Pamplona

Pamplona (Spanish: [pamˈplona]; Basque: Iruña [iɾuɲa] or Iruñea [iɾuɲe.a];[a] French: Pampelune [pɑ̃plyn]; Occitan: Pampalona), historically known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain, and historically also of the former Kingdom of Navarre. Pamplona is also the second-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region, composed of two Spanish autonomous communities, Navarre and Basque Country, and the French Basque Country.

Pamplona has a moderate climate being at 446 m (1,463 ft) in elevation. In addition to its elevation, Pamplona being inland results in cool nights by Spanish standards. It is also moderately rainy, being in between Green Spain and the semi-arid interior.

The city is famous worldwide for the running of the bulls during the San Fermín festival, which is held annually from July 6 to July 14. This festival was brought to literary renown with the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. It is also home to Osasuna, the only Navarrese football club to have ever played in the Spanish top division.

Pamplona is located in the middle of Navarre in a rounded valley, known as the Basin of Pamplona, that links the mountainous north with the Ebro valley. It is 92 km (57 mi) from the city of San Sebastián, 117 km (73 mi) from Bilbao, 735 km (457 mi) from Paris, and 407 km (253 mi) from Madrid.

The climate and landscape of the basin is a transition between those two main Navarrese geographical regions. Its central position at crossroads has served as a commercial link between those very different natural parts of Navarre.

The historical centre of the city is on the left bank of the Arga River, a tributary of the Ebro. The city has developed on both sides of the river.