Jarama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jarama |
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Jarama River in Titulcia
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Path of the Jarama
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| Country | Spain |
| State | Guadalajara, Madrid |
| Region | Iberian Peninsula |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Peña Cebollera Sierra de Ayllón 2,119 m (6,952 ft) 41°9′58″N 3°32′18″W / 41.16611°N 3.53833°W |
| River mouth | Tagus near Aranjuez 494 m (1,621 ft) 40°1′51″N 3°38′59″W / 40.03083°N 3.64972°W |
| Length | 194 km (121 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Tagus→ Atlantic Ocean |
| River system | Tagus |
| Basin size | 5,047 km2 (1,949 sq mi) |
| Tributaries | |
| Tagus Basin | |
The Jarama River (pronounced xaˈɾama in Spanish) is a river in central Spain. It flows from north to south. The river passes east of Madrid, which is the capital city of Spain.
A dam called the El Atazar Dam is built on one of the Jarama's smaller rivers, the Lozoya River. The Jarama River eventually flows into a much larger river called the Tagus. This happens near a town called Aranjuez. Another important river, the Manzanares, also flows into the Jarama.
The Jarama River in History
The Jarama River was the location of a very important battle in 1937. This battle happened during the Spanish Civil War. Forces from one side, called the Nationalists, tried to cross the river. Their goal was to cut off the main road that connected Madrid to Valencia. Valencia was the capital city for the other side, known as the Republicans.
The Nationalist forces included soldiers from the Spanish Foreign Legion and Moroccan soldiers. These groups were part of the Spanish Army of Africa. They faced off against Republican forces, including a group called the 15th International Brigade. This brigade was made up of volunteers from many different countries.
A song called Jarama Valley became very popular among the Republican soldiers. The lyrics of the song talked about the battle and the Jarama River.
The Jarama River in Books
The Jarama River is also famous because of a book. El Jarama is a novel written in 1955 by Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio. The story is about a group of young working-class people from Madrid. They meet for a picnic by the river on a summer day.
The book was special because of its very realistic conversations. It changed how Spanish novels were written. El Jarama won an important award called the Premio Nadal (Nadal Prize) in 1955.
See Also
In Spanish: Río Jarama para niños
- List of rivers of Spain
- There's a Valley in Spain called Jarama (Song)
