Villabuena de Álava

Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga municipality
Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga - town center
coat of arms	Map of Spain
Basic data
Autonomous Community :	Basque Country
Province :	Álava
Comarca :	Cuadrilla de Laguardia-Rioja Alavesa
Coordinates	42 ° 33 ′  N , 2 ° 40 ′  W Coordinates: 42 ° 33 ′  N , 2 ° 40 ′  W
Height :	490  msnm
Area :	8.48 km²
Residents :	296 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density :	34.91 inhabitants / km²
Postal code :	01307
Municipality number  ( INE ):	01057
administration
Website :	Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga

Villabuena de Álava ( Eskuernaga in Basque ) is a place and a municipality ( municipio ) with 296 inhabitants (January 1, 2019) in the province of Álava in the autonomous community of Basque Country in northern Spain . The place belongs to the wine-growing region Rioja Alavesa .

Location and climate

The place Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga is located at an altitude of about 490  m in the west of the province of Álava near the border with the autonomous community of La Rioja . The closest major city is Logroño , a good 30 km south-east ; the worth seeing place Laguardia , to which Villabuena belonged until the 17th century, is about 10 km to the east. The climate is temperate to mild; Rain (approx. 615 mm / year) falls mainly in the winter half-year.

Population development

year	1857	1900	1950	2000	2018
Residents	377	478	451	335	299

As a result of the phylloxera crisis in viticulture, the mechanization of agriculture and the abandonment of small farms, the number of inhabitants has fallen to the current low since the middle of the 20th century.

economy

In earlier centuries the residents lived as self-sufficiency mainly from the yields of their fields and house gardens; Wine was also grown on a small scale. The place itself functioned as a market and trade center, but craftsmen and service providers also settled here. The increasing importance of viticulture and wine tourism in the Rioja has had a stabilizing effect on employment in the last few decades.

history

Ermita de San Torcuato

Casa del Marqués

The Neolithic megalithic tomb Dolmen del Montecillo , located north of the village and partially restored, is the oldest evidence of the presence of people in the region. Celts , Romans , Visigoths and Moors - despite the proximity to the Ebro Valley - left no archaeologically usable traces on the municipal area. In June 1661, the place was awarded the independence of Laguardia by Philip IV .

Attractions

• The megalithic passage tomb Dolmen del Montecillo, discovered in 2009 and then partially restored, is located a good 1 km north of the village on a slight hill.
• The parish church (Iglesia de San Andrés) was built between the 16th and 18th centuries. On the outside, straight lines dominate; Baroque elements can only be found inside the church.
• The one built around the middle of the 16th century and dedicated to St. Ermita de San Torcuato , consecrated to Torquatus by Acci , with its central portal, which is framed by a diamond rod arch and raised by a small bell gable (espadaña) . The chapel was extensively restored in 1997.
• The Ermita de Santa María , which was restored in 1959, is very simply designed ; the bell gable, however, clearly shows baroque forms.
• In the village there are two interesting aristocratic palaces with stone coats of arms - including the Casa del Marqués , the Palacio de Peciña Samaniego (also called Casa del Indiano ) or today's town hall.

Web links

Commons : Villabuena de Álava-Eskuernaga  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga, history + 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. ↑ Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga - climate tables
3. ↑ Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga - Population Development
4. ↑ Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga - Ermita
5. ↑ Villabuena de Álava / Eskuernaga - aristocratic palaces etc.