Murcia

Murcia ( MOOR-see-ə, US also MUR-sh(ee-)ə, Spanish: [ˈmuɾθja] ) is a city in south-eastern Spain, and the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of the Region of Murcia. As of 2024, with a population of 471,982, it is the 7th-largest city in Spain. The total population of the metropolitan area was 672,773 in 2020, covering an urban area of 1,230.9 km2. It is located on the Segura River, in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. It has a climate with hot summers, mild winters, and relatively low precipitation. Murcia was founded by Abd ar-Rahman II, Emir of Cordoba, in 825 with the name Mursiyah (Arabic: مرسية). It is now mainly a services city and a university town. Highlights for visitors include the Cathedral of Murcia and a number of baroque buildings, renowned local cuisine, Holy Week procession, works of art by the famous Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo, and the Fiestas de Primavera (Spring Festival). The city, as the capital of the comarca Huerta de Murcia, is called "Europe's orchard" due to its long agricultural tradition and its fruit, vegetable, and flower production and exports.