Pinto, Madrid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pinto
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Pinto Location in Spain
Country	Spain
Region	Community of Madrid
Area
• Total	62.7 km2 (24.2 sq mi)
Elevation	604 m (1,982 ft)
Population  (2018)
• Total	51,541
• Density	822.0/km2 (2,129.0/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Pinteños
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	www.ayto-pinto.es

Pinto (Spanish: [ˈpinto]) is a municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain. It is located in the central area of the Iberian Peninsula at an altitude of 604 meters, 20 kilometers south of Madrid, and covers 62.7 square kilometers. In 2018, Pinto had a population of 51,541. It is home to the Torre de Pinto, the Pinto Castle, and the Éboli Tower, which is a 14th-century tower used as a prison for nobles who fell out of favor with the king.

Name

The name may seemingly originate from the Latin pinctus ('tincted' or 'coloured').

History

In the wake of the border conflict between the lands of Segovia and Madrid in the middle ages, the border was settled in a 1239 resolution, which established Pinto as a hamlet of Madrid, bordering with the sexmo of Valdemoro (an exclave of Segovia). The hamlet of Pinto was segregated from the jurisdiction of the land of Madrid in 1331 and granted to Martín Fernández de Toledo. However, the decision was overruled in 1132, and the hamlet returned to Madrid. Pinto became a seigneurial domain again in 1350, when Peter I granted the place to Íñigo López de Orozco, although it continued to be claimed by Madrid for decades to come.

Symbols

The blazon of the coat of arms reads as follows:

Jaquelado de quince escaques, ocho de oro y siete de gules, cargado con la figura de un globo terráqueo de azur, con los continentes en oro y un punto de gules en el centro de la península ibérica. Al timbre corona real de España.
Checkered with fifteen squares, eight of gold and seven of gules, plated with a figure of a globe azure, with the continents in gold and a point in gules in the center of the Iberian Peninsula. Topped with the Spanish royal crown

Geography

Location

Pinto as seen by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2.

Pinto has a typical Castilian plateau landscape, with heavy urban expansion due to its proximity to the capital. The Arroyo de los Prados is a stream that passes through the village that was first cultivated in 1967. It is a tributary of the Arroyo Culebro, which also runs through the village, creating the border between Pinto and Getafe.

The area is also subject to flooding that occurs as a result of the Arroyo de los Prados rising.

In the southwest of the town lies the last remaining wetland of the municipality, Los Estragales, where up to 130 different types of birds have been identified.

Boundaries

• North: Getafe
• South: Torrejón de Velasco and Valdemoro
• East: San Martín de la Vega
• West: Parla and Fuenlabrada

Climate

Pinto has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers that can reach up to 40 °C and cold winters that can drop below 0 °C. Rainfall is scarce, with approximately 450 mm of precipitation annually, with autumn and spring being the rainiest seasons. Snowfalls, which, in the past, were relatively abundant, now occur infrequently.

Demography

According to the 2018 census, the total population of Pinto had risen to 51,541 inhabitants.

Main sights

Tower where Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli, was imprisoned.

• Ermita de San Antón ("Saint Anthony Abbot hermitage") — Its environment was transformed after the construction of a nearby mall. The hermitage was rebuilt during the 19th century.
• Ermita del Cristo ("Christ hermitage") — In its interior is a crucified Christ that is popular with pilgrims.
• Iglesia parroquial de Santo Domingo de Silos ("Parish of Saint Dominic of Silos")
• Torre de Eboli ("Tower of Eboli) — The Princess of Eboli was imprisoned in this location.
• Centro Cultural Infanta Cristina — It was thought until recently that this building, then known as Casa de la Cadena ("House of the Chain"), provided accommodation for the Catholic Monarchs, but serious historical studies have disproved such a possibility.
• Centro Municipal de Cultura ("Local Culture Center")
• Teatro Municipal Francisco Rabal ("Francisco Rabal Town Theatre")
• Parque Juan Carlos I ("Juan Carlos I Park")

Notable people

• Alberto Contador — twice winner of the Tour de France, twice winner of the Giro d'Italia, and three time winner of the Vuelta a España
• Sandra Aguilar — Olympic medalist in rhythmic gymnastics

See also

In Spanish: Pinto (Madrid) para niños