Murcia

Murcia, an ancient town of Spain, on the left bank of the Segura, by rail 46 miles SW. of Alicante and 50 N. by W. of Cartagena. It stands in the productive vale of Murcia, an old-fashioned Moorish town, embosomed in gardens of mulberry, orange, fig, palm, and other fruit trees. Almost the only notable buildings are the bishop's palace and the cathedral, this last begun in 1353, but reconstructed in 1521, and surmounted by a fine bell-tower. Silks, saltpetre, soda, gunpowder, musical instruments, and glass are manufactured; fruit-growing, the preparation of olive-oil, and the weaving of esparto also flourish. Pop. (1877) 91,805; (1887) 98,538. Alfonso X. of Castile took the city from the Moors in 1263; an earthquake almost destroyed it in 1829; and it was captured by the insurgents in 1843.—The province of Murcia has an area of 4478 sq. m. and pop. (1887) of 491,438. Along with the present province of Albacete it was an independent Arab kingdom for 27 years in the 13th century.