Alburquerque (Spain)

Alburquerque parish
Alburquerque - town view with castle (castillo)
coat of arms	Map of Spain
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Extremadura
Province :	Badajoz
Comarca :	Tierra de Badajoz
Coordinates	39 ° 13 ′  N , 7 ° 0 ′  W Coordinates: 39 ° 13 ′  N , 7 ° 0 ′  W
Height :	425  msnm
Area :	723.23 km²
Residents :	5,343 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density :	7.39 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	06510
Municipality number  ( INE ):	06006
administration
Website :	Alburquerque

Alburquerque is a small town and a municipality ( municipio ) with 5,343 inhabitants (as of 2019) in the Spanish province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura . The center of Alburquerque was classified as Conjunto histórico-artístico in 1998 . The Arabic-sounding name could also be of Latin origin: albus quercus = "white oak".

location

The small town of Alburquerque is located on a saddle of the Sierra de San Pedro approx. 45 km (driving distance) north of the provincial capital Badajoz near the border with Portugal at an altitude of approx. 425 m above sea level. d. The climate in winter is temperate, in summer it is warm to hot; the low rainfall (approx. 525 mm / year) falls - with the exception of the almost rainless summer months - distributed throughout the year.

Population development

year	1857	1900	1950	2000	2016
Residents	7,527	9,030	10,852	5,645	5,436

The population decline in the second half of the 20th century is mainly due to the mechanization of agriculture and the associated loss of jobs.

economy

While the surrounding area was largely agricultural for centuries, traders, craftsmen and service providers of all kinds settled in the small town. Alburquerque is known for its meat products, especially ham, sausages etc.

history

No Roman and Moorish finds have been made so far. The origin of the place is usually associated with the reconquest ( reconquista ) under Ferdinand II in 1166, whose successes were, however, undone by a Moorish counter-offensive in 1184. It was only under the still young King Ferdinand III. the area finally fell to the Christians in 1217. In the following year, Alfonso Téllez de Meneses began building a border fortress, which was expanded around 100 years later by Álvaro de Luna , constable of Castile and Grand Master of the Order of Santiago . Beltrán de la Cueva , also Grand Master of the Order of Santiago, was removed from the court in 1464 and - despite his alleged relationship with his wife - was appointed first Duke of Alburquerque by King Henry IV .

Despite the final definition of the border between the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Portugal in the Treaty of Badajoz (1267) , there were also numerous military conflicts afterwards, which only came to a temporary end with the personal union of the two countries , which lasted from 1580 to 1640 . In the context of the discovery and conquest of America and the Philippines, conquistadors and colonizers from Alburquerque played an important role, which is reflected, among other things, in the founding of cities in Albuquerque ( New Mexico ) and Alburquerque (Philippines).

Attractions

Santa María del Mercado

Iglesia de Santa María del Mercado

Rock paintings

• Construction of the castle (Castillo de Luna) may have started as early as the early 13th century; However, it did not get its final appearance until the middle of the 15th century under Álvaro de Luna or under Beltrán de la Cueva . It was one of the most important border fortresses with Portugal and was held by the Order of Santiago for a long time .
• The historic town center (Barrio gótico) , surrounded by a city wall up to 10 m high with two medieval gates ( Puerta de la Villa and Puerta de Valencia ), is classified as a conjunto histórico-artístico .
• The three-aisled church of Santa María del Mercado dates from the 15th century; the vaults were only drawn in in the 18th century. The main apse contains an altarpiece from the 16th century with 15 late Gothic panel paintings by an unknown master; in the center is a figure of the Virgen de la Candelaria .
• The church of San Francisco, with a three-part bell gable , is located on the outskirts. The main altar in the late Baroque style of Churriguerism is worth seeing .

Surroundings

• About 2.5 km northwest of the village are the plant and human-like rock paintings of the Abrigos del Risco de San Blás .
• Approx. 7 km to the southwest is the baroque Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Carrión with an imposing Churrigueresque altarpiece.
• Approx. 15 km to the east rises the privately owned Castillo de Azagala , whose origins go back to the 13th century.
• On the way there is the medieval church of the Ermita de los Santiagos .

Web links

Commons : Alburquerque  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

• Alburquerque, Attractions - Photos + Quick Facts (Spanish)
• Alburquerque, sights - photos + information (Spanish)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
2. ↑ Alburquerque - Map with elevation information
3. ↑ Badajoz / Alburquerque - climate tables
4. ↑ Alburquerque - Population Development
5. ↑ Alburquerque - Castillo
6. ↑ Alburquerque - Church of Santa María del Mercado
7. ↑ Abrigo del Risco de San Blás - rock paintings ( Memento of the original from June 17, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
8. ↑ Alburquerque - Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Carrión  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
9. ↑ Alburquerque - Hike to the Castillo de Azagala
10. ↑ Alburquerque - Ermita de los Santiagos