Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Alava in northern Spain, and the seat of the autonomous community's parliament, government headquarters and the Lehendakari's official residence. Its municipality covers about 277 square kilometres, taking in the city and some 63 mostly agricultural villages, which makes it the largest municipality in the Basque Country; it had a population of 260,402 in 2025, making it the second most populous city in the Basque Country and the 17th largest in Spain. The settlement traces to the Navarrese town of Nova Victoria, founded in 1181 on the hill of the older village of Gasteiz, and it later passed to Castile, which granted it a city charter in 1431. The Battle of Vitoria of 21 June 1813, in which Wellington defeated the army of Joseph Bonaparte, was fought nearby. The old town keeps medieval streets and two cathedrals, and the city was named European Green Capital in 2012. It has an oceanic climate and an economy built on health care, aeronautics, the automotive industry and viticulture.
Facts
Area (sq km) Founding Year Climate Zone Connections
Capital Of
Source Vitoria-Gasteiz (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. City Population (citypopulation.de): Spain: Autonomous Communities and Major Cities
City Population (citypopulation.de)Table row, Vitoria-GasteizQuote, Table row, Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz PAI 189,533 206,116 216,852 240,753 252,953 260,402
2. Vitoria-Gasteiz (Wikipedia)
Lead, municipal area
with a total area of 276.96 square kilometres (106.93 sq mi)
Climate
Vitoria-Gasteiz has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb).
History
In 1181, Sancho the Wise, King of Navarre, founded the town of Nova Victoria as a defensive outpost on top of a hill at the site of the previous settlement of Gasteiz.
Part Of: Spain, Lead
is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain.
On Continent: Europe, Lead
is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain.
In Group: Cities of Southern Europe (World), Lead
is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain.
Capital Of: Basque Country (autonomous community), Lead
is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain.
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