Riópar

Riópar municipality
	Riópar - town view
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Castile-La Mancha
Province :	Albacete
Comarca :	Sierra de Alcaraz
Coordinates	38 ° 30 ′ N , 2 ° 25 ′ W Coordinates: 38 ° 30 ′ N , 2 ° 25 ′ W
Height :	960 msnm
Area :	80.92 km²
Residents :	1,332 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density :	16.46 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	02450
Municipality number ( INE ):	02067
administration
Website :	Riópar

Riópar is a place and a municipality ( municipio ) with a total of 1,332 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019) in the southwest of the province of Albacete in the autonomous region of Castile-La Mancha, consisting of the main town as well as several hamlets (pedanías) and individual homesteads (fincas) .

Location and climate

The place Riópar lies in the middle of the mountain landscape of the Sierra de Alcaraz approx. 100 km (driving distance) southwest of the provincial capital Albacete at an altitude of approx. 940 to 980 m . In winter the climate is quite cool because of the altitude, whereas in summer it is warm; the low amounts of precipitation (approx. 450 mm / year) fall - with the exception of the almost rainless summer months - distributed over the whole year.

Population development

year	1857	1900	1950	2000	2016
Residents	2,068	2,755	2,786	1,511	1,410

The continuous population decline since the 1950s is mainly due to the mechanization of agriculture and the associated loss of jobs.

economy

Riópar is located in the mountainous and wooded Sierra de Alcaraz, which is mainly used for cattle breeding. In the past, cereals, vines, etc. were also planted for self-sufficiency ; Vegetables came from the house gardens. Cattle breeding (in the past mainly sheep and goats, today mostly cattle) and forestry (especially the extraction of charcoal ) were also operated. At the end of the 18th century, a bronze and brass foundry was established under the direction of Juan Jorge Graupner , who came from Vienna . Small traders, craftsmen and service providers of all kinds have settled in the village. Since the last decades of the 20th century, rural tourism (turismo rural) has played an increasingly important role in the economic life of the municipality.

history

The history of the mountain village goes back a long way; the former center of Riópar viejo , in which all sights are located, is about 3 km west of today's town. The Romans left a treasure trove of coins that is now in the Museo de Albacete . In the 8th century, the Moors took over rule, which only ended with the reconquest ( reconquista ) of the areas last ruled by the Almohads by the Christians in 1213. Nevertheless, there were several attacks and raids by the Berbers in the period that followed . The new town of Riópar was built in the late 18th century in the immediate vicinity of the newly founded metal foundry.

Attractions

Parish church of Riópar viejo

The former rolling mill (laminador) of the Reales Fábricas de Bronce y Latón de San Juan de Riópar is located about 2 km east of today's town. After a fire, a former workshop was restored and reopened as a museum.

Riópar viejo

The town's castle (castillo) dates back to Moorish times. After it was conquered by the Christians, it was rebuilt and reinforced, but its walls quickly fell into disrepair.
The parish church (Iglesia del Espíritu Santo) and its bell tower were built around the year 1475. It is a single-nave building with wide-span buttress arches on which a sloping beam ceiling rests.
Immediately next to the church is the village cemetery with numerous stone box graves stacked on top of one another and bricked .