Cuéllar () is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the Province of Segovia, within the

autonomous community The autonomous communities () are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain, created in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978, with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the nationalities and regions that make up Sp ...

Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spain by area, covering 94,222 km2. It is, however, sparsely populated, with a pop ...

, Spain. The municipality had a population of 9,730 inhabitants according to the municipal register of inhabitants (INE) as of 1 January 2010, divided into 4,929 men and 4,801 women. Cuéllar is located on a hill and is 60 km northeast of the capital city of

Segovia Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia. Segovia is located in the Meseta central, Inner Pl ...

and 50 km south of

Valladolid Valladolid ( ; ) is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and ''de facto'' capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the pr ...

. It occupies an area of , and it is above sea level. The Cerquilla and Cega rivers flow near the town. To the north, the town borders the municipality of Bahabón (the province of Valladolid); to the south, it borders Sanchonuño; to the east is Frumales, and to the west are San Cristóbal de Cuéllar and Vallelado. Inhabitants of Cuéllar traditionally grow different crops (such as

cereal A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize ( Corn). Edible grains from other plant families, ...

s, vegetables, chicory,

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

s, and

beet The beetroot (British English) or beet (North American English) is the taproot portion of a '' Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'' plant in the Conditiva Group. The plant is a root vegetable also known as the table beet, garden beet, dinner ...

s) and raise livestock, including pigs, sheep, and cows. Forestry and

resin A resin is a solid or highly viscous liquid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins may be biological or synthetic in origin, but are typically harvested from plants. Resins are mixtures of organic compounds, predominantly terpenes. Commo ...

production were once important economic resources.

History

Medieval age

Professor Ubieto Arteta reported that there is some historical evidence of Cuéllar's existence in the 10th century. Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir (Spanish name: Almanzor) sacked the town and enslaved and deported its citizens to

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

. King

Alfonso VI of León and Castile Alfonso VI (1 July 1109), nicknamed the Brave (''El Bravo'') or the Valiant, was king of Kingdom of León, León (10651109), Kingdom of Galicia, Galicia (10711109), and Kingdom of Castile, Castile (10721109). After the conquest of Toledo, Spai ...

rebuilt the town, bringing in new settlers at the end of the 11th century. This was the origin of the municipality, which was ruled by its town council. In 1184, King

Alfonso VIII of Castile Alfonso VIII (11 November 11555 October 1214), called the Noble (El Noble) or the one of Las Navas (el de las Navas), was King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. After having suffered a great defeat with his own army at Alarc ...

assembled the parliament in Cuéllar. In the 13th century, Cuéllar was one of the most important towns in northern Spain, and the wool trade enriched the local economy. Many palaces and

Mudéjar Mudéjar were Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period following the Christian reconquest. It is also a term for Mudéjar art, which was greatly influenced by Islamic art, but produced typically by Christian craftsmen for C ...

churches were constructed during this period. In 1256,

Alfonso X of Castile Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, ; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, Kingdom of León, León and Kingdom of Galicia, Galicia from 1 June 1252 until his death in 1284. During the April 1257 Imperial election, election of 1 ...

granted Cuéllar a royal ''

fuero (), (), (), () or () is a Spanish legal term and concept. The word comes from Latin , an open space used as a market, tribunal and meeting place. The same Latin root is the origin of the French terms and , and the Portuguese terms and ...

''. Queen María de Molina,

Sancho IV of Castile Sancho IV of Castile (12 May 1258 – 25 April 1295) called the Brave (''el Bravo''), was the king of Castile, León and Galicia (now parts of Spain) from 1284 to his death. Following his brother Ferdinand's death, he gained the s ...

's wife, inherited the town after her husband's death. During her troubled regency, the town was a refuge while her son, the future King

Ferdinand IV of Castile Ferdinand IV of Castile (6 December 1285 – 7 September 1312) called the Summoned (''el Emplazado''), was King of Castile and King of León, León from 1295 until his death. Ferdinand's upbringing and personal custody was entered to his mother ...

, was still a child. In the middle of the 14th century, King Pedro I "the Cruel" married Doña Juana de Castro in Cuéllar. The marriage was because the King was unlawfully divorced from his former wife and because he deserted Doña Juana after their wedding night. In 1464, King

Henry IV of Castile Henry IV of Castile (Spanish language, Castilian: ''Enrique IV''; 5 January 1425 – 11 December 1474), nicknamed the Impotent, was King of Kingdom of Castile, Castile and Kingdom of León, León and the last of the weak late-medieval kings of Ca ...

gave the town as a lordship to his favorite nobleman, Beltrán de La Cueva, the first Duke of Alburquerque. Since then, the town has been bound to this family. The duke's great-grandson was raised as a

marquess A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...

