Bernedo is a town and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
located in the province of
Álava
Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava, former medieval Catholic bishopric and now Latin titular see.
Its c ...
, in the
Basque Country, northern
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. The town of Bernedo is considered the capital of the municipality, which consists of several towns. Over the years, the municipality of Bernedo has absorbed other, smaller municipalities, which have ceased to exist.
History
The name Bernedo appeared as early as 1025 in documentation of the region of
San Millán de la Cogolla. During the Middle Ages, Bernedo was a
walled fortress with castle and tower. The King of
Navarre,
Sancho the Wise, granted
charter rights for the town in the year 1182. For three centuries it was part of the
Kingdom of Navarre.
It passed to the
Crown of Castile in 1476, and in 1490 the
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...
incorporated it to the city of
Vitoria. Bernedo was the last populated area that was incorporated to the province of
Álava
Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava, former medieval Catholic bishopric and now Latin titular see.
Its c ...
.
Throughout modern history, a number of smaller municipalities have been merged into the municipality of Bernedo. In 1965, the municipalities of
San Román de Campezo and
Quintana were joined with Bernedo. In 1976, the municipality absorbed the short-lived municipality of Arlucea-Marquínez, which itself had been formed by a 1963 merger between the municipalities of
Arlucea and
Marquínez.
Towns
The municipality is composed of 11 towns or villages, which are governed by town councils:
*
Angostina
*
Arluzea
* Bernedo , capital and main population of the municipality
*
Markinez
*
Navarrete
*
Okina
*
Quintana
*
San Román de Campezo / Durruma Kanpezu
*
Urarte
*
Urturi
*
Villafría
References
External links
City and Municipality Website for BernedoBERNEDO in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia
Website of Marquínez / Markinez
Municipalities in Álava
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