Evolution of Spanish Cities: 16th Century to Modern Urban Areas
Spanish Cities in the 16th Century
Specifically, in the year 1561, Philip II established his capital in Madrid during his reign. Seville handled all trade with America. Burgos controlled the entire trade with the north. At the end of the century, Castilian and Andalusian towns lost importance due to the economic crisis, and urban growth concentrated in the cities of the Mediterranean.
The Industrial City: 19th Century Transformation
Cities experienced significant changes due to industrialization in the 19th century. Factories, buildings that concentrated the new way to produce, had a huge architectural and urbanistic impact on cities. Industrial cities experienced tremendous growth. Many medieval walls were demolished. New neighborhoods were built on the periphery, often without planning, to accommodate workers near the factories. The industrial city of the 19th century had to adapt to new types of transport, especially the tram and railways, so large channels were built.
Urban Growth in the 20th Century (Pre-1975)
Up to the crisis of 1975, cities continued to grow due to high birth rates and immigration. Cities such as Madrid, Bilbao, and Barcelona continued to grow. A portion of the immigrant population settled in municipalities near Barcelona. They also experienced a growth model without foresight or planning, leading to serious deficits in housing and infrastructure. In this period, functional specialization became widespread: dormitory towns arose, industrial polygons (parks) emerged, and later came shopping and entertainment centers. This tremendous growth of urban space necessitated the generalization of transport and the diffusion of the automobile.
The Post-Industrial Spanish City
Characteristics and Transformation
In the last years, after passing through a stage of stagnation (1975-late 20th century), current Spanish cities are undergoing a process of transformation and continuous change, mainly due to economic, political, and social factors. Population growth has led primarily to urban expansion outside the city territory; inhabitants of large cities have moved to the suburbs. This phenomenon gives rise to a dispersed city. The growth of suburbs has necessitated the construction of ring roads and car parks to facilitate population movement, especially by automobile, due to the distance between residence and workplace. Another trend of this type is the reconversion of spaces due to the outsourcing of the economy. Factories, workshops, and warehouses have disappeared or moved to the suburbs, and the areas they occupied have been reconverted into housing, parks, offices, etc. In Spain, the industrial city generated metropolitan areas; thus, agglomerations consisting of a central city and other smaller cities were generated. Currently, its urban fabric has densified, and Spain has more than 20 metropolitan areas. New conurbations have also grown, which are sets of cities with similar importance forming a continuous urban area (e.g., Tarragona-Reus, Malaga-Marbella).
Sustainable Urban Development in the EU
The Leipzig Charter (2007)
In 2007, the EU approved the Leipzig Charter. This document laid the basis for combating the serious problems that cities face: pollution, traffic, and social imbalances. In general, the document proposes comprehensive action on the city, intervening in morphological, social, economic, ecological, cultural, and political aspects. This action basically aims to give priority to disadvantaged neighborhoods within the city. To achieve these objectives specified in the Leipzig Charter, a number of strategies were outlined:
- The consolidation and creation of high-quality public spaces.
- The modernization of infrastructure and improvement of energy efficiency.
- The creation of efficient and affordable urban transport for everyone.
- The empowerment of innovation and training.
- Improving the physical environment.
- Strengthening the economy and market policy.