Briones, La Rioja Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Briones
Municipality
Skyline of Briones
Briones Location in La Rioja, Spain Show map of La Rioja, Spain Briones Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	La Rioja
Comarca	Haro
Founded	c. 1st century
Area
• Total	37.72 km² (14.56 sq mi)
Population (2018)
• Total	766
• Density	20.308/km² (52.60/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	brionero,ra
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	26330
Official language	Spanish

Briones is a charming village located in the region of La Rioja, Spain. It's a small place, covering about 37.72 square kilometers. In 2011, around 873 people lived there. Briones is known for its rich history and beautiful old buildings.

Church in Briones, Haro

History of Briones
Interesting Places to Visit in Briones
Festivals in Briones
- Vera Cruz Festival
- Medieval Days
Briones on TV
Images for kids
See also

History of Briones

Ancient Times in Briones

The name Briones comes from the Berones, an ancient group of people who lived in the La Rioja area. But even before them, people lived here! Tools from the Bronze Age were found near the Santos Mártires chapel, showing that Briones has a very long history.

An old book called the Albedense Chronicle, written around 883, tells us about Briones. It says that King Alfonso I of Asturias attacked Briones and several other towns around 740. This shows Briones was an important place even back then.

Briones in the Middle Ages

For a while, Briones was controlled by the Saracens (Muslims from North Africa). By the early 900s, it became part of the kingdom ruled by King Ordoño II of León.

Later, Briones was part of the Castilla County. This area was a borderland between the Kingdom of Castilla and the Kingdom of Navarra. After a king named Sancho el de Peñalén was killed in 1076, Alfonso VI took control of La Rioja. Briones then became part of the Haro family's lands.

A king named Fernando III later made Don Diego López III de Haro the first Lord of Briones. In 1240, Don Diego López rebelled against King Fernando III and hid in Briones. The king surrounded the town and captured him. After this, Briones became a town directly controlled by the king.

In 1256, King Alfonso X of Castile gave Briones special regional laws from Vitoria. This helped more people from Castilla move to and settle in Briones. In 1293, King Sancho IV gave Briones even more special rights, called a "royal privilege."

Briones Population Over Time

On January 1, 2010, the town of Briones had 867 inhabitants. This included 464 men and 403 women.

Interesting Places to Visit in Briones

Briones is a very special place and has been recognized as a "Bien de Interés Cultural" (a site of cultural interest) since 1973. This means its historic buildings and overall look are protected.

Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción

This beautiful church was built in the 1500s. It features the Isabelline Gothic style, which is a unique Spanish type of Gothic architecture. It was declared a protected monument in 1981.

Pedro de Hircio's tomb

Other Historic Buildings

Briones has many other old and interesting buildings:

Palacio de Marqués de San Nicolás: This palace from the 1600s is now the Town Hall.
La casa de los Gadea
Ermita del Cristo de los Remedios
Ermita de los Santos Mártires
Ermita de Santa Lucía
Ermita de San Andrés
Ermita de San Bartolomé
Ermita del Calvario
Ermita de la Concepción

Museums in Briones

Vivanco Dinasty Wine Culture Museum

Vivanco Dinasty Wine Culture Museum: This museum teaches you all about wine culture.
Ethnographic Museum: Also known as La casa encantada (The Enchanted House), this museum shows what life was like in Briones in the past.

Festivals in Briones

Vera Cruz Festival

The first Sunday after September 14th, Briones celebrates the Vera Cruz festival. This event honors the Santo Cristo de los Remedios, who is the patron saint of Briones.

Medieval Days

A scene from the Medieval Days in Briones, showing a burial representation.

Every third weekend of June, Briones hosts its famous "Jornadas Medievales" (Medieval Days). During this festival, the people of Briones dress up and recreate what life was like in the village during the 14th century. It's like stepping back in time!

Briones on TV

In 2010, a TV series called Gran Reserva was shown on TVE. Some parts of the show were filmed in Briones. In the TV series, Briones was given a different name: Lasiesta.