Murcia, city (1990 pop. 322,911), capital of the autonomous community and coextensive prov. of Murcia, SE Spain, on the Segura River. The city lies in one of the finest irrigated garden regions in Spain. The silk industry, a traditional occupation for many years, has declined. There are food-processing, tanning, textile, and other light industries. Lead, silver, sulfur, and iron are mined nearby and aluminum is produced. Murcia rose to prominence under the Moors, when it was for a time the capital of the independent kingdom of Murcia (see separate article). The Gothic cathedral (14th–15th cent.) and the episcopal palace are landmarks. Murcia is the see of a bishop and has a university (founded 1915).
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