Modern age

In the 17th century, the town suffered a recession, along with many cities and villages in the country. The monarchy moved to Madrid and settled the royal court within this city, which forced the aristocracy to relocate to Madrid. It was also a period of poverty, due to the decadence of the wool trade, the taxes to pay for prior wars, and the various plagues that ravaged the country. In the 18th century, laws enacted by

Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

allowed Cuéllar to recover some of its social and economic prosperity. When

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

invaded Spain, Cuéllar was looted by the French troops, who stole all the treasuries from the churches, monasteries, and the castle. They were never recovered. In 1833, the writer and politician Jose de Espronceda was exiled to Cuéllar because of his liberalism. Espronceda wrote the novel ''Sancho Saldaña o el Castellano de Cuéllar'' when he lived near the church of Santo Tomé.

20th century

During the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

, the town remained part of the country controlled by nationalist forces, so its churches were preserved from destruction. Cuéllar Castle served as headquarters to the fascist Italian troops, and later as a prison for different political prisoners. Many years after, the castle became a hospital for consumption patients and a jail for criminals. Today it functions as a high school and tourism center. Due to local agricultural production, the people of Cuéllar were affected less after the civil war and did not emigrate as much as other people in the region.

Geography

Cuéllar is located in the heart of the natural region of Tierra de Pinares, on the border of the province of

, where it meets the province of Valladolid, 60 km and 50 km respectively from both capitals. It is bordered to the north by Bahabón, Campaspero, Torrescárcela and Viloria, all in the province of Valladolid; to the west by Chañe, Arroyo de Cuéllar, Samboal, San Cristóbal de Cuéllar and Vallelado; to the south by Gomezserracín, Pinarejos, Samboal, San Martín y Mudrián and Sanchonuño and to the east by Frumales and Olombrada, all in the province of Segovia. Its exact coordinates are and it is 857.93 m above sea level. Until 2008, its municipal area covered an area of 272.4 km², but in that year the Junta de Castilla y León recognised the town's ownership of the mountain called Común Grande de las Pegueras, and ruled that it belonged to Cuéllar, increasing the municipality's area by 74.46 km². Due to its location in the centre of the northern plateau, it has a gentle topography, except in the large gorge that delimits its municipal area along with the river Cega. From a geological point of view, three zones can be distinguished: a quaternary mass characterised by a sandy terrain with lush vegetation, a Miocenic mass in which the soil is primarily clay, and another belonging to the

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch (geology), epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.33 to 2.58El Espinar.

History

The demographic history of Cuéllar was influenced by the discovery of America in the 15th century, due to the large number of cuellaranos (

demonym A demonym (; ) or 'gentilic' () is a word that identifies a group of people ( inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place ( hamlet, village, town, city, region, ...

for the inhabitants of Cuéllar) who travelled to the new lands and changed the demographic course of the town. It could not be reliably studied until the year 1528 when the first complete population census appeared. By the end of the 16th century Cuéllar's population totalled around 3,000, attributed to a growth derived from the new economy, which was mainly devoted to agriculture to the detriment of livestock farming, and from becoming a migratory enclave for nearby towns that sought the tax advantages offered by the town to foreigners. At the beginning of the 17th century, there was a significant decline at the end of the 16th century, when the population of Cuéllar dropped to 2,400 inhabitants; in 1751, it had 2,194 inhabitants. The recovery of the kingdom in the 18th century and the commercial and economic importance of the town again allowed for immigration, reaching 3,000 inhabitants in the mid-19th century. In the 20th century, one of the greatest population growths was recorded between 1930 and 1940, with more than 2,000 inhabitants, as well as in the period between 1970 and 1975, the most fruitful period in the demography of Cuéllar in that century, although this was because it incorporated the disappeared municipalities of Arroyo de Cuéllar, Campo de Cuéllar, Chatún, Dehesa, Fuentes de Cuéllar and Lovingos into its territory in 1971.Velasco Bayón, 1996, pp. 589-590. At the end of the 1980s, the population fell by 300, but began to recover again from the 1990s onwards, rising steadily until the present day. Factors include immigration from the surrounding municipalities and its industries and services, which have made it an economic and commercial centre in the area.

Notable people from Cuéllar

* Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, Spanish

conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...

. * Bartolomé de la Cueva y Toledo, 16th century Roman Catholic cardinal. * Juan de Grijalva, Spanish

. Some authors say he originated from the same family as Diego Velázquez. * Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, Spanish historian during the reigns of Philip II, Philip III, and Philip IV. * *

Architecture

* (''Iglesia de San Martín''): A church built in the

style in the 14th century. The church is located near the Dukes of Alburquerque's castle. In 1997, a center for the interpretation of Mudéjar art was opened inside. * San Andrés Church (''Iglesia de San Andrés''): There is historical evidence of its existence from 1277. During this period, it stood outside the walls of the town. This church is considered one of the most beautiful Mudéjar churches in Spain. *San Esteban Church (''Iglesia de San Esteban''): The church stood between the first and second lines of the town walls. Its existence has been documented since 1247. The church

apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...

