VizcaÃnos
Vizcaínos (or Vizcaínos de la Sierra ) is a small municipality ( municipio ) with 49 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) in the northern Spanish province of Burgos in the autonomous community of Castile -Leon. The San Martín de Tours Church is one of the outstanding religious buildings in northern Spain and is recognized as a cultural ( Bien de Interès Cultural ).
Location
Vizcaínos located in the heart of the Sierra de la Demanda at an altitude of about 1020 meters above sea level. inst. The nearest town is about 18 km ( driving distance ) south to Salas de los Infantes. In the surrounding mountains rise several streams, which unite around Vizcaínos the Río Pedroso, a tributary of the Río Arlanza.
Demographics
Had the place in the 19th century at times, more than 200 residents, there are currently only around the 50th
Economy
As the inhabitants of most mountain towns in northern Spain, including the Vizcaínos lived for centuries by a self-catering from livestock (sheep and goats) and a little agriculture (barley and wheat). From the milk of animals a tough cheese was made, who was sometimes sell in the markets of distant cities. The same is true for the sheep wool, which was also needed for the production of their own clothing; from the goats' hair ropes etc. were braided.
Meanwhile the day and weekend tourism and rental of holiday homes ( casas rurales ) play a significant role in the economic life of the village.
History
The first documentary mention of the place under the name Beskafinos ( =, Basques ') dates from the year 974; it is the time of recolonization ( repoblación ) the - after the conquest ( conquista ) by the Moors - largely unpopulated areas in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the monastery of San temporarily Cosme and San Damián in Covarrubias, then later to the monasteries of San Pedro de Arlanza and Santo Domingo de Silos.
Attractions
- The 12th-century Romanesque church attributable (Iglesia de San Martín de Tours ) particularly impressed by their towering west tower and south porch by their ( galería Porticada ). While the cathedral is built of rubble stone, the tower and porch are built of hewn stones exactly what makes a slightly later dating of both parts likely. The porch has only three ports - a central doorway and two side arches, which profiled circular arcs are intercepted by double columns with excellently preserved Romanesque capitals. Below the eaves of the porch and the church lost two figural frieze console with human heads and animal representations. The two are separated by cornices of each other and opened by double arcades tower projectiles differ mainly by resting on little columns set overlay sheets upstairs. The actual entrance is protected by the porch; it occurs readily apparent from the exterior wall of the church and consists of several profiled Archivolts arches that rest on ornate fighter plates which are in turn supported by perfectly preserved capitals. The interior of the church is barrel vaulted; it contains - in addition to the two pillars with reused capitals ( spolia ) resting altar - a scalloped ribbed and by a foliate frieze umzogenes Romanesque baptismal font ( pila bautismal ) and an altarpiece dating from the Renaissance to the south wall.
- The about 500 meters outside the village located Hermit Church ( Ermita de San Jorge ) dates from the 15th century.