Mequinenza

Mequinenza/ Mequinensa
—  Municipality  —
Flag Coat of arms
Mequinenza/ Mequinensa Location in Aragon
Coordinates: 41°22′0″N 0°18′0″E / 41.366667°N 0.3°E / 41.366667; 0.3Coordinates: 41°22′0″N 0°18′0″E / 41.366667°N 0.3°E / 41.366667; 0.3
Country	Spain
Community	Aragon
Province	Zaragoza
Comarca	Bajo Cinca/Baix Cinca
Area
– Total	307.2 km2 (118.6 sq mi)
Elevation	75 m (246 ft)
Population (2007)
– Total	2,492
– Density	8.1/km2 (21/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
– Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Website	www.mequinensa.com

View of the town

Mequinenza (Spanish: [mekiˈnenθa]) or Mequinensa (Catalan: [məkiˈnɛnsə], locally: [mekiˈnɛnsa]) is a town and municipality of the province of Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It is located by the confluence of the rivers Segre and Ebro.

History & Features

It was conquered from the Moors by the Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona in 1149. During the Battle of the Ebro in the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) there were violent battles in the Auts, south across the river from Mequinensa.

This town is located in La Franja, the local dialect is a variant of Catalan. The town celebrates festivals in honor of Santa Agatoclia (called simply “La Santa”) from September 16 to 20.^[1]

Mequinenza Reservoir

Many fishing guides operate in this area using boats due to the large expanse of water created by the building of an artificial dam, the Mequinenza Reservoir. A little further downriver are the towns and villages of Flix, Asco, and Vinebre, where exceptional fishing can be enjoyed in more scenic surroundings.

The town is most well known amongst northern European fishermen for the large but elusive catfish (Silurus glanis), which are found in the vast reservoir. This area is now very heavily fished as a result and it seems that many fishermen are travelling further down river to the less frequented places to catch almost equally large fish. This is only if you don't know the river exceptionally well though.

Local Council

Mayor: Magdalena Godía Ibarz, Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)

Councillors:

PSOE

• Magdalena Godia Ibarz
• Jose Antonio Casaiz Mecieces
• Esther Lopez Destrieux (Indep.)
• Antonio Llop Montull
• Lourdes Ibarz Llop
• Juan Antonio Moncada Soler
• Jesús Llop Montull

United Left (IU)

• Jaime Delfin A. Borbon Oliver
• Aranzazu Godia Berenguer
• Manuel Molina Ibarz

Aragonese Party (PAR)

• Jorge Aguilar Blas

References

1. ^ Culture

External links

• Official Website
• Google map of the Mequinenza area