| The
privileged position San Sebastian occupied, with its sheltered
port, led to a very important maritime commerce. For this reason,
ironworks and shipyards were established all along the Urumea
river in order to build ships and meet the needs of the growing
commerce that was developing. Donostiarrans also spent their time
hunting the whales that appeared on the coasts nearby.
Due to the disputes between
countries and the proximity of France, the city had to fortify
itself, and so Mount Urgull was converted into a castle armed
with artillery to defend the territory. Because of its geographic
position, San Sebastián suffered numerous sieges, particularly
during the 17th and 18th centuries.
In 1808, San Sebastián
was occupied by Napoleon's soldiers, which remained in the city
until 1813. Anglo-Portuguese troops, commanded by the Duke of
Wellington, fought against the French, seized the city and sacked
and burned it. Few houses and buildings were saved and so the
street in which this event took place was named 31 de Agosto Street,
to remember the date when such sad events took place.
The surviving Donostiarrans,
reunited on a farm in Zubieta, decided with great willpower and
tenacity to rebuild the city. The present configuration of the
Parte Vieja, "The Old Part", is the product of that
decision.
In 1845 Queen Isabel II came
to San Sebastián for the first time. The reason for coming
was that she had a skin ailment, and her doctors had recommended
salt water baths to treat it. Her presence inspired the Spanish
Court and the aristocracy to come and spend the summer in the
city, which began to grow little by little.
As a result of this expansion,
San Sebastián became a pioneer in the installation of trams,
electric street lighting and telephones. The city attracted visitors
from all over the world, particularly in the early years of the
20th century, coinciding with the World War I and the "roaring
20's". Its demographic growth was quite accelerated: it went
from having 20,823 inhabitants in 1880 to 65,930 in 1925.
After the civil war in the
1930's, industry boomed. As a result, the population increased
and more houses were built. These were years of relatively uncontrolled
development to provide a solution to the housing demand, which
resulted in several unfortunate urban decisions.
San Sebastián continues
to evolve. Its direction is to design a modern city on the threshold
of the 21st century. Examples of these new initiatives are the
Zurriola Beach, the Kursaal Center, the rehabilitation of The
Old Part, the impulse given to housing in Amara-Osinaga, the Banks
of Loiola, Intxaurrondo, Venta Berri and Aiete and the creation
of technological parks and ample sport facilities. |
