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Home > Travel Spain > Spain Destinations > Leon
Leon
Spain, also known as Kingdom of Spain, is one of the oldest inhabited regions on the planet. It is a country which is located in Southern Europe, and politically organized as a parliamentary monarchy. It is the largest sovereign nation of the three nations that make up the Iberian Peninsula. Administratively, Spain is divided into 50 provinces, grouped into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities with a high degree of autonomy. The name Spain comes from the Latin name Hispania whose capital is Madrid which is also the largest city of the Country.
The city of Leon, located at 42.59 degree North latitude, 5.57 degree West longitude, is the capital of Leon province in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon, in northwest Spain. Its population of 135,794 people makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for over one quarter of the province's population. Its urban area population is calculated as 185,391 people according to the census taken in the year 2003. Leon was founded in the first century BC by the Roman legion Legio VI Victrix. Its modern name is derived from the city's Latin name Legio VII Gemina.
Leon is famous for its gothic Leon Cathedral and many other monumental buildings, such as the Real Colegiata de San Isidoro, Casa de Botines, San Marcos or the new MUSAC, the Castile and Leon Museum of Contemporary Art. Leon is also known for its fiestas, like Easter. Leonese processions are declared to be of International Interest and on those days, many people from all over the world visit Leon to see and participate in its traditions.
Leon possesses impressive monuments, from outstanding medieval to avant-garde modernity buildings. Leon is the headquarters of the music Castile and Leon Museum of Contemporary Art. Its building has an impressive modernist structure designed by the architectural team of Mansilla and Tunon. One of the building's most distinctive features is its facade formed by thousands of large stained-glass panels. The nearby Leon Auditorium, also by Mansilla and Tunon, has an equally striking presence of crisp white cubes perforated by irregularly set windows.
Leon is also known as the town of best geographical environment and has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and can also enjoy its natural beauty concealed by the beautiful landscapes.
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