Torrelavega | |||
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Municipality | |||
Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
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Motto: Ave Maria (Hail Mary) |
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Location of the Municipality of Torrelavega in Cantabria. |
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Location in Spain. | |||
Coordinates: 43°21′11″N 4°2′45″W / 43.35306°N 4.04583°W | |||
Country | Spain | ||
Autonomous community | Cantabria | ||
Province | Cantabria | ||
Comarca | Valle del Besaya | ||
Founded | 14th century as Torre de la Vega | ||
Government | |||
• Alcalde | José Manuel Cruz Viadero (2015) (PSC-PSOE) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 35.54 km2 (13.72 sq mi) | ||
Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) | ||
Highest elevation | 606 m (1,988 ft) | ||
Lowest elevation | 12 m (39 ft) | ||
Population (2009) | |||
• Total | 55,947 | ||
• Density | 1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi) | ||
Demonym(s) | Torrelaveguenses | ||
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
Postal code | 39300 | ||
Official language(s) | Spanish | ||
Website | Official website |
Torrelavega is a municipality and important industrial and commercial hub in the single province Autonomous Community of Cantabria in northern Spain.
It is situated roughly 8 kilometres from the Cantabrian Coast and 27.5 kilometres from the capital of the Autonomous Community, Santander, half way between the Principality of Asturias and the Basque Country. The rivers Saja and Besaya flow through the city.
It is the capital of the comarca (county, but with no administrative role) of Valle del Besaya which includes also composed of the municipalities of Cartes, Los Corrales de Buelna, Cieza, Arenas de Iguña, Bárcena de Pie de Concha, Molledo, Anievas and San Felices de Buelna.
Its highest point is 606 metres and its lowest point is 12 metres.
Torrelavega is a regional center for industry and transport, and its weekly livestock fair is famous in Spain. Its stadium is known as El Malecon. The Cave of Altamira, famed for the prehistoric paintings found inside, is about 10 kilometers northwest of the city.
Torrelavega was founded at the end of the thirteenth century by Garci Lasso de la Vega I (the elder), Adelantado Mayor of the Kingdom of Castile in the name of King Alfonso XI of Castile.