Day of Cantabria Institutions in Spain Date in the current year: July 28, 2024

Cantabria is an autonomous community located in northern Spain It is bordered by the Basque Country, Castile and León, and Asturias. The first mentions of the name “Cantabria” can be found in Ancient Greek and Latin texts, for example, in Cato the Elder’s Orgines.

Cantabria was one of the last regions of the Iberian Peninsula to be conquered by the Roman Empire. For ten years, from 29 BC to 19 BC, the Cantabri and the Astures fought against the Roman conquest in the Cantabrian Wars. After their defeat, Cantabria became part of the Roman province named Hispania Tarraconensis.

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Visgoths captured the southern part of Cantabria and established the Ducky of Cantabria there. The rest of Cantabria, however, remained independent even during the Arab invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. In 718, it became part of the Christian Kingdom of Asturias.

During the Reconquista, the political and economic significance of Cantabria gradually diminished. In the 11th century, its territory was divided between León and Navarre; some time later, Cantabria became part of Castile. By the late Middle Ages, Cantabria was very rarely referred to as a separate province, and its lands were controlled by three influential Castilian families.

By the onset of the modern era, Cantabria fell into economic decline due to a combination of factors: the fractured state of the region, abuses by feudal lords, wars, and epidemics. The situation somewhat improved after the discovery of America and the introduction of crops from the New World, but territorial fracturing and dependence on Burgos still hindered Cantabria’s development.

On July 28, 1778, representatives of most of the valleys and settlements of Cantabria gathered in Puento San Miguel at the initiative of the General Assembly of the Province of the Nine Valleys (Junta General de la Provincia de los Nueve Valles) and proclaimed the creation of the province of Cantabria. Unfortunately, the province was short-lived; it was replaced with the province of Santander in 1801.

The creation of the autonomous community of Cantabria became possible due to the fall of Francisco Franco’s regime and democratic reforms initiated by King Juan Carlos I. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 reorganized Spain into a decentralized unitary country consisting of autonomous communities. The province of Santander officially became the autonomous community of Cantabria on January 11, 1982.

Unlike many other autonomous communities, Cantabria does not celebrate the anniversary of its autonomy as a public holiday. The closest thing it has to an official holiday is the Day of Cantabria Institutions, commemorating the General Assembly in Puente San Miguel and the creation of the province of Cantabria.