Pamplona

Pamplona (formerly Pampeluna), city in northern Spain, capital of Navarra autonomous region, on a tributary of the Ebro River, near Saragossa. Pamplona celebrates the feast of San Fermín each July by running bulls though the streets to the bullring, and with bullfights, jai alai matches, fireworks, and singing contests. Its industries include sugar milling, winemaking, canning, meat packing, brewing, and tanning. Other products are firearms, flour, fertilizer, shoes, chemicals, textiles, and confectionery. Pamplona is also noted for a Roman Catholic cathedral, completed in the 14th century. The University of Navarra (1952), a museum, and a Baroque town hall are in the city. Pamplona is the site of the Festivales de Navarra, a summer programme of theatre, music, and dance, and of the autumn Ronda de Otoño, a series of art exhibitions and performances.

Pamplona was founded around 75 bc, probably by the Roman statesman and general Pompey the Great (from whom its name is derived). This strategic outpost of the Basques was occupied by the Visigoths in ad 476 and was sacked by Charlemagne in 778. The Moors captured Pamplona during the 8th century. In 824 the Basque kingdom of Pamplona was founded. It was renamed the kingdom of Navarre, and Pamplona remained its capital. Philip II of Spain transformed the city into a major fortress in 1571. It was captured twice during the Peninsular War (1808-1814), first by the French in 1808 and later by the British in 1813. Population 194,894 (2007).