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| Leon | ||
| region | Castile and Leon | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 124.028 (2020) | |
| height | 837 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Leon is a provincial town in Castile and Leon.
background
León lies at an altitude of 823 m on the Rio Bernesga.
The Roman military camp Legio VII Gemina Pia Felix is said to have been located here in AD 70. These troops had, among other things, the task of securing the gold transports from Las Médulas. The city name León is from the Roman Legio (Legion) derived.
The Moor Amansur conquered the city in 712 and devastated it. In 856 King Ordoño I of Asturias take back the city. He made León the capital of his kingdom in 914. León was the most important Christian city in Spain for the following 200 years. In 987 the Moors destroyed the city again. Alfons V soon won it back and rebuilt it. At the height of its power - around 1030 - the Kingdom of León comprised the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, including Asturias, Galicia and the north of today's Portugal (until after Coimbra). León has been an important stop on the island since the 11th century Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Around 1230 the kingdoms of Castile and León united and the city lost its influence.
From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the economy deteriorated and the population decreased. It was not until 1960 that León began to grow again when people moved from the area. Today León is the provincial capital and economic center in the north of Spain.
getting there
By plane
León has an airport: 1 Aeropuerto de Leon
(IATA: LEN). However, this is only of regional importance; the only direct connection offered all year round is with Iberia Regional from / to Barcelona. Coming from German-speaking countries, you either have to change trains in Barcelona or fly to one of the larger airports. The closest international airports are Oviedo-Asturias (OVD; 170 km north) and Madrid (MAD; 350 km southeast, but fast rail connection).
By train
The 2 Léon train station is an important junction of the railway lines from Madrid direction Asturias and Galicia. Of Madrid-Chamartín runs a high-speed train (AVE or Alvia) seven times a day (every 2-3 hours) Valladolid after Léon. The average travel time from Madrid is 2:15 hours, from Valladolid 1:10 hours. In the opposite direction, four times a day Alvia-Train from Asturias to León (travel time from Oviedo a good 2 hours, from Gijón 2½ hours).
There are three trains a day from Galicia (from Orense 3: 45–4: 20 hours, Santiago de Compostela 4: 30-5: 20 hours, A Coruña 5–6 hours, Vigo 6 hours). Once a day there is a direct connection from Bilbao (4:45 hours), Irun at the Spanish-French border (5:20 hours), Valencia (5:15 hours) or Alicante (6 hours), twice a day from Pamplona (a good 4 hours), three times from Vitoria-Gasteiz (3:15 hours) and Burgos (just under 2 hours).
From Barcelona there are two continuous trains per day. However, these take around 8 hours - significantly longer than the connection via Madrid (less than 6 hours).
From Germany or Switzerland, the route usually leads via Paris and Hendaye / Irun. For example, it takes 16-17 hours from Basel, Cologne or Frankfurt (Main) if you don't make any intermediate stops.
By bus
The Spanish bus network is well developed. The bus company AS A serves the routes in northern Spain. The main connection to León is the bus from Madrid, which goes through Valladolid. The journey takes between 3½ and 4½ hours, depending on the connection. A ticket costs from € 14 if you book online in good time, but you can expect € 25–33 one-way for connections that are in high demand. Other buses come from the north coast from Oviedo (journey time 1: 30–1: 45 hours, ticket from € 8.80) and Gijón (a good 2 hours, from € 11) or from Galicia in northwestern Spain (e.g. from A Coruña in around 5 hours). The bus station is in the south of the city.
Eurolines offers a direct long-distance bus connection from Zurich, Bern and Freiburg (Üechtland) to León three days a week (Tue, Thu, Sat). The journey takes 21–23 hours.
In the street
The Autovía (toll-free motorway) A-66 leads from the south in the direction of Madrid / Salamanca to León (however, the section from Collado Villalba near Madrid to Arévalo via the Autopista AP-6 - if you want to save money and are not in a hurry, you can use the parallel, free national road N-VI).
The toll road comes from the north Autopista AP-66 or alternatively the N-630 national road from Oviedo. From the east the A-60 leads from Valladolid / Burgos to León; from the west the toll road AP-71 from Astorga / A Coruña (but you can also take the exactly parallel national road N-120).
Coming from France (and the German-speaking countries), one drives over Bayonne, the Basque Country (Donostia-San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz) and Burgos.
By bicycle
The international long-distance cycle route EuroVelo 3 ("Pilgrim Route") leads through León. The next stages are Sahagun or Carrión de los Condes in the east or Astorga or Ponferrada in the West.
On foot
The main route of the Way of St. James(Camino Francés) leads through León.
mobility
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León is not a very big city and is therefore easy to explore on foot.
As a means of public transport, there is a bus network that is relatively well developed. The timetables, however, take getting used to because the exact times are not given, only the times when the bus leaves the starting stop. So it is advisable to be patient when driving the bus. But the buses are very cheap, only € 0.90 per trip. Multi-trip tickets, so-called "bonobus" tickets, are available at any tobacco shop and are even cheaper.
An alternative to buses are taxis, which are relatively cheap in León.
Tourist Attractions
Churches, mosques, synagogues, temples
- The worth seeing 1 Cathedral of Santa Maria de Regla
from the 13th century with its two towers and a large rose window above the three-part portal. The interior of the church with three aisles is illuminated by very beautiful glass windows. The cloister from the 13th-14th centuries Century is worth seeing.
