Vilvestre

Template: Infobox church in Spain / Maintenance / Province Vilvestre is a North Spanish municipality ( municipio ) in the province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile -Leon.

Location

Vilvestre lies in the west of the province of Salamanca, at the border to Portugal at an altitude of nearly 600 meters above sea level. d M. penetrated by granite rocks scenery of Arribes del Duero. The city of Salamanca is located about 100 km ( driving distance ) in an easterly direction away; the historically significant and architecturally attractive town of Ciudad Rodrigo is located about 75 kilometers south.

Demographics

In the 19th century the place had 1700-1900 inhabitants; in the first half of the 20th century, the population fell to about 1,400. As a result of the loss of jobs due to the mechanization of agriculture, the population has since declined to the current low.

Economy

Agriculture ( crop production and animal husbandry ) has traditionally played the largest role in the economy of the community. Revenue from tourism in the form of the rental of apartments ( casas rurales ) have been added in recent decades.

History

Above the town, a Neolithic factory manufacturing stone tools have been found. A phallic menhir was also discovered in the municipality. After the largely bloodless reconquest ( Reconquista ) from the hands of the Moors and repopulated ( repoblación ) of the nearly deserted mountain region in the 11th and 12th centuries belonged to the region near the border initially under the jurisdiction of the Leonese and Castilian kings; However, the latter they gave in 1340 to the care of individual landowners ( señores ), which from now on border security took over to Isabella I in the late 15th century, the region gave the Dukes of Alba.

Attractions

• The aforementioned phallic shaped menhir ' is now shown in the local museum.
• The parish church (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción ) dates from the 16th century, when the transition period from the late Gothic to Renaissance. Inside impress several carved and painted altarpiece from the 18th century.
• A richly decorated Baroque court pillars ( rollo ) with a cross on top stands on a stepped plinth in the main square of the village.
• A Hermit Church ( Ermita de la Virgen del Castillo ) is near the ruins of an old castle ( castillo ) at the foot of the mountain, which towers over the place ( 41 ° 6 ' 16 "N, 6 ° 43' 49 " W41.104444444444 - 6.7302777777778 ). Inside there is a reredos is made ​​of granite.
• In the vicinity of the place, several interesting viewpoints find - one of them with a stone cross.