Alarcia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alarcia
town
Alarcia Location in Spain
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Castile and León
Province	Burgos
Comarca	Montes de Oca
Municipality	Rábanos
Area
• Total	15 km2 (6 sq mi)
Elevation	1,177 m (3,862 ft)
Population  (2007)
• Total	63
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Distances	42 km to Burgos 25 km to Ezcaray 20 km to Belorado 5 km to Rábanos
Website	Alarcia's record card (province website)

Alarcia is a small town in northern Spain. It's part of the Castile and León region, in the Burgos province. Alarcia is located in the Montes de Oca area, within the Rábanos municipality. You can find it between the Úzquiza reservoir to the west and the tall peak of San Millan (2,131 meters high) in the Sierra de la Demanda mountains to the southeast.

History of Alarcia

When the Romans arrived in this area around the 1st century AD, Alarcia was part of the land belonging to the Autrigones tribe.

Early Settlements and Borders

The area around Montes de Oca, where Alarcia is located, was settled again in the mid-9th century. People from different groups like the Asturians, Cantabri, Visigoths, and Vascones (Basques) moved here. For about 100 years, this region was a borderland. It lay between the County of Castile and the lands controlled by the Caliphate of Córdoba and its allies.

Later, until the mid-12th century, the area became a border between the kingdom of Castile and the kingdom of Navarre. The region changed hands between these two kingdoms many times. Finally, in 1146, it officially became part of the kingdom of Castile.

First Mentions of Alarcia

It seems Alarcia started as a settlement in the early Middle Ages. However, it wasn't officially named until 1068. This was when Sancho II, the first king of Castile, gave land to the Bishop of Oca. In this document, Alarcia was connected to the Abbey Foncea or Broncea.

Alarcia was also mentioned in a special document called the fuero (charter) of Cerezo. King Alfonso VII of León and Castile granted this charter to the town of Cerezo de Río Tirón on January 10, 1146. Among the 134 villages belonging to Cerezo, Halariza (an old name for Alarcia) was listed. It appeared next to Valmala and Sancta Crux del Valle (Urbión).

The first time the name Alarcia was written down was in the census of Floridablanca, which took place between 1785 and 1787.

Art and Nature in Alarcia

Alarcia and its surroundings offer interesting places to see. These include historical buildings and beautiful natural spots.

• Romanesque Church: A church built in the old Romanesque style.
• Úzquiza Reservoir: A large water reservoir nearby.
• Sierra de la Demanda: A mountain range known for its natural beauty.

Parish Church of San Bartolomé

The local church is called the Parish of San Bartolomé. It is a Romanesque church dedicated to La Asunción de Nuestra Señora (The Assumption of Our Lady). This church is part of the parish of Villasur de Herreros and belongs to the diocese of Burgos.

The church was built a long time ago, between the late 10th century and the 13th century. It was later updated in the 15th century. The diocese has been working to restore and care for the church since 2001.

Local Culture

Village Festivals

The people of Alarcia celebrate their village festivals on the weekend closest to August 24th. This date is important because it's the feast day of San Bartholomew, the patron saint.

Population Changes Over Time

The table below shows how the number of people living in Alarcia has changed since 1842.

See also

In Spanish: Alarcia para niños