Solo rancho

Solosancho municipality
Solosancho - town view
coat of arms	Map of Spain
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Castile and Leon
Province :	Ávila
Comarca :	Valle de Amblés
Coordinates	40 ° 33 ′  N , 4 ° 54 ′  W Coordinates: 40 ° 33 ′  N , 4 ° 54 ′  W
Height :	1125  msnm
Area :	52.01 km²
Residents :	827 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density :	15.9 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	05130
Municipality number  ( INE ):	05238
administration
Website :	Solo rancho

Solosancho is a place and a central Spanish municipality ( municipio ) with 827 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019) in the province of Ávila in the autonomous region of Castile-León . The hamlets of Baterna , Robledillo and Villaviciosa also belong to the municipality .

location

The place Solosancho is located in the northern foothills of the Sierra de Gredos a good 27 km southwest of Ávila or almost 140 km northwest of Madrid at an altitude of about 1125 m above sea level. d. M. The Río Adaja flows about 2 km north of the place. The climate in winter is cool, in summer it is quite warm despite the altitude; the low amounts of precipitation (approx. 435 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	2018
Residents	1,090	1,207	2.023	1,047	857	837

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

economy

The economic life of Solosancho is largely agrarian - in the past, cereals, vines, etc. were planted for self-sufficiency ; Vegetables came from the house gardens. Cattle breeding (previously mainly sheep and goats, today mostly cattle) was also operated. Small traders, craftsmen and service providers of all kinds have settled in the village. In the meantime, rural tourism (turismo rural) also plays an increasingly important role in the economic life of the municipality.

history

Little is known about the older history of Solosanchos, but the Celtic (perhaps Vettonic ) high fortress Castro de Ulaca , located near the border with the neighboring town of Sotalbo , proves an early settlement of the region. Ancient testimonies are a " Roman Bridge " over the Río Adaja and Roman a few Roman coins. Visigoth evidence is missing. In the 8th century the Moors overran the area; however, nothing is known of settlements. In the 11th century the area was recaptured ( reconquista ) and repopulated ( repoblación ) by the Christians . In a document from the year 1250, a large community named Valle Amblés is mentioned, to which the named but not mentioned and perhaps not yet existing place Solosancho belonged.

Attractions

Castillo de Villaviciosa

Castro de Ulaca , altar (?)

Solo rancho

• The simple church of Santo Tomás Apóstol dates back to the 16th century and is made of field stones. In the 17th / 18th In the 19th century a simple portico and sacristy were added on the south side ; at the same time the wooden ceiling of the nave was painted. The baroque altarpiece (retablo) also dates from this period .
• In the square in front of the church, an animal figure ( verraco ) made of granite , but poorly preserved, was erected near the Castro de Ulaca .

Villaviciosa

• The local castle (castillo) overlooked by the keep (torre del homenaje ) dates from the 15th / 16th centuries. Century and now serves as a hotel restaurant.
• In the middle of the village there is another animal figure (verraco) .

Baterna and Robledillo

• The church of the hamlet of Baterna , located about three kilometers to the west, was built at the end of the 20th century. The same goes for the church of Robledillo .

Surroundings

• In the far north of the municipality is the Puente de los Cobos called "Roman Bridge".
• About five kilometers southeast of Solosancho is the Celtic mountain fortress of Castro de Ulaca , which is worth seeing, at an altitude of about 1420 m.

Web links

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

• Solosancho, Tourism - Photos + Info (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. ↑ Solosancho - map with altitude information
3. ↑ Solosancho - climate tables
4. ↑ Solosancho - population development
5. ↑ Solosancho - Church ( Memento of the original from January 10, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
6. ↑ Solosancho, Villaviciosa - Castle
7. ↑ Solosancho, Baterna Church
8. ↑ Solosancho, Robledillo Church