Carabaña () is a small municipality in the autonomous community of

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

in central

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 ...

. It is located 50 km from

close to the

Autovía A-3 The Autovía A-3 (also called ''Autovía del Este'') ( ca-valencia, Autovia de l’Est) is a Spanish autovía which starts in Madrid and ends in Valencia. It is the shortest of the six radial autovías stemming from Madrid, at 355 km (220. ...

, the main highway to

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...

, on the banks of the

Tajuña River The Tajuña (; from the Latin ''Tagonius'') is a river in central Spain, flowing through the provinces of Guadalajara (province), Guadalajara and Madrid. It is a tributary of the river Jarama which in turn is a tributary of the Tagus. It rises in ...

at a height of 625 m above sea level. As of 2006 it had a population of 1681.

History

Carabaña was on the Roman road that ran from Mérida to Tarragona, and was also a Visigothic settlement. With more than 2000 years of history, Carabaña is one of the oldest towns in Madrid community. Its origins date from the pre-Roman epoch of Celtiberians, who knew this town as Caraca.

Water

Carabaña is famous for its waters (''Agua de Carabaña'') which are said to have healthful properties. The natural spring (4 km from the town at the location known as ''Cabeza Gorda'') has been known and used locally since the times of the

Ancient Romans In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom ...

. At the end of the 19th century, Ruperto García Chávarri had it analysed and scientifically confirmed its laxative and curative properties in relation to the digestive system, intestines, liver, and skin, due to its high mineral salt content. On 4 May 1928, it was officially declared to be of Public Utility.

Monuments

* Parish Church of the Assumption (16th century), rebuilt after the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...

* Fountain of Carlos III, in the Main Square (Plaza Mayor) * Palace of the Viceroy of the Indies (16th century) * Hermitage of Santa Lucía * Bridge over River Tajuña (17th century) * Visigothic necropolis * Prehistoric caves

Cycle Path

The ''Vía Verde del Tajuña'' cycle path passes through Carabaña as it follows the course of the old railway line close to the banks of the River Tajuña. It starts in Morata de Tajuña (20 km downstream) and ends in Ambite (14 km upstream).

References

* Carabaña Municipal Council webpage (Spanish)

* http://centros2.pntic.mec.es * https://web.archive.org/web/20171225201837/http://www.excursionesysenderismo.com/ * http://www.vegacarabana.es

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carabana Municipalities in the Community of Madrid