Consuegra

Consuegra is a municipality of 10,668 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) in the Spanish province of Toledo geographic region Mancha. The leading from Madrid to Andalusia motorway A 4 passes east of Consuegra. Consuegra has an area of 364 km ² and lies on the River Amarguillo, however in the summer performs no water.

History

On the small hill south of Consuegra Calderico settled in the 6th century BC, the Iberians because of its strategic location for the transhumance.

From the Second Punic War the hill Calderico is conquered by the Romans and founded the Roman city Consaburum at the foot of the hill and placed the settlement on the hill. The Roman Consuegra developed into the most important city in the province Carpetania and was an important stop on the north -south axis. It originated bridges, roads, a dam and an aqueduct. Consuegra is mentioned in the works of Roman authors Livy and Ptolemy.

In " arrival" of the Arabs, the majority of Hispanic and Gothic population remained in place. The castle dates from this period. After the Reconquista ( reconquest dt ) of Toledo in 1085 by Alfonso VI. Leon came Consuegra under Castilian rule. In 1097 came at the Battle of Consuegra Diego, the son of Cid, died. In this battle, the Castilian army was defeated by the Almoravids under the command of Yusuf ben Taxfin, where Consuegra temporarily came under Arab rule again.

1150 Alfonso VII gave his vassals Rodrigo Rodríguez the castle. 1183 the population of Consuegra under Alfonso VIII was with the approval of Pope Lucius III. entrusted to the Order of Knights of St. John, raised the capital of the Grand Priory Mancha Consuegra to the castle and to his seat. Underpass finally stabilized the situation in the area, after which the re-colonization of Consuegra was performed and the location to the headquarters of the royal administration was. With the secularization in the 19th century, the Knights of St. John had to leave the place and hand over its possession.

On September 11, 1891 Consuegra was destroyed by the floods of the river Amarguillo, whereupon the current urban situation arose and disappeared the Roman bridges.

Historical Buildings

  • The castle of Consuegra was probably made in the early phases of the Reconquista. Under Alfonso VIII it was handed over to the Knights of St. John, who established here the seat of the Grand Priory of La Mancha and the expansion of the castle undertook, which received a double curtain wall, four towers and a wall outer gear. 1813, during the Spanish War of Independence, the castle was destroyed. The ruin, which came into private hands due to the expropriation of the Hospitallers during the secularization in 1836, went in 1962 into the possession of the city, after which the preservation of assets of the castle began. The foundation of the school of architecture in 1985 received the renovations that still go on today, a big boost.
  • The windmills are together with the also standing on the hill Calderico castle is the symbol of Consuegra and date from the 16th century. Eleven of the original 13 mills have been preserved. In the mill Bolero ( in the Tourist Information Office is located) the millstone for wheat flour in the mill as well as Sancho the entire grinding mechanism is also obtained. You will be made in saffron festival in operation. The mill Cardeño was formerly inhabited. In the mill Caballero del Verde Gabañ ( knight with the green coat ) there are numerous editions of the book Don Quixote de la Mancha. In the mill Rucio an exhibition on wine is to be seen. The mill Espartero contains an exhibition of arts and crafts in Toledo and Clavileño photos and furniture from Andorra.
  • The San Juan Bautista church was built in 1567 in the Mudejar style in the shape of a Latin cross. It has a square Pendant and lateral arch entrances. Your walls are made of stone and brick.
  • The Church of Holy Christ de la Vera Cruz was built in 1803 in more than 50 years in neoclassical and neo-baroque style and has a facade of white marble.
  • The town hall is built in Renaissance style and is located in the Plaza Mayor. It is surrounded by houses where some galleries from the 17th century can be seen.

Festivals

Important festivals include the Batalla medieval (medieval battle) on August 15, which commemorates the Battle of 1097 and where, among other things, the battle will be shown on a giant chessboard, the feast of the Virgen Blanca (German festival of the White Madonna) on September 8, the feast of Christ the True Cross, the patron saint of the city, which takes place from September 20 to 25, as well as the saffron Festival (Fiesta del Azafrán ) on the last weekend of October, at the chosen among the young women a Dulzinea and Sancho windmill is put into operation.

Economy

Most jobs is agriculture with the cultivation of grain, wine and olives and some farms with intensive livestock farming. Furthermore, there are textile production and wood processing. The service sector is based primarily on tourism, the catering industry and trade.

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