Cieza, Murcia

Cieza
Municipality

Hermitage of the Saint Christ of Consolation.

Flag

Coat of arms
Cieza

Location in Spain.

Coordinates: 38°15′N 1°25′W / 38.250°N 1.417°W / 38.250; -1.417Coordinates: 38°15′N 1°25′W / 38.250°N 1.417°W / 38.250; -1.417
Country  Spain
Community Region of Murcia
Province Murcia
Government
  Mayor Antonio Tamayo González
Area
  Total 365.1 km2 (141.0 sq mi)
Elevation 188 m (617 ft)
Population (2010)
  Total 35,385
  Density 97/km2 (250/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Ciezanos
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 30530
Website Official website

Cieza is a town and municipality in Spain, in the autonomous community of Murcia. It is the capital of the Vega Alta comarca, an old form of provincial subdivision). Its current population is around 40,000. The Segura River passes by the town.

Its economy is based on agriculture, mainly in the cultivation of peaches and olives, but industry is also important, since 4,000 people work in that sector. The public sector, transports and tourism are also very important in the local economy.

Main sights

Populated since the Paleolithic Age, the area of Cieza is home to archaeological excavations in Almadenes, La Serreta, and Barranco de los Grajos.

There are also Iberian remains (found at Bolvax), as well as Roman, Visigothic, and Arabic deposits. The Arabs, who inhabited the area from the eleventh to thirteenth centuries, and who knew the area as Medina Siyâsa, left behind a mountain fortress. At the dig site of Medina Siyâsa, many decorative architectural elements have been found, such as engraved arches and porticos, and polychromed ceramics, glass, metals, etc. All these discoveries are kept in the museum of Siyâsa.

The Ermita ("hermitage") de la Virgen del Buen Suceso is located in the area known as Collado de la Atalaya. The Plaza de España is located in the heart of the city. The modern market was built in 1929 by Julio Carrilero.

El Paseo ("The Walkway") contains pictorial work in glazed tile by José Lucas, who dedicated the different tiles to several men of letters.

The main church is the eighteenth-century Basílica de la Asunción. Inside, there are sculptures and retablos by Rafael Ximeno y Planes, Ignacio Pinazo Martínez, José González Moreno, Francisco Romero Zafra, etc.

The Iglesia de San Joaquín, dating from the seventeenth century, used to be a Franciscan monastery in the past. The church-monastery of the Order of Poor Ladies (Clarisas), from the eighteenth century is also an important monument.

Other important sites include the main market,which was built in 1929, and "El Muro" (The Wall), built in the nineteenth century in the place where the medieval wall was located.

Facilities

Celebrations

The Holy Week celebrations (processions)are the main fiestas. They are Fiestas of National Tourist Interest. Saint Bartholomew fiestas are also important fiestas, as well as the Moros y cristianos.

Twin towns

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