Eight centuries of life: San Sebastian was a small fishing town protected from the wind by Mount Urgull . It got its name in the second half of the twelfth century after King Sancho VI of Navarre granted the town its municipal charter for repopulation. Its strategic coastal location and harbour made it such an important town for maritime trade that foundries and shipyards were built all along the Urumea River to make boats. The townspeople hunted whales that came close to San Sebastian 's coast. As a result of unrest between countries and the proximity of France , San Sebastian was fortified and a fortress built on Mount Urgull to protect and defend the city. Its geographic location is the reason why the city was besieged on numerous occasions in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

From remains to rebirth: Napoleon's solders occupied San Sebastian from 1808 to 1813. The Duke of Wellington, who was in charge of the British and Portuguese troops, looted and burned the city while fighting French troops. The few houses that survived the siege are close to Mount Urgull on the street 31 de Agosto , which was given its name to remember the great fire of 31 August. The surviving inhabitants of the city gathered in Zubieta and decided to rebuild San Sebastian with determination, turning it into what is now the city's Old Town . The Town Hall was erected in centre of what is the Plaza de la Constitución.

Crumbling of the walls: Queen Elizabeth II went to San Sebastian for the first time in 1845 following her doctor's recommendation she swim in the seawater to cure a skin disease. This sparked interest among aristocrats and members of the Court, who not long after started going to San Sebastian to spend their summers, making the city grow little by little. This new growth meant the walls surrounding the city were no longer useful, and so they were torn down. Several projects for expanding the city were presented and the architect Antonio Cortázar's was chosen. The project was expensive because the Urumea River had to be channelled and bridges built over it to connect both river banks.

La Belle Époque: During the reconstruction of San Sebastian , the city was pioneer in installing new advances such as a tramway, street lighting and telephone technology. During the roaring 20s, the city received many tourists from all over the world and its population had grown from 20,823 in 1880 to 65,930 in 1925. Buildings to visit in the city's centre from that period include Hotel María Cristina, the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the current City Hall, which was a casino until 1947.

The modern city: The growth in industry after the civil war also meant important population growth. As a result of a huge demand for housing, the city expanded rapidly and uncontrollably. Evidence of this continuous growth and evolution of San Sebastian is Zurriola Beach , the Kursaal, renovation projects in the Old Town , new housing in Amara-Osinaga, Riberas de Loyola, Intxaurrondo, Venta Berri and Aiete, technology and business parks and the big sports complexes.

Moving towards the 3 rd Millennium: San Sebastian has acquired international fame for its natural landscape, gastronomy with pintxos and txakoli , trade, as well as jazz, classical music and film festivals. It has also become an attractive place for businesses and conferences and added new museums to its cultural and entertainment options