- The opening times change constantly, especially Saturdays / Sundays. The daily deviations can be viewed for the current month on the Homepage of the cathedral Find. Entry: 6 €.
- The Romanesque 2 San Isidoro Basilica from the 11th century with Romanesque frescoes in the Pantheon Real (royal temple of honor) in the area of the adjoining monastery complex. The monastery is a museum, here you will find many works of art from the former Kingdom of León and its diocese. Exhibits include the Doña Urraca goblet, an ivory chest and the Pantocrator's peace bearer (all from the 11th century). You can also admire the processional cross by Enrique de Arce and his medieval monstrances, as well as fabrics and ivory work from the Middle Ages and Roman stone tablets. Likewise a library with outstanding codices including the most famous work of the Codex Biblicus Legionensis from the year 960. Museum with Pantheon can only be visited as part of a guided tour, registration is not required. In Spanish continuously as required, in English around half an hour.
- Opening times: Frequently changing, depending on the season and location of Spanish vacations and public holidays, the Homepage of the museum can be viewed. Prices: Basic rate: € 5. Reduced admission: € 4 (groups of 20 people or more). Free: children up to 12 years and Thursday afternoons.
- 3 Order house of the Santiagoritter San Marcos. The building previously served as a monastery and pilgrims' hospital. The Convent of San Marcos now houses the Museum of León; the former pilgrims' hostel is now a luxury hotel, the Parador de Turismo. It was previously used as a hospital by pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, so you can see several St. James motifs next to medallions on the Plateresque facade of the building. The church of the monastery has the shape of a Latin cross. The sacristy, the work of Juan de Badajoz the Younger, has 3 star rib vaults. This artist also created the sculptures of the Renaissance and Baroque cloisters, in which the floral ornaments by Juan de Juni should also be mentioned. The renaissance building dates from the 16th century.
Buildings
- 4 Casa Botines is now a place of business of the Caja España. It was designed in the neo-Gothic style by Gaudi and declared a historical monument in 1969. Antonio Gaudí started the project in 1891 on behalf of the León textile merchants. The Catalan textile merchant Carlos Güell recommended Gaudí as the architect for the new headquarters of the Leonese textile trade. The result is a modern building with a medieval look. The lower floors are used for business. Apartments have been set up above.
- A Pilgrim memorial stands in the square in front of the Parador San Marco.
shop
Many boutiques and a few well-known brand stores can be found in Avenida Ordoño II. A little outside there is the Espacio de León, a modern shopping center with restaurants, a cinema and shops of every price range and the most famous fashion brands. The Espacio can be reached by bus or about half an hour's walk from the center.
kitchen
León is famous for its tapas. It is the only city in the north of Spain where you can get tapas for free with drinks and so-called "cortos" (small 0.1 beer). It is a tradition that before dinner, something that is not eaten before 10 p.m. in Spain, you wander through the bars and have a few cortos with tapas. In León, the best place to tapear is the Barrio Húmedo, an old part of the city that is directly adjacent to the Plaza Mayor in the center of the city. This district consists of a tangle of tiny alleys and squares and is worth seeing for that reason alone. This is where the Leonese nightlife takes place, and you will find one tapas bar next to the other. Every bar has its typical tapa, so you move from bar to bar to try as many as possible. It is also cheap, a corto costs around € 0.80.
Cheap
- Competencia. The Competencia has the best pizza in León. For around 10 € you can eat very well here.
Upscale
- Ciudad de León. The Ciudad de León restaurant is recommended for fine dining. There you can choose from the whole variety of Spanish cuisine.
nightlife
León has a fun nightlife. In Spain it is customary to go out very late. You will hardly find anyone in the clubs and discos before midnight. You usually start the evening around 10 p.m. with tapas and a few drinks in the numerous bars until you go to the clubs around 1 or 2 a.m. The Barrio Húmedo is also the first address here. Almost all clubs have free entry, and it is common to change locations frequently during an evening. From pop to alternative, the choice of music is very large.
This is a tip for insiders "Korova" to recommend. But it doesn't really start here until 4 a.m. The Korova is known for its excellent music selection and its retro design. Most of the clubs in Húmedo close around 5am. Then the hard-core ones move on to so-called "afters", which are close to the Plaza Santo Domingo lie. The partying can then continue into the morning. In Spain it is normal to go home only when it gets light, or maybe even to have breakfast in a bar beforehand.
León has several cinemas and concerts take place regularly, so there is definitely something for the less party-loving.
accommodation
Cheap
- Hotel Posada Asturiano. Price: € 41 per night.
medium
- Hotel Temple Riosol ***. Very well rated.Price: € 64 per night.
- AC Hotel San Antonio ****. Well rated.Price: € 50 per night.
- AC Hotel Ponferrada ****. Not rated that good.Price: room price 70 €.
Upscale
- Parador San Marco *****. In the former religious house of the Santiagoritter San Marco. This remarkable hotel has a beautiful cloister from earlier times with life-size sculptures next to the reception.Price: € 114 per night.
Learn
- Universidad de León. Almost 13,000 students study at 9 different faculties at the Universidad. The Campus de Vegazana is located just outside the city center in the northwest of the city.
security
health
Practical advice
trips
If you look at the gold mines of Las Médulas want to visit, you have to go over from León Astorga drive to Ponferrada. The route measures around 95 km.
literature
Web links
- http://www.aytoleon.es - Official website of León
