Marinaleda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marinaleda
Municipality
The multi-purpose building of Marinaleda, adorned with a portrait of Ernesto Che Guevara
Flag Seal
Marinaleda Location in Andalusia Show map of Andalusia Marinaleda Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Community	Andalusia
Province	Seville
Comarca	Sierra Sur de Sevilla
Area
• Total	25 km2 (10 sq mi)
• Land	25 km2 (10 sq mi)
• Water	0.00 km2 (0 sq mi)
Elevation	205 m (673 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	2,626
• Density	105.0/km2 (272/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Marinaleño / Marinaleña
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code(s)	(+34) ...

Marinaleda is a small town in the province of Seville, Spain. It is part of the Sierra Sur region in Andalusia. This town is special because of its unique way of organizing its economy and community.

Marinaleda is mostly a farming town. Its economy is based on agriculture. It is known for its strong community spirit and its focus on helping everyone. The town has worked hard to create jobs and improve life for its people. This has helped them even during tough economic times.

Some people say Marinaleda gets a lot of money from the government. But actually, it receives less money than many other towns in its region. Marinaleda is also part of a group of towns that support the idea of a "Third Republic" in Spain. You can often see the old Spanish Republic flag flying there.

Where is Marinaleda?

Marinaleda is located about 108 kilometers (67 miles) east of Seville, the capital city of the province. The town sits at an altitude of 205 meters (673 feet) above sea level. It is in the eastern part of Seville province, near the Genil river.

A Look at Marinaleda's Past

Early Settlements and Roman Times

People have lived in the area around Marinaleda for a very long time. The first signs of human life go back about 5,000 years. This was during the late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. Tools made of stone and traces of old homes have been found.

The Romans also lived here. Some people think the town was founded during Roman times. A Roman road passed through Marinaleda. Many Roman objects have been discovered in the area.

Medieval and Modern Eras

Later, the Arab people were present in the region. You can still see their influence in old buildings like the Towers of Gallape. In the 13th century, Christian kings took control of the area. Marinaleda then became part of the land owned by the religious Order of Santiago.

In the 16th century, King Philip II gave the village to the Marquess of Estepa. The town stayed under this family's control for many years. Marinaleda grew as more farm workers came to live there. They worked for the big landowners. In 1751, there were 60 houses for landless workers.

Challenges and Changes

In the 19th century, some groups of bandits were active in the area. These groups sometimes included people from Marinaleda.

In 1931, Marinaleda had 2,318 people. Only a small number could vote. The town saw different political groups win elections during this time.

During the Spanish Civil War, Marinaleda faced difficult times. After the war, many people in the town were very poor. They often survived by gathering olives and acorns from the fields.

In the 1960s, many people from Marinaleda moved away. They went to bigger cities in Spain or to other countries like Germany and France to find work.

Building a New Future

After the dictatorship ended in 1975, Spain became a democracy. In 1977, a group called the Union of Farm Workers was started in Marinaleda. The next year, people began to fight for land rights. They occupied a large farm for two days.

In 1979, the first local elections were held. A group called the Workers' Unity Collective won most of the seats in Marinaleda. The new town council changed street names. They replaced names linked to the Civil War with names of heroes who fought for workers' rights. For example, a street named after a general became Che Guevara street.

In 1980, 700 people went on a hunger strike for 13 days. They wanted better pay and fairer work rules. This action was successful. It led to more efforts to get land for the community. People occupied large farms, saying "Land to those who work on it." In 1984, they occupied a marsh for 30 days. This helped the town get a large farm called El Humoso.

By 1991, a big part of the El Humoso farm was given to Marinaleda for the community to use. People continued to protest for better living conditions.

In 1997, the whole El Humoso farm got irrigation. A cooperative was started to farm the land together. Three years later, a food processing plant was built. It used crops from the cooperative, like peppers, beans, and olives. An oil press was also built. This created more jobs for the community.

Marinaleda's Success Story

When a big economic crisis hit Europe around 2008, many places had high unemployment. But Marinaleda was different. While 30% of people in Andalusia were out of work, Marinaleda had almost full employment.

The way Marinaleda organizes its society and economy has brought it a lot of attention. Both in Spain and other countries, people are interested in how the town has achieved such good results for its residents.

The town's website explains their idea of "Social Democracy." It means that everyone in the village should have access to a good life. They believe that freedom is not enough without equality. And that true democracy means real well-being for real people. They have worked hard to achieve things like homes, care for elders, medical clinics, and sports facilities.

In 2023, Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo, who had been the mayor of Marinaleda since 1979, retired due to health reasons. The new mayor is Sergio Gómez Reyes.

Population Changes

How Marinaleda's Economy Works

The town has a farming cooperative with many workers. Marinaleda is surrounded by olive groves. It also has a large farm that is about 3,000 acres (12 square kilometers). This farm grows crops that need a lot of work, like artichokes, hot peppers, and beans.

Building Homes Together

Marinaleda has a special way of dealing with housing. It's different from the housing problems seen in other parts of Spain. The town became famous for its program where people can own a house for a very low monthly payment.

Homes for Everyone

The local government of Marinaleda bought land for the community. This land is now used to build new houses. The town provides the land, building materials, and house plans. Professional builders also offer free help. If residents help build their own homes, their work hours are counted towards the cost.

People who want a home usually contribute about 450 days of their own work to the construction. After that, they pay a small amount each month, around 15.52 euros, to own the house. To make sure homes are for living and not for making money, people are not allowed to sell their houses.

House Design

The houses in Marinaleda are neat and well-designed. Each house has three bedrooms, one bathroom, and a garden of 100 square meters (1,076 square feet). The gardens are big enough for future additions to the house. In recent years, 350 single-family homes have been built this way.

Images for kids

• 

  Municipal theatre

• 

  View of a town road

See also

In Spanish: Marinaleda para niños