Haro, La Rioja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Haro
|
||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
|
||
 Haro, La Rioja
Location in La Rioja, Spain
Haro, La Rioja
Location in Spain
|
||
| Country |  Spain |
|
| Autonomous community |  La Rioja |
|
| Comarca | Haro | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 40.53 km2 (15.65 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 479 m (1,572 ft) | |
| Population
(2018)
|
||
| • Total | 11,309 | |
| • Density | 279.03/km2 (722.68/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | harense; jarrero, ra | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CET) | |
Haro is a cool town and municipality located in the northwest of La Rioja province in Northern Spain. It's super famous for its red wine and hosts an exciting yearly event called the Haro Wine Festival.
The town has amazing old buildings. You can see the special main entrance of the Church of Santo Tomás, which was designed by Felipe Vigarny. There are also many grand palaces and a beautiful old town area. This historic part was even named a Historic-Artistic Site in 1975, meaning it's a very important place to protect.
Did you know Haro was the very first town in Spain to have electric street lights? That's pretty neat!
History of Haro
There are a few ideas about how Haro got its start. One popular theory comes from Domingo Hergueta. He thought that before the town existed, there was a lighthouse (called faro in Spanish) near a village. This lighthouse helped guide ships near the Ebro river. Over time, the name Faro slowly changed into Haro.
During the time of the Roman Empire in Spain, a fort called Castrum Bibilium was built on the cliffs of Bibilio. The first time Haro is mentioned in writing was in the year 1040. This was in a document from King García Sánchez III of Navarre. Later, Alfonso VI of León and Castile put Diego López I de Haro in charge of the area. Diego's son, Lope Díaz I de Haro, was the first to add "de Haro" to his family name.
In the Middle Ages, Haro was home to a Jewish community. However, they had to leave during the expulsion of the Jews from Spain.
Haro's Wine Reputation
Since the early 1800s, Haro has become known around the world as the most important wine town in the Rioja wine region. It still holds this title today! The number of wineries, called Bodegas, in the region has grown a lot. It went from about 70 in 1970 to 574 by 2020.
A key part of Haro's wine fame comes from the Barrio Estación area. This is where seven of the best Rioja Bodegas are located. Some of these famous wineries include:
- Bodegas Bilbainas (started in 1859)
- Compañia Vinícola del Norte de España [CVNE] (started in 1879)
- R. López de Heredia (started in 1877)
- Bodegas Roda (started in 1989)
- Bodegas Muga (started in 1932)
- Bodegas La Rioja Alta S.A. (started in 1890)
Other well-known wineries in Haro include Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta (1873), Bodega Berceo (1801), Carlos Serres (1896), and Ramón Bilbao (1924).
Famous People from Haro
Haro has been the home of many talented people over the years. Here are some of them:
- Manuel Risco (1735-1801), a well-known historian.
- Manuel Bartolomé Cossío (1857-1935), an important educator.
- Lucrecia Arana (1871-1927), a famous singer.
- José María Mazón Sainz (1901-1981), a politician.
- Eduardo Fajardo (1924-2019), an actor.
- Luis de la Fuente Castillo (born 1961), a professional footballer.
- Ana Ibáñez Llorente (born 1981), a TV personality.
Images for kids
-
Plateresque Facade of the Church of Santo Tomás, a work by Felipe Bigarny.
-
The exciting Haro Wine Festival.
See also
In Spanish: Haro para niños
