AÃnsa-Sobrarbe
Ainsa is a northern Spanish town and a municipality ( municipio ) in the province of Huesca, in the Autonomous Community of Aragon. The old town with its large main square (Plaza Mayor ) was classified as a cultural ( Bien de Interès Cultural ) in the category Conjunto histórico - artístico.
Location
Ainsa is located on a rocky hill in the southern foothills of the Pyrenees, between the rivers Cinca and Ara at the north end of a reservoir ( Embalse de Mediano ) about 100 km ( driving distance ) north-east of Huesca. Andorra la Vella is located about 220 kilometers to the east, the old Episcopal city of Jaca is a good 70 kilometers west of Ainsa.
Nearby is also the place de Sarsa Surta, an almost deserted village in the Natural Park of Sierra de Guara, which is co-managed by Aisne from.
Demographics
Until the mid-20th century Ainsa had well over three thousand inhabitants.
Economy
Traditionally, agriculture, crafts and trade of the utmost importance for the economy of the small town. Due to the rapidly increasing mechanization of agriculture in the second half of the 20th century, many jobs have been eliminated. Particular apartment rentals - - For tourism came as a source of income in the city added.
History
A legend attributes the origin of the place on a cross miracle in the period of Islamic dominance over large parts of the Iberian Peninsula, but have so far discovered no evidence of the presence of Muslim culture so far in the north of Spain. The Castle of Ainsa is from the 11th century and is considered part of a Christian line of defense against attacks from the south (Zaragoza ); at this time belonged to the kingdom of Ainsa Nájera. In the 12th century it was the capital of the former county Sobrabe that worked in the Kingdom of Navarre, conquered the southern half in 1512 on the orders of Ferdinand of Aragon in just two weeks by Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, second Duke of Alba and the Spanish Crown land has been integrated.
Attractions
- The main attraction of Ainsa is the large elongated main square (Plaza Mayor ), which is stood on both sides by arcades stone houses. What is striking is the complete absence of timber or timber buildings throughout the old town; only in the ceilings of the arcades wooden beams are visible.
- Several stone houses ( including the Casa de Bielsa, the Casa Latorre and the Casa Arnal ) date back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Large parts of the 11th and from the 16th/17th. -Century castle ( castillo ) are in ruinous condition.
View of the Plaza Mayor
Door in the Wall
Alley with stone houses
- The single former Collegiate ( colegiata ) Santamaría was consecrated in 1183 - it is in the northeast corner of the square. Her appearance impressed by its massive Romanesque tower which is unique in its kind for Aragon, and by the multi-stepped and overcharge Archivolts south portal. The nave is barrel vaulted interior; the altar front shows a wheel-like monogram of Christ, consisting of the Greek letters chi and rho, the following points Alpha and Omega. For Spain rather unusual is the presence of a three-aisled crypt with nichtfigürlichen Romanesque capitals. The unadorned small and irregularly shaped cloister ( claustro ) dates from the 15th century ( late Gothic ), and is reminiscent of the fact that the church was formerly part of a collegiate.
Apse and altar
Crypt
Cloister