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Balmaseda is a town in the
Encartaciones (Basque:
EnkarterriakEnkarterri is a comarca of the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, Spain. It is one of the seven comarcas or regions that compose the province of Biscay. Its capital city is Balmaseda...
) region of
BiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
in the
SpanishSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Basque Country.
It is located approximately 30 km (18.6 mi) south-west of Biscay's capital city,
BilbaoBilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
. Balmaseda has been one of the most important cities in the Encartaciones region of Biscay due to its proximity to
CantabriaCantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
and
CastileA former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
. It has been, and continues to be, a major centre for the
furnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
and
steelSteel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
industries. It is also one of the many historical cities in Biscay and serves as the capital of the Encartaciones region of the west end of Biscay. With 7,000 inhabitants, it boasts an attractive historic quarter and a "
puente viejo" (old bridge) crossing the river Kadagua that dates back to 1199.
On 5 November 1808, it was the theatre of the
battle of ValmasedaThe Battle of Valmaseda took place on November 5, 1808, during Lieutenant-General Blake's retreat from superior French armies in Cantabria. Reinforced by veteran regular infantry from General La Romana's Division of the North , Blake suddenly turned on his pursuers to rescue a trapped detachment...
between the French and the Spanish armies.
Balmaseda has a
passion playA Passion play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering and death. It is a traditional part of Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in Catholic tradition....
every
easterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
The town can be accessed on the
FEVEFEVE is a state-owned Spanish railway company, which operates most of Spain's of metre gauge railway.-History:...
narrow-gauge railway from
BilbaoBilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
.
External links
- BALMASEDA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)