Pontevedra is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Pontevedra in Galicia.

Situation

The municipality of Pontevedra is located between 42°20' and 42°30' north and 8°33' and 8°41' west. It sits at the end of the ría (fjord) that bears its name, occupying the valleys of the Lérez and Tomeza rivers. It extends southward to the mouth of the río Verdugo in Ponte Sampaio. It is surrounded by four mountainous regions divided by two faults, one north-south and one northeast-southwest. To the north it borders the municipalities of Barro , Morana , and Campo Lameiro ; to the east, Cotobade and Ponte Caldelas ; to the south, Soutomaior , Vilaboa , and Marín , and to the west, Poio and the ría. The municipality covers approximately 117 km² and is about 20 km wide from north to south.

Population

Pontevedra is a provincial capital, judicial centre, seat of a comarca, and a municipality. It is composed of the city of Pontevedra and of fifteen rural parishes with a total population of 76,798 (2002), which provides a high density of 635/km². About two-thirds of the population live in the city, and one-third in the rural parishes.

Climate

Like much of the western coast of Galicia, Pontevedra has a temperate, rainy climate, but with peculiarities stemming from its location surrounded by mountains and the ría. Temperatures are pleasant for most of the year (mild winters and summers) with a median yearly temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and a spread of about 10 degrees.

Sights

An ancient town and medieval port, Pontevedra has been described as a "definitive old gallego town". Sights include the pilgrim chapel in the Praza da Peregrina, the historic Zona Monumental (old city), the Praza de Leña, the market, and the Alameda, a promenade along the ría. One of Christopher Columbus' ships (the nao "Santa María") was built in Pontevedra.

See also

• List of cities in Spain
• List of municipalities in Pontevedra