Langreo () or Llangréu (, ) (Asturian) is a town and municipality in the Principality of Asturias in Spain. With a population of 38,265 as of 2024, it is the 4th-largest municipality of Asturias.
Langreo is located in the centre of Asturias, approximately south-east of Oviedo. It was an important mining and metallurgical center.
History
According to a legend Langreo was the place where the Moorish governor Munuza was killed while trying to flee from Asturias at the beginning of the Reconquest. Langreo was settled by the Romans, who built a large Roman bridge that is not conserved today.
In the past, it was one of the most important mining and metallurgical points of Spain since the 18th century, and it was also well known because of workers struggles and its cultural life. The 3rd railway to be built in the Iberian Peninsula was the FC of Langreo. The Factory of La Felguera was one of the most important iron works centers in Spain, and the Langreo mines was well known in whole the country.
Because of the Spanish "Industrial Restructuring", Langreo lost its industrial importance, but today the town hosts Bayer, where 100% of the acetylsalicylic acid of the German enterprise are produced. Langreo also holds the technologies centre Valnalón.
Langreo has historic monuments like the church of San Esteban, the Quintana Tower or the Sanctuary of Carbayu. Also preserves good examples of its industrial heritage and it hosts the Siderurgy Museum Of Asturias within the old Felguera Factory, the Samuño Valley and Railway Mining Museum, and the art gallery Pinacoteca Eduardo Úrculo.
Langreo celebrates fiestas of San Pedro and Santiago, and special gastronomic days: Carnival (February) Cider (April) and Fabada (December).
The largest town is Langreo formed by the most important districts: La Felguera (20,000 inhabitants), Sama (10,000), and Riaño, Ciaño, Lada and Barros, also known as parishes.
Parishes There are eight parishes (administrative divisions) by population: La Felguera Sama Riaño Ciaño Lada Tuilla Barros La Venta
Demographics As of 2024, the foreign-born population is 2,592, equal to 6.8% of the total population. The 5 largest foreign nationalities are Colombians (321), Moroccans (277), Argentinians (165), Portuguese (156) and Venezuelans (152). +Foreign population by country of birth (2024)CountryPopulation3212771651561521361261261201097766656059
Politics
Party/List 1979 1983 1987Dirección General de Política interior 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011Elecciones Locales 2011 2015 2019 FSA-PSOE 10 14 10 11 8 9 8 10 7 6 9 PCE / IU-BA 7 6 7 9 10 11 7 5 4 6 Somos 5 CD / AP / PP 2 5 4 4 7 5 6 6 4 3 2 C’s 1 2 FAC 4 FDLI 2 UCD / CDS 6 0 4 1 Unidas (Somos+IU) 8 Total 25 25 25 25 25 25 21 21 21 21 21
Notable people
David Villa, footballer Manuel Mejuto González, football referee Pedro Duro, businessman Aurelius of Asturias, King of Asturias Gaspar García Laviana, soldier Mario Cotelo, footballer Alberto Coto García, mental calculator Dámaso Alonso, poet Narciso Ibáñez Menta, actor Jesús Fernández Duro, sportman María Neira, WHO doctor Carlos Álvarez-Nóvoa, actor
Gallery
See also List of municipalities in Asturias
References
External links
Ayuntamiento de Langreo