Vitoria

This refers to a city in Spain. See also Vitoria, Brazil and Victoria (disambiguation).

Vitoria (population: 224,965 (2004 est), Basque Gasteiz) is the capital city of the province of Álava (Basque Araba) and of the País Vasco Spanish autonomous region, though it is the second city of the region by population.

Vitoria was founded in 1181 by the King of Navarre, Sancho VI the Wise as 'Nueva Victoria' on the hill where the old settlement of Gasteiz had been. He built fortifications around the town. In 1200, Vitoria was passed to the Kingdom of Castile, taken by the troops of Alfonso VIII. The city was progressively enlarged and in 1431 was granted the title of 'City' by King Juan II of Castile.

The principal episode in the later history of Vitoria-Gasteiz is the Battle of Vitoria of the Peninsular War on 21 June 1813. The French troops were comprehensively beaten by the Duke of Wellington and French control of Spain was ended. There is a monument commemorating this battle in the main square of the city, known as the Monument to Independence - Monumento a la Indepencia.

At present, Vitoria-Gasteiz is struggling with Miranda del Ebro to gain railway and transport importance. It was an important transport hub until the 1980s and aims to regain this position.