Galicia, our region, it is located in the North-West corner of Spain. A Coruña, our province, was considerated like the Finisterrae between the Romans.

A Coruña, our city, is a small and beautiful peninsula called “the city at the end of the world”, “the city of glass” and the “Portus Magnus Artabrorum”.

Our situation is 43º 23’ N, 8º 24’ W, facing the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabric Sea.

We are in a tempered zone. Climate counts on slight variations of temperature, smooth in winter and fresh summers, rains and sun that make their green landscapes.

In the coastal strip temperatures oscillate between 8º to 10º of winter and 20º to 25º of summer. Away of the coast the climate becomes drier.

Two aerial views of our city and close areas.

A legend says that the origin of A Coruña is related with the famous Twelve Labours of Hercules. These Labours were ritual feats that the hero had to accomplish in order to pay for a crime carried out in a fit of rage. The tenth of these Labours consisted in stealing the marvellous red oxen of Geryon, a three bodied giant. After gathering an army with people from Crete, Hercules reached the end of the Mediterranean Sea, built two huge columns and opened a channel joininng them to the Ocean. As de oxen of Geryon were guarded by the shepherd Eurytrion and by a two headed dog, Hercules slew them both and fought with Geryon, whom he also killed. In order to prove it, Hercules cut off the giant’s head and buried it at a place near the coast. Then he erected a tower and founded a city in this place. This is the mythical origin of the Tower of Hercules and A Coruña.

The Tower of Hercules is symbol of A Coruña and the oldest lighthouse that works in Europe.

Another legend attribute it to the Celtic chieftain Breogan. It has 64 metres high and was reformed at the end of the 18th century.

By the tower there are a field of menhirs, a reconstruction of these prehistoric monuments.

A Coruña has beautiful Modernist buldings with windows designed to make the most of the light en protect the houses from the Atlantic winds. This is the origin that the name “city of glass”. There are a lot of Modernists houses and mansions in A Coruña. The Town Hall is a beautiful example. It is situated in the Square of Maria Pita . In the middle, there is the sculpture of this heroine that defended the city when Francis Drake attacked it.

There are museums like the archaelogical one. It is situated in the Castle of San Anton, a fortress that served to defend the city from pirate attacks.

Our favourite museums are the scientific ones. The House of Sciences, Domus or House of Man and...

...The Aquarium Finisterrae.

Pablo Picasso, the famous artist, lived in our city and painted several landscapes like this. You can see the Tower of Hercules from the coast.

 

We Love Our City!

Amalia Casas, C.E.I.P. San Francisco Xabier, A Coruna, Galicia, Spain