Saldaña (Palencia)

Saldaña municipality
Saldaña - old town center
coat of arms	Map of Spain
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Castile and León
Province :	Palencia
Comarca :	Vega-Valdavia
Coordinates	42 ° 31 ′  N , 4 ° 44 ′  W Coordinates: 42 ° 31 ′  N , 4 ° 44 ′  W
Height :	920  msnm
Area :	131.95 km²
Residents :	2,961 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density :	22.44 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	34100
Municipality number  ( INE ):	34157
administration
Website :	Saldaña

Saldaña is a small town and a northern Spanish municipality (municipio) with 2,961 inhabitants (at January 1, 2019) in the province of Palencia of the Autonomous Community of Castile and Leon . The old town center was listed as a Conjunto histórico-artístico in 1996 . The Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago) leads past the village approx. 15 km south.

Location and climate

The small town of Saldaña is located on the Río Carrión in the old Castilian Meseta at an altitude of approx. 920  m . The provincial capital Palencia is a good 62 km (driving distance) south. The climate in winter is cool, in summer, despite the altitude, it is temperate to warm; Precipitation (approx. 600 mm / year) falls mainly in the winter half-year.

Population development

year	1857	1900	1950	2000	2019
Residents	1,347	1,562	2,362	3,187	2,961

Due to the mechanization of agriculture , the abandonment of small farms and the resulting unemployment in rural areas, there has been a clear increase in urban population since the middle of the 20th century. The municipality also includes 14 hamlets (pedanías) with a total of around 300 inhabitants.

economy

In earlier times, the residents of the place and the entire region lived almost without exception as self-sufficient on the yields of their fields and house gardens; viticulture and cattle breeding were also practiced. Centuries ago, small traders, craftsmen and service providers of all kinds settled in the town itself.

history

Prehistoric, Celtic and even Roman finds are missing. The Visigoth King Leovigild had himself titled as Rex Saldania Justus on his coins . In the early 8th century the Arab-Berber invaders advanced into the area; however, they could already be ousted by Christians from Asturias or León by the middle of the century ( reconquista ) . A castle (castillo) was built, which - destroyed during the large-scale campaigns of Almansor († 1002) - was rebuilt in the first half of the 11th century. In 1080 the Beni Gómez appear as "Counts of Saldaña". The title of Count, which had become vacant, was renewed in 1479 by the Catholic Kings and incorporated into the Duchy of El Infantado .

Attractions

San Pedro Church

• The ruins of the Castillo de los Duques del Infantado tower over the place.
• The Plaza Vieja in the center of the old town, surrounded by half-timbered and brick houses, is a popular meeting place for residents during the day and evening.
• The Palacio del Marqués de La Valdavia is a mansion equipped with a coat of arms and two representative balconies .
• The three-aisled church of San Pedro , built entirely of brick , is probably the oldest church in the city; it now serves as an archaeological museum (Museo Monográfico de la Villa Romana de La Olmeda) .

Surroundings

• The bridge over the Río Carrión was built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Century.
• The Ermita de la Virgen del Valle , about 3 km to the north, is the most important place of pilgrimage in the region.
• In the hamlet of Membrillar , about 10 km to the northeast, there is the Casa de los Noriega , a town house with an aristocratic coat of arms from the 16th and 17th Century.

Web links

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

• Baltanás, sights - short 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. ↑ Saldaña - climate tables
3. ↑ Saldaña - population development
4. ^ Saldana story
5. ^ Saldana story
6. ↑ Saldana - castle ruins
7. ↑ Saldana - Church of San Pedro