Christmas Markets in Zaragoza

Zaragoza traces its origins to the Roman settlement of Caesaraugusta, founded in the first century BC at the confluence of the Ebro, Huerva, and Gállego rivers. The city flourished under Roman rule and later became significant during the Moorish period, when the Aljafería Palace was constructed as a seat of the Taifa kingdom of Saraqusta. Reconquered by Alfonso I of Aragon in the early twelfth century, Zaragoza served as capital of the Crown of Aragon, one of medieval Europe's most powerful maritime and commercial powers. The city's Catholic identity was cemented by the legend of the Virgin of the Pillar, said to have appeared to the apostle James on the Ebro's banks. This tradition remains central to Zaragozan life and is celebrated with one of Spain's largest annual festivals each October.