Unquera facts for kids
Unquera is a small village in the western part of Cantabria, a region in northern Spain. It has about 800 people living there (according to Spain's official statistics from 2005). Unquera sits right where the River Deva meets the sea, in an area called the ría de Tina Menor. It's very close to Asturias, another region in Spain.
Unquera is famous all over Spain for its delicious local pies, often called "pies of Unquera." The village is also known as the main entrance to the Hermida gorge. This gorge is the most common way to get to the Liébana area. A special path called the Camino Lebaniego goes through here. This path connects to the famous Camino de Santiago, which many people walk for pilgrimage.
The village is partly connected to Pesués, which is the main town of the local area. Pesués is where the town hall, the police station (Guardia Civil barracks), and the primary school are located.
History of Unquera
For a long time, the area where Unquera is now belonged to powerful noble families. However, Unquera itself is quite a new village compared to many old European towns. It didn't even show up on maps until 1861! Before that, only "Unquera Cove" was mentioned near the Tina Mayor estuary.
Unquera likely grew quickly in the late 1800s. This was thanks to better ways to travel, especially the new railroad. Also, trade became much bigger after a road through the gorge (now called N-621) opened in 1863. This road helped export goods like raw materials from Liébana and the La Hermida gorge to countries like England, Belgium, and Germany through the Unquera inlet. By 1881, Unquera was already known as a village at the end of the Ría de Tina Mayor. Since then, Unquera has grown along the main road and next to the estuary, where there's a nice river walk.
What Unquera Makes
The main industry in Unquera is making food. Many companies here make food products. The most famous brand is Pindal, but others like Canal and Sanbar also exist. Food canning factories have been in Unquera since the 1800s. They still make preserved foods and pickled items today.
Getting Around Unquera
Unquera has several ways to travel by land:
- Train: The FEVE train line connects Unquera with Santander (the capital of Cantabria) and with Asturias.
- Highway: The Autovía del Cantábrico is a major highway. One of its entrances is right next to the village.
- Buses: Several bus lines stop in Unquera. A well-known one is the ALSA bus line, which travels between Irún and Santiago de Compostela.
- Road N-621: This road links León and Unquera. It's the most common way to reach Potes and the only road from the Cantabrian coast.
