Sangüesa (Spain)

Sangüesa (Basque: Zangoza) is a city in Navarre, Spain, 44.5 kilometers from Pamplona. It lies close to the River Aragon and in 2007 had a population of 5,128. It is located on the Way of Saint James. It has been an important stopping point for pilgrims since the Middle Ages and has preserved its medieval character. Sangüesa-Zangoza is the historic capital of one of the six merindades into which the old Kingdom of Navarre was divided. In 1089, a bridge was built here over the River Aragon and Sancho Ramirez located the town to the present location. In 1121, Alfonso el Batallador (Alfonso the Battler) extended the fuero of Jaca to Sangüesa which significantly expanded the opportunities for Frankish merchants to settle here.