Aranda de Duero facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aranda de Duero
Municipality
From top, left to right: Santa María la Real Church, Town Hall, San Juan Church, Plaza Mayor, and stairs cut into rock leading to a wine cave.
Flag Seal
Aranda de Duero Location in Castile and León Show map of Castile and León Aranda de Duero Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Castile and León
Province	Burgos
Comarca	Ribera del Duero
Founded	961
Area
• Total	127.28 km2 (49.14 sq mi)
• Land	126 km2 (49 sq mi)
Elevation	798 m (2,618 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Total	33,187
Demonyms	Arandino, Arandina
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	09400
Rivers	Arandilla, Duero, Bañuelos

Aranda de Duero is a city and municipality in Spain. It is located in the south of the province of Burgos, in Castile and León. About 33,000 people live here. The city sits on the River Duero. It is the main town of the Ribera del Duero area.

About Aranda de Duero

The municipality of Aranda de Duero includes three towns. These are Aranda de Duero itself, La Aguilera, and Sinovas.

Aranda de Duero is famous for its wine. It is the capital of the Ribera del Duero wine region. A special feature of the town is its underground wine cellars. These cellars connect beneath the streets of the city center. Local wine clubs, called peñas, use these cellars for special events and parties.

Where is Aranda de Duero?

Aranda de Duero is an important meeting point for roads in Spain. The A-1 highway runs north and south past Aranda. This road connects Madrid to the south coast. Many visitors and goods travel along this route.

Another key road goes from east to west. It links Portugal with cities like Zamora and Soria. Because of its location, Aranda de Duero is becoming a big business center. Large international companies, such as Michelin and GlaxoSmithKline, have big factories here.

Weather in Aranda de Duero

Aranda de Duero has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and cold winters.

History of the City

An important meeting called the Council of Aranda happened here in 1473. It was led by Alfonso Carillo, who was a very important church leader. The meeting aimed to improve the education and behavior of church officials. For example, one rule said that people could not become priests if they did not know Latin. Other rules dealt with issues like unfair buying and selling of church positions.

Local Culture

A special local dish is called "Lechazo." This is roasted baby lamb. It is usually served with a simple salad and lots of "torta" bread. People use the bread to dip into the meat juices.

Festivals and Events

The main festivals in Aranda de Duero honor la Virgen de las Viñas (Our Lady of the Vines). They start on the first Sunday after September 8th. The celebrations last for nine days. They end with traditional fireworks at midnight on the last Sunday.

The city also hosts the annual Sonorama music festival. This popular event takes place in mid-August.

Gallery

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  Principal facade of Santa María la Real Church.

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  Main facade of Iglesia de Santa María la Real

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  Interior of Santa María la Real Church.

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  Interior of Santa María la Real Church.

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  Interior of Santa María la Real Church.

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  Facade of Iglesia de Santa María la Real

Wine Caves

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  Stairs cut into rock in a wine cave in Aranda de Duero

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  Wine storage in a wine cave in Aranda de Duero

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  Wine cave in Aranda de Duero

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  Wine cave in Aranda de Duero

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  Wine cave in Aranda de Duero

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  Wine cave in Aranda de Duero

Cool Places to Visit

"Santa María la Real" church

Hermitage of Our Lady of the Vines (Virgen de las Viñas).

Santa María la Real is a beautiful church built in the 1400s and 1500s. Its main entrance is very special. Above the door, you can see three carved stone pictures. They show Christ carrying the Cross, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. The door also has the symbols of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. The original church doors are now in a museum because they were getting old.

San Juan is an older church than Santa María. It is built in the Gothic style. It still has its strong, fortified tower. The important Council of Aranda meeting took place here in 1473. Today, San Juan church is home to the Museo Sacro, a museum of religious art.

The Virgen de las Viñas Sanctuary is a special religious building from the 1600s. It sits on a small hill north of the town. The town's patron saint is the Virgen de las Viñas. Legend says she was found in a vineyard, which is why she has that name.

The Train Museum is located in the old "Chelva" train station. It shows the history of Spanish railways.

The Pottery Museum has pottery from all over Spain. It has the largest collection from the region of Castile and León.

The Berdugo's Palace is a grand Renaissance mansion.

Bodegas are the amazing underground cellars beneath the town center. They form a huge maze! People dug them between the 1100s and 1600s. They were first used to store food and the famous Ribera del Duero wine. Today, these cellars are home to "Peñas." These are cultural groups that help keep the cellars safe. They also organize fun social events and make sure everyone enjoys the Fiestas.

Isilla Street is the main walking street in the town. Local people say that everyone who lives in Aranda walks along this street every day.

Kikos is a small shop in the main square. It sells many different kinds of candies, chips, drinks, and toys.

Twin Towns

The Romanesque bridge of Aranda de Duero

Building in Aranda de Duero

Aranda de Duero is connected to other cities around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities":

Famous People

• Juan Carlos Higuero

See Also

In Spanish: Aranda de Duero para niños La Aguilera is a small village in the municipality.