FrÃas (Burgos)
Frías is a small community in the northern Spanish province of Burgos in the autonomous community of Castile -Leon. Due to its medieval townscape of the city as a cultural ( Bien de Interès Cultural ) was recognized in the category Conjunto histórico - artístico. Despite its small population, the site must officially " city " call ( ciudad ) - Frías is thus the smallest city in Spain.
Location
Frías is located on the northern edge of the Parque Natural de Montes Obarenes on an approximately 550 meter high rocky ridge ( Cerro de la Muela ) above the Río Molinar, which opens only about a kilometer further east in the Ebro. Frías is just 80 kilometers ( route ) to the northeast of Burgos; nachstgrößere the city is Briviesca - located about 35 kilometers south.
Demographics
In the 19th century the population was always well over a thousand people.
Economy
In previous centuries, Frías was the artisan and mercantile center of a large number of individual farms and small villages in its agrarian hinterland, which is today a predominantly vegetable cultivation. The mechanization of agriculture and the lack of proximity to a major city have led in the second half of the 20th century to a significant decline in the population.
The day and weekend tourism as well as the rental of holiday homes ( casas rurales ) now play a significant role in the economic life of the village.
History
Approximately 500 meters downstream of the medieval bridge over the Ebro led an ancient Roman road through a ford. The first mention of a castle dating back to 867 - in this period also saw the re-colonization ( repoblación ) of the area through the products sold by the Arabs and their allied Berber tribes to the north Christians. In the 11th century Frías was Sancho García briefly part of the county of Castile, but fell after his death under Sancho III. for several decades under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Navarre. In 1435 the place of John II received city rights. In 1492 the hereditary title of Duke of Frías was created and presented to Bernardino Fernández de Velasco y Mendoza, whose descendants occupied it until 1986 by the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella.
Attractions
- The view of the upper town of Frías is certainly one of the most spectacular in Spain. The two-or three-storey half-timbered houses ( casas colgadas ) on the south side rise straight through the steep rock walls.
- The ruins of the medieval castle ( castillo ) occupies the western part of the rocky ridge, which was previously only accessible via a man-made rock column by means of a drawbridge. In 1830 the donjon ( torre de homenaje ) collapsed and pulled 30 people to their deaths.
- The single-nave parish church of San Vicente Mártir and San Sebastián rises at the other end of the village opposite the castle. From the Romanesque original building is due to later alterations and extensions only little to see; in the 14th and 16th centuries, two chapels were added on the south side. In 1904, the bell tower collapsed and the entire west side of the church was rebuilt in the Romanesque Revival style. The remains of the destroyed Romanesque portal of the church came to the museum The Cloisters in New York; they were assembled there and supplemented ( see photo web link).
Street with views of the castle
Courtyard
Church of San Vicente Mártir and San Sebastián
Outside the village are other churches and other buildings:
- The Augustinian convent Convento de Santa María de Vadillo, founded in 1219 was later converted to a hospital and dissolved in the 19th century as part of the disentailment of church property.
- Built in the 13th century in the style of transition from Romanesque to Gothic church of San Vítores has a bell tower in the west; the entrance is on the south side.
- The Franciscan Convent ( Convento de San Francisco) dates from the 14th century and served for a long time also for residential purposes.
- Famous for its length of 143 meters, the neunbogige medieval bridge over the Ebro. It has been repaired several times and was in the 14th century a tower which facilitated the collection of bridge duty. The bridge piers are pointed at the upstream side by flotsam ( tree trunks ) to distract.
- In the valley of the Río Molinar is a - in Spain rather rare - indoor laundry ( lavadero ) from the 18th or 19th century.
- An approximately four -kilometer walk through the valley of the Río Molinar leads to the hamlet Tobera with its medieval arch bridge, a wayside chapel from the 17th century and the nave, is nestled on a cliff hermitage ( ermita ) Santa María de la Hoz on the substantive parts from the 13th century came from.
Bridge over the Ebro
Hermitage ( ermita ) Santa María de la Hoz