El Bierzo

The Bierzo is a region in the autonomous community of Castile and León in northwestern Spain. The comarca of the same name includes the most western part of the province of León, bordered to the north by the region of Asturias, and on the west by the region of Galicia. The region covers an area of ​​2828 km ², 134,738 inhabitants live in the (as of 2007 ), about half of them in the capital Ponferrada. The Bierzo is also known as a wine region.

Geographical Location

The Bierzo is a tectonic basin, which is located at about 500 meters above sea level and is surrounded by 2000 m high mountain ranges. This disconnect los Ancares of Galicia in the northwest of the Sierra de Caurel and the Sierra de, in the north of the Cantabrian mountain range, the Sierra de Gistredo of Asturias, in the north- east with the Montes of León from the rest of the province and in the southern and southeastern the Montes Aquilanos and the Sierra de Pobladura of the Zamora province and the Leonese region of La Cabrera. Main flow of Bierzo is the effluent to Galicia Sil.

Three regions can be distinguished:

• Bierzo del Este: Region east of Ponferrada in the Río Boeza to Bembibre
• Bierzo Alto: Region north of Ponferrada
• Bajo Bierzo: Region to Ponferrada and Carracedelo

Population

Because of the geographical isolation until the end of the 60s the " Bercianos " their own dialects, culture, eating habits and political attitudes have not stored. They feel neither as Galician, Asturian, and not as citizens of the Leonese Nordmeseta.

The traditional dialectal speech forms of Bierzo are in the West ( to Villafranca ) for Galician, however, counted in the east to Leonese. However, the young population speaks predominantly Castilian, the Spanish national language.

Cities and Towns in El Bierzo

• Arganza
• Balboa
• Barjas
• Bembibre
• Berlanga del Bierzo
• Borrenes
• Cabañas Raras
• Cacabelos
• Camponaraya
• Candín
• Carracedelo
• Carucedo
• Castropodame

• Congosto
• Corullón
• Cubillos del Sil
• Fabero
• Folgoso de la Ribera
• Igüeña
• Molinaseca
• Noceda del Bierzo
• Oencia
• Páramo del Sil
• Peranzanes
• Ponferrada
• Priaranza del Bierzo

• Puente de Domingo Flórez
• San Juan de Paluezas
• Sancedo
• Sobrado (León )
• Toreno
• Torre del Bierzo
• Trabadelo
• Vega de Espinareda
• Vega de Valcarce
• Villadecanes - Toral de los Vados
• Villafranca del Bierzo

Climate and vegetation

The Bierzo has its own microclimate. Here the north-western maritime climate of Galicia and Asturias mix with the continental climate of the northern Meseta, the surrounding mountain ranges keep cold winds from. Consequence of this is an excellent growth of fruit, vegetables and wine.

Irrigation

The whole basin is fed by the Rio Sil, which flows into the Rio Miño and later flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Its main tributaries are:

• Rio Burbia (Sierra de los Ancares )
• Rio Cúa (Valle de Fornela, El Cuadro )
• Rio Boeza (Sierra de Gistredo )

The Barcena reservoir above Ponferrada fed a vast and effective irrigation system specifically guaranteed the important crops of the lower Bierzos.

Economy

Until a few years ago coined primarily the reduction of high-quality anthracite coal with the centers Fabero, Toreno, Bembibre and Brañuelas the economy. This was associated with metal smelting and the electricity industry, founded in 1944 with the coal power plant Compostilla north-east of Ponferrada. As elsewhere in Europe took this sector but from constantly. Many small mines were forced to close and make way for a large opencast mining system north of Fabero. Of further importance of shale mining in the vicinity of Puente de Domingo Florez and the cement industry in Toral de los Vados and glass manufacture in Camponaraya.

In addition, there is a wide network of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises. Also, the service sector is taking as anywhere in the country, the center is Ponferrada.

Agriculture is characterized by the cultivation of wine, fruit, peppers and tomatoes and meat production (paprika sausage, salami and ham).

Centers of cultivation and marketing of red wine from the Bierzo appellation are Cacabelos, Villafranca del Bierzo, Camponaraya and Cabañas Raras. Most important grape variety is the Mencia grape.

Cities and Attractions

The main attraction is the Goldmine system of the Romans Las Médulas near Carucedo south-west of Ponferrada. It was declared a World Heritage Site. In addition, the Mozarabic churches of Santiago de Peñalba and Santo Tomás de las Ollas from the 8th century, the old forge in Compludo and the huge Templar castle ruins in Ponferrada be mentioned.

Villafranca del Bierzo offers than before important pilgrimage city's many art treasures such as the gate of grace Puerta de Perdon, the collegiate church of La Collegiate etc.

Tourism

The Bierzo was primarily a transit point on the way to Galicia. The Way of St. James crosses the region from the northeast to the southwest. Stations are the Rabanalpass, El Acebo, Molinaseca, Ponferrada, Camponaraya, Cacabelos and finally Villafranca del Bierzo to the Valcarce.

Swell

• El Bierzo by J. M. Voces Jolias and José Antonio Iglesias / Lancia Ediciones SA Leon

• Geography (Spain )
• Province of León