MÉRIDA: CAPITAL CITY IN EXTREMADURA

Merida is a Spanish city, capital of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura region of southwestern Spain, and seat of its government institutions. It is also the capital of Tierra de Merida - Vegas Low, located in the northern province of Badajoz. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz and Merida judicial Party. Merida is geographically close to the center of the region, crossed by the river and the river Guadiana Albarregas and 217 meters. The 'Conjunto Arqueológico de Mérida "was declared by Unesco in 1993, a World Heritage Site because of its important historic and monumental. Economically, Merida is a city of services, with a growing importance in the industrial sector and a nearly extinct primary sector. Roman Foundation Mock-up as it should be the city of Augusta Emerita at its peak, at the National Museum of Roman Art The city was founded in 25 BC C. with the name of Emerita Augusta by Octavian Augustus, emeritus soldiers discharged from the Roman army, two veteran legions of the Cantabrian Wars: Legio V Alaudae and Legio X Gemina. These legions were located in the existing pre-Roman village [4] in exchange for giving them the status of Roman citizens to the old settlers. The city was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania. The Latin term meaning emeritus "retired" and referred to the soldiers retired with honor. Its citizens were assigned to the tribe Papiria. Thus began a period of great splendor reflected in their magnificent buildings, the theater, amphitheater, circus, temples, bridges and aqueducts.

•For centuries and until the fall of Western Roman Empire, Merida was a center of legal, economic, military, cultural and one of the most flourishing towns in Roman times, that Ausonius cataloged ninth among the most prominent of the Empire (including by ahead of Athens) and in the third century it became the capital of the Diocese Hispaniarum. Period Visigothic and Arab invasion In later times Merida suffered incursions of the barbarians to the settlement of the Visigoths, who made capital of his kingdom, and therefore of Spain, in the sixth century, under the command of Agila I. In the sixth century stand the figures of several bishops, called Fathers of Merida, and Christianity is rooted strongly. This faith gives people sample the figure of the martyr Santa Eulalia, patroness of the city. In 713 AD the Arab commander Musa conquered the city and his troops razed after several uprisings of the people who refused to the Muslim invasion. Merida Metropolitan will host up to 1119 that will travel to Santiago de Compostela.

In the early thirteenth century, in 1230, Christian forces of King Alfonso IX of Leon, Merida conquer and become headquarters of the Priory of St. Mark Lion of the Order of Santiago. The Commendation of Merida, also named Merida Good Houses was constituted by the city of Merida, a town of Arroyo and part of Puebla de la Calzada until it was sold to the Count of Montijo, along with the villages around the city as Mirandilla, Aljucén, Carrascalejo, The Garrovilla, Calamonte, Trujillanos and San Pedro de Merida. [5] Once Meridanos reconquered land should have been spare the oldest Episcopal Hispania in the city, but due to the denial of the bishops of Compostela and Badajoz and the failure of the papal Vatican was never replaced. Late Middle Ages and modern times It will be in the Catholic Kings season when the city start a political recovery by the support of the Master of Santiago, Don Alonso de Cardenas, a defender of the cause of Isabella the Catholic. His contribution to the conquest and colonization of America, will be large and significant. According to Navarro del Castillo came to India around 210 people, among which two captains of renown in the conquest of Venezuela Juan Rodriguez Suarez and Garci González de Silva. Palacio de la Presidencia del Gobierno Mérida Extremadura French invasion and contemporary age The French invasion will lead to Merida, as for the rest of Extremadura, a regrettable loss of part of its artistic heritage, but it will eventually recover from these adversities, as has adnegada people will know their future and to mechanize candles progress in their development. In the fall of the ancien regime in the locality is constitutional municipality in the region of Extremadura. Since 1834 GPs and judicial Party headquarters in Merida. [6] The 1842 census counted with 986 households and 3780 residents.

Subsequently, the situation changes, since as a railway junction of Merida have turned the city into an industrial and trading center on the rise. A development that was finally endorsed the nomination of Merida, in 1983, as capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura. Alongside this political and industrial dominance, the city has attracted, and continues to arouse a great interest among archaeologists and national, regional and local organizations strive to bring to light the vast archaeological wealth that is continuously discovering. These circumstances led to the archaeological Emeritense was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in December 1993. Previously, the city had twenty national monuments in hopes of obtaining some, and by Decree of 8 February 1973 on the eve of the commemoration of the bi-millennium, Merida was declared "Historic-Archaeological, which alone holds the name in Spain . In 1994 he was the Archbishop Merida-Badajoz, recovering, thus the ancient Meridan metropolitan cathedral and restore dignity to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, heir to the church Archbishop of Emerita. The origins of this archdiocese going back to Roman times, which had twelve suffragan bishoprics (Edict of Milan). Thus each historical period has left its mark on buildings and monuments that represent today its archaeological wealth for the enjoyment of present and future generations who visit it. Demographics In 2008 INE census recorded 55,568 inhabitants, reaching its metropolitan area's 80,000 inhabitants [8] and the region's 115,000 inhabitants. In the municipal census of the City of Merida, on 1 October 2009, the official figure is 59,386 inhabitants. [9] Although it is the third-largest number of inhabitants of Extremadura, has a low population density (64.2 inhabitants / km ²), due to the extension of its township, one of the largest in Spain with 865, 6 km ². In comparison with the Spanish group (92.46 hab / km ²) and has a lower density when compared with the data of Extremadura, almost tripling its density, located in 2008 by 26.4 inhabitants per km ². By sex, are registered in Merida 27,171 men and 28,397 women (INE 2008), which represents a percentage of 48,89% and a 51.10%, respectively. Comparing with the whole Extremadura (49.7% and 50.3%) in the city Meridan is a greater relative presence of women.