Miranda del Castañar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miranda del Castañar
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Location in Salamanca
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| Country | Spain | ||
| Autonomous community | Castile and León | ||
| Province | Salamanca | ||
| Comarca | Sierra de Francia | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 21 km2 (8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 649 m (2,129 ft) | ||
| Population
(2018)
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| • Total | 399 | ||
| • Density | 19.0/km2 (49.2/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postal code |
37660
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Miranda del Castañar is a small town in Spain. It is located in the province of Salamanca, which is part of the Castile and León region. In 2016, about 426 people lived there.
This town is special because it's known as a "Historic-Artistic Grouping." This means it has many old and important buildings. It's like a living museum! The town sits on a mountainside and has an old medieval wall all around it. This wall has four gates.
Contents
Exploring Miranda del Castañar's Walls
The medieval wall around Miranda del Castañar is very old. It has four main gates. Each gate faces a different direction.
The Four Gates of the Town
- The Gate of Saint Postigo is on the south side.
- The Gate of Saint Genesius is on the east side.
- The Gate of Nuestra Señora de la Cuesta (Our Lady of the Slope) is on the west. This gate is named after the town's special saint. Her festival is celebrated every year in September.
- The Town Gate is located on the north side.
The Historic Castle of Miranda del Castañar
The most famous building in Miranda del Castañar is its castle. The castle you see today was built in the early 1300s. It was built on top of an even older castle from the 1100s.
Who Owned the Castle?
You can see a special symbol, a coat of arms, on the castle. It belongs to the House of Zuñiga, a very old family. Parts of the castle are still in good shape. These include the castle wall and a walkway on top.
The town of Miranda del Castañar was started in the 1100s. Later, in the 1200s, King Alfonso IX of León helped more people move there. This made the town stronger.
The castle used to belong to the Duchess of Alba. She was also known as the Countess of Miranda del Castañar. In 1954, she gave the castle to the town council. Now, it belongs to the town.
Important Places to See
Miranda del Castañar has many interesting old buildings. Here are some of the most important ones:
- The Castle of the Zuñigas: This is the main castle we talked about.
- The Old Bullring: This is a very old bullring. It's special because it's square-shaped and is the oldest square bullring in Spain. It used to be inside the castle.
- Calle Derecha (Right Street): This is the main street in the old part of town. It's very well-preserved, showing how the town looked long ago.
- The Medieval Wall: As mentioned, this wall completely surrounds the old town. It's one of the few towns in Spain that still has its full medieval wall and all its gates.
- The Ronda Nocturna (Night Watch Walk): This is a secret inner path under the houses that are built against the wall. Long ago, town watchmen used this path at night to guard the town.
- The Church: The town's church has a simple inside. Even though some things were taken from it in the past, it still has some beautiful art.
- The Belfry: This is a tall bell tower that looks over the whole town. It belongs to the town council.
- The Chapel of Nuestra Señora La Virgen de la Cuesta: This is a lovely chapel that is still in great condition. It holds the statue of the town's patron saint. From here, you can see amazing views of Peña de Francia.
- The Warehouse: This was a public market where people used to store, buy, and sell grain.
- The Scrivener's House: This is known as the most beautiful old manor house in Miranda del Castañar.
- The Royal Butchery: This is a unique old building that used to be a butcher shop. It had a display area facing the street and a place to prepare meat in the back.
- The Royal Prison: This was the town's old prison.
- The Inquisition House: This house has a historical connection to the Spanish Inquisition.
Population Changes
The number of people living in Miranda del Castañar has been going down. This is a concern for the town's leaders. They want to help people stay in the town. They also want to attract new families and workers to live there.
- In 2011, there were 505 people living in Miranda del Castañar.
See also
In Spanish: Miranda del Castañar para niños
