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Home > Travel Spain > Spain Destinations > Lleida
Lleida
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.
In ancient times the city, named Iltrida and Ilerda, was the chief city of the Ilergetes, an Iberian tribe. Indíbil, king of the Ilergetes, and Mandoni, king of the Ausetanes, defended it against the Roman invasion. Under the Romans, the city was incorporated into the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis, and was a place of considerable importance, historically as well as geographically. It was part of Visigoth and Muslim Hispania. It used to be the seat of a major university, the oldest in the Crown of Aragon, until 1717, when it was moved by Philip V to the nearby town of Cervera. The University of Lleida is nowadays active again.
Lleida or North-Western Catalan although officially referred as Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name, and has 124,709 inhabitants as of 2005. Its main industries are agriculture and tourism. Lleida is currently the eastern terminus of the Spanish state railway's AVE, Alta Velocidad Espanola high-speed rail line, serving Zaragoza, Calatayud, Guadalajara, and Madrid. Traditional Catalan celebrations and local festivals are celebrated in the town. A Latin-American cinema festival is held yearly in the town, and an animation film festival called Animac also takes place there every May.
Lleida has been always a city with great sport tradition. Probably the most famous sport at the present time is basketball. The Seu Vella, a Cathedral built in a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles over the time, and made a military fortress in the 18th century and the older Palau de la Suda, both over the so-called Turo de la Seu, a medium sized hill are the interesting sights. Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and accept pursue enthusiasm in its natural beauty and populace.
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