Sotillo

Sotillo is a small mountain village with only 32 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) in the Spanish province of Segovia in the autonomous community of Castile -Leon.

Location

Sotillo is located in the barren mountain landscape in the north- east of the province of Segovia in an altitude of about 970 meters above sea level. inst. , the distance to the nearby town of Sepúlveda is about 14 km ( driving distance ) in a northwesterly direction. The provincial capital of Segovia is located about 63 kilometers south-west.

Demographics

The part of the municipality hamlet Fresneda de Sepúlveda has about five inhabitants whereas Alameda de Sepúlveda was abandoned in the year 1857.

Economy

Hardly cereal production possible - was on the barren soil of the cold high plateau of the province of Segovia - with the exception of barley. Therefore, the population lived for centuries mainly from the breeding of sheep and goats, whose milk cheese was made, the sale after laborious transport on the market in Sepúlveda or had exchanged for flour, etc.. The wool of the sheep was spun and woven in the winter of fabric from which clothing was made ​​simple. Goat hair could only be used for the production of weatherproof throws ( ponchos ) or sacks, ropes, etc. or for filling bags, which served as a mattress.

History

After successful completion of reconquest ( Reconquista ) of the 300 years occupied by the Arabs or Moors of place in the Middle Ages by Christians from the north but from the south of the Iberian Peninsula ( Mozarabs ) was repopulated ( repoblación ).

Attractions

The only attraction of the town is the Romanesque Iglesia de la Natividad de la Virgen with their Muslim and Mozarabic influenced portal and its located below the eaves console friezes and metopes fields, all of which are designed decorative or figurative.