is representative of the golden age of the Mudéjar art. An ancient burial ground was discovered next to this church. *Santiago Church (''Iglesia de Santiago''): The apse is the only part of this Mudéjar church that has survived. The temple has been documented since 1244. The records of the House of the Town Lineages, founded in the 14th century, were kept here. *San Pedro Old Church (''Antigua Iglesia de San Pedro''): The church dates back to 1095, and was built on the south side of the town walls. Its shape appears to be more like a fortress. Some gothic structures remain in its tower and inside the structure. In the 19th century, the church had to be sold by order of the civil government. It was used as a flour factory for many years. Today, the church is owned as private property. * Walls of Cuéllar: The town walls were built around the 12th century. They were expanded and rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries for defense. The town walls are made of stone and lime, with noted arches along with them. The walls have two different parts: one for the ancient citadel and an outer wall. These walls have not remained unbroken because of the growth of the town, but there are several well-preserved sections besides the arches. In 1931, the walls were declared as national heritage sites. * Dukes of Alburquerque's Castle: The ancient fortress was built before the 11th century, though the current building was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1306, this structure became recognized as a castle and is located on a hilltop. It was restored and is currently used as a high school. *School of Grammar (''Estudio de Gramática''): The school was a charity institution founded by Deacon Gómez González in 1424. It is believed that Cardinal Cisneros visited the school, but it is unknown if he was a student or a teacher. A

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

façade remains on the structure. *Pedro I the Cruel's Palace: A gothic palace that was built in the 14th century. In 1353, the king celebrated after marrying ''Doña Juana de Castro'' in the San Martin Church. *Magdalena Hospital: Founded in 1429 by González, this gothic building was a charity hospital. *San Francisco Park: This attractive park is surrounded by three old cloisters: Santa Isabel o Santa Ana, San Francisco, and The Immaculate Conception. Santa Isabel is expected to be restored, while San Francisco was once the biggest temple in Cuéllar. It once contained the Duke of Alburquerque's tombs (now located in The Hispanic Society of America Museum). This building had to be sold by order of the civil government and suffered a fire later where the building was nearly destroyed. Now the temple is used as a Center for the Running of the Bulls. The Immaculate Conception was built in the

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

style. Currently, catholic nuns continue living in this religious building. *El Salvador Church: This church has a Mudéjar apse with a flying buttress, which gives its singular shape. *Santa Clara Cloister: The church has a renaissance façade and was one of the first gothic temples built in Cuéllar. Catholic nuns have been living here since the 13th century. *Santa Maria in The Hill Church: Its elegant tower can be viewed from many places. *Santa Marina Tower: The tower was part of a former Mudéjar church and is constructed of brick. *Santo Tomé Church: This church is a small gothic shrine. *San Miguel Church: This church is located in the square of the town hall. It contains a mix of different building styles and has a gothic dome inside. The church houses a sculpture of

Our Lady of the Rosary Our Lady of the Rosary (), also known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, is a Titles of Mary, Marian title. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Feast of Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated on 7 October ...

, which is the religious sponsor of the town. *The yard in the town hall: This area is a small yard built in renaissance style.

Festivals

*Children's Day: The festival is celebrated on New Year's Day and is an old tradition consisting of a procession centered on the Child of The Ball. The child is accompanied by musicians and dancers, and all are dressed in 15th-century clothes. They march through the town and many people join them. * Running of the Bulls: The festival dates back to 1215 when a request was written to forbid priests to run with the bulls, but it is believed that the

pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...

tradition started before the introduction of Christianity. The festival runs for five days, beginning on the last Saturday evening of August, and honors Our Lady of the Rosary. Early in the morning, the bulls run from the corral near the river 5 km away to the bull ring. The bulls are guided by horsemen when they are in the pine-forest, and by the people when they arrive in the town. Parties and celebrations join the bull running, and many people come to enjoy the traditional dishes of roasted lamb and the regional wines. *Annual Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Hayfield (''Nuestra Señora del Henar''): Every 17 September, devout people from the region come together to pray and celebrate.

Bibliography

* Jiménez Arribas, Javier. Cuéllar. Editorial ÁMBITO, 1999. * Catálogo monumental de Castilla y León. Bienes inmuebles declarados. Vol II. Junta de Castilla y León, 1995. * Ceballos-Escalera y Gila, Alfonso de. "La Casa de los Ocho Linajes de la Villa y Tierra de Cuéllar", Sociedad Segoviana de Heráldica y Genealogía, Segovia, 1989. * Herrera Mesón, Jorge. "Velázquez, un apellido originario de Cuéllar", Revista La Villa, Cuéllar, 2006. * Velasco Bayón, Balbino (1996). ''Historia de Cuéllar''. Caja Segovia (Obra Social y Cultural) (4.ª edición). Segovia: Diputación Provincial de Segovia e Ilmo. Ayuntamiento de Cuéllar. . * Rodrigo Criado, Isaías "Cuéllar. Crónicas Municipales de la Ilustre Villa en este siglo: 1900-1994".

References

External links

Ayuntamiento de Cuéllar
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuellar Municipalities in the Province of Segovia