Tortosa

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TORTOSA

Region : Catalonia
Province : Tarragona

Official blazon

Caironat: de gules una torre d'argent tancada de sable amb cuatre marlets, una porta i dos finestres. Per timbre, una corona enfilada per dues palmes d'argent.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on September 4, 1995.

Tortosa developed in the Iberian times on a hill, later conquered by the Romans (that founded the city of Dertosa) and the Arabs, who built the castle of La Suda. During the Muslim domination (713-1148), it was the chief town of a large kingdom in the Caliphate of Cordova. Tortosa was conquered by Ramon Berenguer IV, count of Barcelona, that granted the city to those who had aided him in the conquest: the knight Guillem Ramon de Montcada, the Republic of Genoa and the Templars; the count entitled himself as marquis of Tortosa.

Traditionally, the arms of Tortosa show since the 13^th century a tower Argent on Gules (canting arms: the tower is a "torre" in Catalan). Later they included the marquis crown and the palms.