San Martín de Valdeiglesias

San Martín de Valdeiglesias is a centrally Spanish municipality ( municipio ) in the Autonomous Region of Madrid. The old center was classified in 1974 as a cultural ( Bien de Interès Cultural ) in the category Conjunto histórico - artístico.

Location

San Martín de Valdeiglesias located 75 km drive west of Madrid, near the border with the province of Ávila. Until the city of Ávila itself there are direction is about 55 kilometers to the northwest.

Demographics

Due to the proximity to Madrid and the relatively low land prices and rents, the population has increased significantly in recent decades.

Economy

In the Middle Ages San Martín de Valdeiglesias was a country church that was large enough to serve as craft and mercantile center (market ) for the isolated farmsteads and small villages in the area. Since the Middle Ages wine, olive and vegetable cultivation is mainly operated in the surrounding area. In the town itself there are two wineries ( bodegas ). Already Miguel de Cervantes mentions the wines of the region in several of his works. Tourism also in the listed building, the center is an important source of revenue for the city.

History

From Celtiberian, Romans and Visigoths missing in the area of San Martín de Valdeiglesias each track. In the Islamic era, the area was depopulated and was only after the re-conquest ( reconquista ) of Toledo by Alfonso VI. repopulated in 1085 ( repoblación ). In the 13th century seems to have formed around an existing hermitage ( ermita ) a small settlement, which belonged to the Monastery of Santa María de Valdeiglesias. In 1430, apparently developed an uprising of the villagers against the paternalism of the Abbey, because in the subsequent period is Don Alvaro de Luna, called the educator and advisor to King John II, as landlord ( señor ).

Attractions

• Main attraction of the town is the Castillo de la Coracera, a late medieval castle square with round corner towers and a - also accompanied by round towers - pentagonal keep ( torre de homenaje ). It was built on the site of an older castle from the 13th century and restored in the 20th century and again. Today it houses a wine museum (Museo de los Vinos de Madrid).
• The three-nave church of San Martín Obispo probably goes back to the 13th century; however, it was remodeled by the architect Pedro de Tolosa in unadorned Herrera style several times, and especially in the 17th century.

• Nearby points of San Martín de Valdeiglesias several small hermitages - the most beautiful is the Ermita del Rosario. Others are the Ermita Ecce Homo, the Ermita del Sangre and the Ermita de la Virgen Nueva.
• The ruins of the monastery of Santa María de Valdeiglesias rise just outside the neighboring town about eight kilometers away Pelayo de la Presa.
• Several Celtiberian bull sculptures from the 2nd century BC ( Toros de Guisando ) frame a path or highlight a cult place in about six kilometers west nearest neighbor municipality of El Tiemblo.