Vitoria-Gasteiz ( , ) is the capital city of the
Basque Autonomous Community and of the
province of
Araba/Álava in northern
Spain. It holds the autonomous community's House of Parliament, the headquarters of the Government, and the Lehendakari's (Prime Minister's) official residency. The municipality — which comprises not only the city but also the mainly agricultural lands of 63 villages around — is the largest in the Basque Autonomous Community, with a total area of 276.81 km
2 (106.88 sq mi), and it has a population of 242,082 people (2014). The dwellers of Vitoria-Gasteiz are called
vitorianos or
gasteiztarrak, while traditionally they are dubbed
babazorros (
Basque for 'bean sacks'). Vitoria-Gasteiz is a multicultural city with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, healthcare, architectural conservation, aeronautics, vehicle industry, oenology and gastronomy. It is the first Spanish municipality to be awarded the title of
European Green Capital (in 2012) and it is consistently ranked as one of the 5 best places to live in Spain. The old town holds some of the best preserved medieval streets and plazas in the region and it is one of very few cities to hold two Cathedrals. The city also holds well known festivals such as the
Azkena rock festival,
FesTVal,
Vitoria-Gasteiz jazz festival, and the
Virgen Blanca Festivities.