City of Flowers and Baroque — the Huerta of Europe, the Cathedral of Santa María, and the Segura River
Murcia sits in the bowl of the Segura River valley, surrounded by one of the most intensively cultivated agricultural plains in Europe — the huerta murciana, irrigated since Moorish times and still supplying Spain and northern Europe with citrus, tomatoes, peppers, and artichokes. The Cathedral of Santa María, begun in 1394 and completed with its landmark tower in 1793, is one of the finest baroque buildings in Spain and anchors a compact historic centre full of tapas bars, florists, and the exuberant Casino de Murcia (a private club whose reading room is open to visitors). The Semana de la H…
Murcia was founded in 825 CE by Abd al-Rahman II of the Córdoba Caliphate — one of the few cities in Spain that is a direct Islamic foundation rather than a Roman or Visigothic city renamed. The Moors called it Mursiya, irrigated the surrounding plain with a network of acequias (water channels) still partially in use today, and made it a prosperous silk and textile centre. Alfonso X of Castile conquered the city in 1266, and the great baroque Cathedral of Santa María rose over the mosque that preceded it. The Murcia huerta irrigated by the Segura River has supplied Mediterranean Spain with ve…