LEON. The capital of the Spanish province of the same name. situated near the confluence of the rivers 1Lernesga and Torio, in a beautiful wooded plain Si miles northwest of Valladolid, and on the railroad from the latter place to Gijon (Map: Spain, C 1). Part of the old Roman wall, twenty feet thick, is still standing, and outside of this is another wall built in the fourteenth century. The streets are crooked and narrow: but there are a number of interesting old buildings. The cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic art. It was begun in the thirteenth century and finished at the beginning of the sev enteenth. but, owing to a defect in its construction which threatened its ruin, an extensive restora tion was begun in 1843. The interior is rich in sculptures and mural paintings and contains the tomb of King Onion() IL. of Leon. The two other architectural monuments of Lei' are the Church of Saint Isidore, in the Byzantine style of the twelfth century, containing the tombs of most of the kings of Leon, and the Convent of San :Marcos, also dating from the twelfth century, hut rebuilt in 1514. The latter has a beautiful
and richly sculptured facade, and is the principal seat of the Order of Santiago; a part of it is now occupied by the municipal archeological mu seum. Besides this museum Leon has a number of educational institutions, such as the provin cial library, the institute for secondary education,. a normal school. and a veterinary school. The industry and trade of the city are unimportant. Population, in 1887, 13,446; in 1900, 17,022.
LeOn was founded by the Romans as a military garrison and called Legio Septima Gemina, the word legio being later confused with icon. It was twice captured and held by the Arabs in the ninth century, but recaptured, first by Alfonso I., and the second time by Ordofio I. In the begin ning of the tenth century Ordorio II. made it the capital of the Kingdom of Lean. Even after that it was continually threatened. and once nearly destroyed by the Arabs. In 1808 the city was sacked by the French.