Villabandin facts for kids

Villabandín is a very small village, also known as a hamlet, located in northwestern Spain. It's about 100 kilometers northwest of the city of León, on the way to Villablino. This tiny community is divided into two parts by a river, with two bridges connecting them. Villabandín sits high up, over 1,000 meters above sea level, nestled between two valleys. It has a few houses, old farm buildings called barns, a church, and a dance hall. Only a few people live here, usually less than 10, and most are over 65 years old.

A Look Back: History of Villabandín

The area where Villabandín is located is thought to have been visited by the Moors a long time ago. In the early 1900s, a big fire destroyed much of the hamlet. It was rebuilt in 1902. For many years, up until the 1980s, Villabandín was home to farmers. They worked in the nearby valleys, raising sheep and cattle, and made their living from the land.

Nature's World: Climate, Geography, and Wildlife

Weather in Villabandín

Villabandín experiences warm, sunny summers. However, winters are very cold and often covered in snow. During the coldest months, many of the older residents sometimes leave to stay with their families in warmer places.

The Landscape of Villabandín

The area around Villabandín is very beautiful and mountainous. Its highest point is a peak called the Alto de la Cañada, which stands tall at 2,154 meters above sea level. The landscape is often covered in Spanish broom plants. In spring, their bright yellow flowers create colorful patches across the land.

Animals and Plants of the Mountains

At the higher parts of the mountains, you'll mostly find common heather Calluna vulgaris. This remote and quiet environment is perfect for certain animals. You might spot the chamois Rupicapra rupicapra, a type of goat-antelope. Birds like the red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and the large cinereous vulture Aegypius monachus also live here.

Forest Life Below the Tree Line

Lower down the mountains, below where the trees stop growing, you'll find forests mainly made up of oak Quercus trees and more broom plants. In these forests, you can find other animals such as wild boar Sus scrofa and roe deer Capreolus capreolus.

Life in Villabandín: People and Traditions

Festivals and Family Visits

One special event in Villabandín is the 'El Corpus' festival, which happens in June. People from nearby villages and the town of Villablino come together to celebrate. During the summer, the warmer weather brings more visitors. Many families who used to live here return for holidays, making the hamlet feel more lively.

Villabandín in the News

Villabandín was featured in a special project called 'The Dying Villages Project'. This project was led by a Scottish writer and poet named Tom Pow. It was even written about in Guardian newspaper, which talked about villages around the world that are losing their populations. Tom Pow chose Villabandín as the first place to visit and write about after reading about it in the Edmonton Journal.

See also

In Spanish: Villabandín para niños