VALLADOLID, the capital of the Spanish province of Valladolid, 2,228 ft. above sea-level, at the confluence of the river Pisuerga with the Esgueva. Pop. (1930) 91,089. Valladolid is sometimes identified with the ancient Pintia of Ptolemy. Its Roman origin is uncertain. The present name is undoubtedly Moorish. Valladolid was recovered from the Moors in the loth century, but is first named by Sancho II. of Leon in 1072. The cortes of Castile frequently met here in the following centuries, and in the beginning of the 15th century John II. made it his principal residence. Af ter the removal of the capital to Madrid by Philip II. in 156o it began rapidly to decay. Columbus died (1506) and Philip II. was born (1527) at Valladolid.
Valladolid is an archbishopric, and the seat of an army corps, a court of appeal and a university. It is connected by numerous railways with every province of Spain. The granite cathedral was begun in 1585 by Juan de Herrera in the Renaissance style. The
interior contains pictures by Luca Giordano (1632-1705) and the celebrated silver monstrance wrought by Juan de Arphe. Other buildings are the church of Santa Maria la Antigua (120o) ; the church of San Pablo (1286) ; San Gregorio (15th century) ; and San Benito (end of the 14th century). The Plateresque college of Santa Cruz, built by Enrique de Egas in 1479-92, contains three pictures by Rubens, and some remarkable wooden statues by Alonso Berruguete (d. 1581), Gregorio Hernandez (1566-1636) and others. The university, originally founded at Palencia early in the 13th century, was transferred to Valladolid before 1250.
The house in which Cervantes lived (1603-6) has been preserved by the Hispanic Society of America. The principal industries are the manufacture of linen, silk and woollen fabrics, pottery, gold and silver work, flour, wine, beer, chocolate, leather, ironware.