Betanzos

Betanzos
Coat of arms of Betanzos
Betanzos is located in Province of A Coruña
Betanzos
Betanzos
Location in Spain
Betanzos is located in Galicia
Betanzos
Betanzos
Betanzos (Galicia)
Betanzos is located in Spain
Betanzos
Betanzos
Betanzos (Spain)
Coordinates: 43°16′45″N 8°12′38″W / 43.27917°N 8.21056°W / 43.27917; -8.21056
Country Spain
Autonomous community Galicia
ProvinceA Coruña
ComarcaBetanzos
Founded1219
Government
 • AlcaldeRamón García (PSOE)
Area
 • Total24.19 km2 (9.34 sq mi)
Elevation
36 m (118 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total12,916
 • Density530/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Brigantino, na
Betanceiro, ra; garelo/a
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
15300
Official language(s)Galician
Spanish
WebsiteOfficial website

Betanzos (Galician pronunciation: [beˈtanθʊs]) is a municipality in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña. It belongs to the comarca of Betanzos. In Roman times Betanzos was called Flauvium Brigantium[2] or Brigantium. During the Medieval period the settlement was known as Carunio.

Igrexa de San Francisco (St Francis Church)

The town is located in a fertile valley close to the Atlantic Ocean, and it has one of the best preserved old quarters in Galicia. Noteworthy is the Igrexa de San Francisco (St Francis Church), erected in 1387 by order of count Fernán Pérez de Andrade, whose tomb, decorated with hunting scenes, is inside of the church. The Igrexa de Santiago (St James Church), built in the 15th century by the guild of tailors, has a main portal decorated with a horseback statue of Saint James. The town is on the English Way path of the Camino de Santiago.

Other sights in the town are several town palaces, a 16th-century clock tower, and the town walls, which preserve three of their original four gates.

There are two celebrations in Betanzos in August each year. At the festival of San Roque, a very large paper balloon is launched. Later in August, decorated boats sail along the Mandeo river to the nearby Os Caneiros.

  1. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. ^ Ptolemy, 2nd cent; D'Angelo, Jacopo; Nicolaus Germanus, 15th cent; Schnitzer, Johann; Hol, Lienhart (1482). Cosmographia. Boston Public Library. Ulm : Lienhart Holle.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)