Torrelavega

It is the capital of the comarca (county, but with no administrative role) of Valle del Besaya which includes also composed of the municipalities of Suances, Polanco, Cartes, Los Corrales de Buelna, Cieza, Arenas de Iguña, Bárcena de Pie de Concha, Molledo, Anievas and San Felices de Buelna. A regional centre for industry and transport, and its weekly livestock fair is famous in Spain. Its stadium is known as El Malecon. The Cave of Altamira, which contains prehistoric paintings, is about 10 kilometres northwest of the city.

• Name — Torrelavega • Settlement Type — Municipality • Native Name — Torlavega (Asturian) • Motto — Ave Maria (Hail Mary) • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Spain • Subdivision Type1 — Autonomous community • Subdivision Name1 — Cantabria • Subdivision Type2 — Province • Subdivision Name2 — Cantabria • Subdivision Type3 — Comarca • Subdivision Name3 — Valle del Besaya • Elevation M — 25 • Elevation Min M — 12 • Elevation Max M — 606 • Area Total Km2 — 35.54 • Established Title — Founded • Established Date — 14th century as Torre de la Vega • Population Demonym — Torrelaveguenses • Population Density Km2 — auto • Blank Name Sec1 — Official language(s) • Blank Info Sec1 — Spanish • Timezone — CET • Utc Offset — +1 • Timezone Dst — CEST • Utc Offset Dst — +2 • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Postal Code — 39300 • Area Code Type — Dialing code • Leader Title — Alcalde • Leader Name — Javier López Estrada (2019) • Leader Party — PRC

Torrelavega was founded at the end of the thirteenth century by Garci Lasso de la Vega I (the elder), Adelantado Mayor of the Kingdom of Castile in the name of King Alfonso XI of Castile. Its current name is due to the contraction of the original eponym of "Torre de la Vega". The Castle or Tower of the Vega's was built by Leonor Lasso de la Vega, daughter of Garci Lasso de la Vega II, the younger, and mother of the Íñigo López de Mendoza, marqués de Santillana in order to administer the tax and privilege due in the family's territory. • Illustration — Town Hall. • Illustration — Avenida de España (Avenue of Spain). The name of the comarca, Valle del Besaya is derived from the Astur-Leonese Bisalia, which in turn derives from the Celtic, Bis-salia (the second Salia or Saja) from the two rivers that flow through the city. Torrelavega was an important agricultural hub in the Kingdom of Castile since medieval times. Continuous population growth and industrial development enabled Torrelavega to attain city status in 1895 from the Queen Regent Maria Christina of Bourbon, Princess of the Two Sicilies. The city is home to the main seat of the Spanish anarcho-syndicalist labour union the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo.

• Óscar Freire, cyclist. • Juanjo Cobo, cyclist. • Dani Sordo, Rally Driver. • Antonio Resines, Actor. • Cristina Bucsa, tennis player. • Alfonso de Galarreta, FSSPX bishop.

Torrelavega is twinned with: • Louga, Senegal • Old Havana, Cuba • Rochefort, France • Zug, Western Sahara