Campillo de Llerena facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Campillo de Llerena
Campillo de Llerena Location in Extremadura
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Extremadura
Province	Badajoz
Municipality	Campillo de Llerena
Area
• Total	234 km2 (90 sq mi)
Elevation	502 m (1,647 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	1,373
• Density	5.868/km2 (15.20/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	Ayuntamiento de Campillo de Llerena

Campillo de Llerena is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the province of Badajoz. This province is part of Extremadura, a region in Spain. In 2005, about 1,624 people lived there.

Where is Campillo de Llerena?

Campillo de Llerena is north of Llerena, which is 46 kilometers away. It is 128 kilometers from the city of Badajoz. The town is quite isolated. It sits in the middle of a large area with few other towns. The land is tough, with both flat areas and rolling hills. Sometimes, the land becomes more rugged.

The municipality covers an area of 234 square kilometers. This makes it the 27th largest out of 162 towns in the province. It belongs to the southern countryside area of Badajoz. It is also part of the Llerena legal district.

What is the Land Like?

The area around Campillo de Llerena is quite mountainous. The village itself is on a small hill made of granite. It is surrounded by other hills made of a type of rock called Silurian quartzites. The soil here is mostly brown Mediterranean soil.

The highest points are in the east. They are part of a small mountain range called Argallén. This range is a branch of Peraleda and runs from north to south. Other important hills include Cork, Sierra Chica, Sierra del Prado, Cornejo, and Cerro Myron. These hills are between 550 and 675 meters above sea level.

There are also some famous rocks in the area. These include the Stone of the Sierpe, the Friars' Stone, and the Gaul's Stone. Near the village, you can find the Drum Stone, the Cat Stone, and the Castle Stone. These rocks were once popular spots for children to play.

A Look at History

In 1594, a book called the Book of the Million recorded the population of different areas in Spain. At that time, Campillo de Llerena was known as "Campillo." It was part of the Order of Santiago de Leon province. It had 404 "pecheros" neighbors, which means people who paid taxes.

Later, in 1834, Campillo became an official municipality. This happened when the old system of government changed. It then joined the Llerena legal district.

Weather and Climate

Campillo de Llerena has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and mild winters. The average temperature each year is about 16 degrees Celsius. Summers are very hot, with average high temperatures between 25 and 29 degrees Celsius. Sometimes, it can even reach 40 degrees Celsius or higher.

Winters are mild, with average low temperatures between 7 and 9 degrees Celsius. It rarely gets colder than 5 degrees Celsius. Snow is very rare and usually only happens for a day or two in December or January. Most of the rain falls in spring and autumn. The area gets about 54 centimeters of rain each year. Heavy thunderstorms can happen in September and October. Lighter storms might occur in May and June.

The main winds come from the Northwest (called Galician), the South, and the East (called Solano). Rains often come with winds from the South. When the Northwest wind blows, it brings showers.

Waterways and Supply

The rivers and streams in Campillo de Llerena usually have low water levels. Most of them dry up in the summer. The Guadámez River is the busiest. It flows through the western part of the area. Many smaller streams flow into it.

For a long time, people got their water from natural springs and wells. The sources near the town were the Llerena path and the Palace springs. Further away, the Machicas and Nino wells were also important. Other wells, like the Cure source and Manantío, were used for non-drinking water.

In 1836, a priest named D. Felix Juan Garrido complained about the town's water. He said the well water was unhealthy. He also mentioned that children would throw "nasties" into it. He suggested building a covered structure with pipes for cleaner water. This would also provide water for animals. Many years later, a public fountain was built. It had two pipes and a drinking trough for animals. This fountain got its water from a spring outside town.

Around 1926, another public fountain was built. It is still active today. Its water comes from a covered spring, which some believe is an old Arab cistern.

In 1954, during Mayor D. Antonio Fernández Otero's time, four deep wells were opened. These wells were along the Prado stream. Seven public fountains were then set up around the town. This was a very happy event for the people. It marked the beginning of water entering homes.

By the 1960s, the springs were running low due to droughts and more people using water. Experts decided to build a dam on the Guadámez River. The dam was finished in 1977. However, it did not supply water as planned. At first, the water was not clean enough to drink. Even after fixing this, the water turned a dark color. This was likely due to the rusty ground where the reservoir was built. So, a new water treatment plant was needed. Despite efforts, the dam mostly serves for fishing and for birds to nest.

Later, new efforts were made to find water. In 1981, thanks to Agustín Izquierdo Sanchez, a good source of quality water was found. This water was pumped to the old facilities at a low cost. It has supplied the town's needs since then. Mr. Izquierdo was later honored for his efforts.

Today, most of Campillo de Llerena's water comes from the La Serena reservoir. This water is stored in tanks and then sent to the town.

Town Buildings

The houses in Campillo de Llerena are typically Andalusian style. They are usually whitewashed with balconies and iron windows. The roofs are often sloped. Most houses have two floors. The lower floor is for living. The upper floor, called a 'doblao', was once used to store farm tools or as a barn. Now, many of these upper floors are being turned into homes. In the past, houses also had stables for horses. Today, these are often converted into garages or storage areas.

How People Make a Living

The economy of Campillo de Llerena shows a medium-low level of development. Many businesses are small retail shops. Construction is also very important. In recent years, construction companies have been key in creating jobs in the town.

Farming and Animals

Campillo de Llerena is in an area known for farming and raising animals. So, these activities are a big part of its economy.

• Livestock: The area has lots of grazing land. This helps in raising pigs (52.3% of livestock) and sheep (35.4%).
• Crops: Most of the rural land is used for pastures (29.6%). However, there is more cultivated land. Important crops include oats (17.6%) grown without irrigation. Irrigated crops include oilseed rape (46.2%) and sunflowers (40%).

Most farms are small, with 46.7% being under 5 hectares. In 68.7% of the land, the owner works the land directly. Most of these farmers are older, between 55 and 65 years old. For 58.7% of them, farming is their main job. The level of machinery used in farming here is very good.

Services

The service sector includes businesses that meet people's daily needs and provide entertainment. This includes shops that sell non-food products, followed by food stores.

Restaurants, bars, and hotels are also part of the service sector. There are 13 such places in Campillo de Llerena. There are also 8 professionals who offer services independently. These include commercial agents, doctors, veterinarians, and lawyers.

Construction

Construction companies play a big role in the town's economy. There are 20 such companies, mostly run by individuals. They work with other industries. This sector supports a large part of the town's industrial activity.

In recent years, the construction sector has slowed down a bit. However, regional policies that encourage building or repairing houses have helped. Experts believe that construction will grow less in the coming years.

There are 745 registered vehicles in the town. In the last three years, the number of vehicles has grown by almost 12%. This is interesting because it means there are about 1.2 cars per family.

See also

In Spanish: Campillo de Llerena para niños