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GIGLIO (anc. Igilium)

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Originally appearing in Volume V12, Page 6 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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GIGLIO (anc. Igilium) , an See also:island of See also:Italy, off the S.W. See also:coast of Italy, in the See also:province of See also:Grosseto, 11 m. to the W. of See also:Monte Argentario, the nearest point on the coast. It See also:measures about 5 M. by 3 and its highest point is 1634 ft. above See also:sea-level. Pop. (1901) 2062. It is partly composed of See also:granite, which was quarried here by the See also:Romans, and is still used; the island is fertile, and produces See also:wine and See also:fruit, the cultivation of which has taken the See also:place of the forests of which Rutilius spoke (Itin. i. 325, " eminus Igilii silvosa cacumina miror "). See also:Julius See also:Caesar mentions its sailors in the See also:fleet of Domitius See also:Ahenobarbus. In Rutilius's See also:time it served as a place of See also:refuge from the See also:barbarian invaders. See also:Charlemagne gave it to the See also:abbey of Tre See also:Fontane at See also:Rome. In the 14th See also:century it belonged to See also:Pisa, then to See also:Florence, then, after being seized by the See also:Spanish fleet, it was ceded to See also:Antonio See also:Piccolomini, See also:nephew of See also:Pius II. In 1558 it was sold to the wife of Cosimo I. of Florence.

See See also:

Archduke See also:Ludwig Salvator, See also:Die Insel Giglio (See also:Prague, 1900). GIJON, a seaport of See also:northern See also:Spain, in the province of See also:Oviedo; on the See also:Bay of See also:Biscay, and at the See also:terminus of See also:railways from See also:Aviles, Oviedo and See also:Langreo. Pop. (Igoo) 47,544• The older parts of Gijon, which are partly enclosed by See also:ancient walls, occupy the upper slopes of a See also:peninsular headland, See also:Santa Catalina Point; while its more See also:modern suburbs extend along the See also:shore to Cape Torres, on the See also:west, and Cape See also:San Lorenzo, on the See also:east. These suburbs contain the See also:town-See also:hall, See also:theatre, markets, and abull-See also:ring with seats for 12,000 spectators. Few of the buildings of Gijon are noteworthy for any architectural merit, except perhaps the 15th-century See also:parish See also:church of San Pedro, which has a triple See also:row of aisles on each See also:side, the See also:palace of the marquesses of Revillajigedo (or Revilla Gigedo), and the Asturian See also:Institute or See also:Jovellanos Institute. The last named has a very See also:fine collection of drawings by Spanish and other artists, a See also:good library and classes for instruction in See also:seamanship, See also:mathematics and See also:languages. It was founded in 1797 by the poet and states-See also:man Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744-1811). Jovellanos, a native of Gijon, is buried in San Pedro. The Bay of Gijon is the most important roadstead on the Spanish coast between See also:Ferrol and See also:Santander. Its first See also:quay was constructed by means of a See also:grant from See also:Charles V. in 1552–1554; and its See also:arsenal, added in the reign of See also:Philip II. (1556-1598), was used in 1588 as a repairing station for the surviving See also:ships of the Invincible See also:Armada.

A new quay was built in 1766-1768, and extended in 1859; the See also:

harbour was further improved in 1864, and after 1892, when the Musel harbour of refuge was created at the extremity of the bay. It was, how-ever, the See also:establishment of railway communication in 1884 which brought the town its modern prosperity, by rendering it the See also:chief See also:port of shipment for the products of Langreo and other See also:mining centres in Oviedo. ' A rapid commercial development followed. Besides large See also:tobacco, See also:glass and See also:porcelain factories, Gijon possesses See also:iron foundries and See also:petroleum refineries; while its See also:minor See also:industries include See also:fisheries, and the manufacture of pre-served foods, See also:soap, See also:chocolate, candles and See also:liqueurs. In 1903 the harbour accommodated 2189 vessels of 358,375 tons. In the same See also:year the imports, consisting chiefly of machinery, iron, See also:wood and See also:food-stuffs, were valued at £660,889; while the exports, comprising See also:zinc, See also:copper, iron and other minerals, with See also:fish, nuts and See also:farm produce, were valued at £100,941. Gijon is usually identified with the Gigia of the Romans, which, however, occupied the site of the adjoining suburb of Cima de See also:Villa. See also:Early in the 8th century Gijon was captured and strengthened by the See also:Moors, who used the stones of the See also:Roman See also:city for their fortifications, but were expelled by See also:King Pelayo' (720-737). In 844 Gijon successfully resisted a See also:Norman See also:raid; in 1395 it was burned down; but thenceforward it gradually See also:rose to commercial importance.

End of Article: GIGLIO (anc. Igilium)

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