Almazul

Almazul municipality
	Almazul - the village with a church
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Castile and León
Province :	Soria
Comarca :	Campo de Gómara
Coordinates	41 ° 34 ′ N , 2 ° 9 ′ W Coordinates: 41 ° 34 ′ N , 2 ° 9 ′ W
Height :	982 msnm
Area :	67.86 km²
Residents :	67 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density :	0.99 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	42126
Municipality number ( INE ):	42021
administration
Website :	Almazul

Almazul is a place and one from the main village and two hamlets (Pedanías) existing municipality ( municipio ) with 67 inhabitants (at January 1, 2019) in the northern Spanish province of Soria in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon .

location

The place Almazul is about 50 km (driving distance) southeast of the provincial capital Soria on the mostly dry Río Henar at an altitude of about 980 m above sea level. d. The climate in winter is cool, but in summer it is quite warm; the low amounts of precipitation (approx. 510 mm / year) fall - with the exception of the rather poorly rainy summer months - distributed throughout the year.

Population development

year	1900	1950	2000	2016
Residents	467	561	167	76

The significant population decline since the 1950s is mainly due to the mechanization of agriculture and the associated loss of jobs. The hamlet of Miñana has now been completely abandoned.

history

Many pottery shards were found in the municipality, which suggest a settlement in Roman times; the place name, however, indicates an Islamic-Moorish origin. In the 11th century the area was recaptured by the Christians ( reconquista ) . Until the end of the Middle Ages, ownership of Almazul was disputed between the kingdoms of Castile and Aragón .

In the middle of the 19th century, the neighboring village of Zárabes was incorporated and in 1966 the village of Mazaterón.

economy

In the Middle Ages, small traders, craftsmen and service providers of all kinds also settled in the predominantly agricultural and largely self-sufficient rural community.

Attractions

Ermita de la Virgen de la Mencalilla

The origin of the former Iglesia de San Pedro probably dates back to the 12th century.
The current parish church (Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Blanca) was not built until the 17th century; the three-arched south porch ( portico ) was added later. The nave is dominated by several baroque altars.
At the beginning of the 18th century a hospital was built to care for the sick and dying; around the middle of the 19th century it was converted into a residential building.

Surroundings

The Ermita de la Virgen de la Mencalilla is located approx. 2 km southeast of the village in an impressive landscape.
The churches of Zárabes and Mazaterón are evidence of their former grandeur.