Miranda de Ebro, Province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain

🇪🇸 Miranda de Ebro is a city on the Ebro river in the province of Burgos in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is located in the north-eastern part of the province, on the border with the province of Álava and the autonomous community of La Rioja. It is the second most populous city in the province after the capital, Burgos.

The city has an industrial economy focusing on the chemical industry. It is an important transportation hub, especially as a railroad junction. Within 80 km (50 miles) are the cities of Bilbao, Burgos, Logroño and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Geography The city of Miranda de Ebro is located in the north-eastern part of the province of Burgos, 80 km (50 mi) from the capital, in the autonomous community of Castile and León (Spain). The city has an area of 101.33 square km (39.12 sq mi), a perimeter of 72,312 metres (237,244 ft) and is 471 metres (1,545 ft) above sea level, according to the National Geographic Institute.

The city is divided into two parts by the river Ebro. The old part is named Aquende and the new part is named Allende.

History The first settlements in the area date from the Iron Age. The Roman ruins of Arce are located only 3 km (1.9 mi) from Miranda. There, according to the most recent studies, the Roman city of Deóbriga was built. Roman ruins are also found in the nearby municipalities of Cabriana and Puentelarrá.

The earliest mention of the name of Miranda de Ebro is in the Codex Vigilanus, which describes the famous expedition that Alfonso I of Asturias undertook in 757. This codex discusses destroyed localities, one of which was Miranda.

After the assassination of Sancho Garcés IV of Navarre, Vizcaya, Álava, La Rioja and the royal family, Alfonso VI of Castile and Leon was recognised as king. This event passed Miranda de Ebro into the hands of the Kingdom of Castile in 1076. To consolidate his power, Alfonso VI granted the fuero of Miranda de Ebro in 1099.

In 1254, Alfonso X of Castile granted the May fair, consolidating commerce, and in 1332 Alfonso XI of Castile granted the March fair. The possession of a bridge over the Ebro since at least the 10th century, together with the concession of the fuero, have made Miranda de Ebro a great commercial centre in the region since ancient times. During the 14th and 15th centuries, and after the disputes between Peter of Castile and Henry of Trastámara, the town of Miranda would pass from hand to hand, first to the domain of Burgos, then to the Álava Hermandad and ultimately once again to Burgos in 1493, where it has remained to the present day.

The arrival of the railway in 1862 marked the beginning of the industrial revolution in the city. The junction of the lines from Madrid to Irun and Castejón to Bilbao was at Miranda railway station, making it the most important rail junction in northern Spain.

In 1907, King Alfonso XIII granted city status to Miranda.

During the Civil War and World War II, the city was the location of a Nationalist concentration camp that remained active until 1947, and was the last camp to close down. During its existence, it held more than 65,000 prisoners, both Spanish and foreign. WWII Czechoslovak fighter pilot ace František Fajtl was held here as a POW for two months in 1942.

Since 1992, Vierzon (France) has been the twin city of Miranda de Ebro. In 1999, a celebration to commemorate the Ninth Centenary of the Fuero of Miranda took place in the presence of Infanta Doña Cristina and her husband Don Iñaki de Urdangarín.