to which it was named in 2010, by the professor John Keane, the King of Spain and the Junta of Castile and León, as the cradle of Parliamentarism, and the Decreta of León were included in the Memory of the World register by UNESCO in 2013. The city's prominence began to decline in the early Middle Ages, partly due to the loss of independence after the union of the Leonese kingdom with the Crown of Castile, consolidated in 1301.


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