Vitoria-Gasteiz

Vitoria-Gasteiz is a city in northern Spain, capital of Álava province and the Basque Country autonomous community. Its medieval center and later urban expansion reflect its long role as a regional political and commercial hub.

Vitoria-Gasteiz Old Town: The medieval core of Vitoria-Gasteiz, built around a hilltop street plan and historic churches. Its preserved streets and buildings anchor the city's most recognizable historical landscape.
Gasteiz: A medieval settlement whose name survives in the Basque name of Vitoria-Gasteiz. The present city grew around this earlier settlement on a defensive hill.
Basque Parliament: The unicameral legislature of the Basque Autonomous Community, seated in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Its location makes the city the community's legislative center.
Basque Country (autonomous community): An autonomous community in northern Spain comprising Álava, Biscay, and Gipuzkoa. Vitoria-Gasteiz is its capital, while Bilbao and San Sebastián are other major cities.
Santa María Cathedral, Vitoria-Gasteiz: A Gothic church in Vitoria-Gasteiz whose restoration work exposed successive layers of the building's history. Its ongoing restoration made the city's architectural history unusually visible.
Vitoria: The Spanish name given to the town founded beside Gasteiz in the twelfth century. It became the Spanish-language half of the city's present bilingual name.
Government of the Basque Country: The executive institution responsible for governing the Basque Autonomous Community. Its seat gives Vitoria-Gasteiz a central role in regional administration.
Bilbao: The largest city in the Basque Country, located in Biscay in northern Spain. Its larger population and port economy contrast with Vitoria-Gasteiz's administrative role.
Plaza de la Virgen Blanca: A central square in Vitoria-Gasteiz named for the city's patron saint. The square is a focal point for civic gatherings and local celebrations.
Sancho VI of Navarre: King of Navarre from 1150 to 1194, known as Sancho the Wise. He granted the town charter that established Vitoria in 1181.

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