Mesa de Ocaña is a

comarca A ''comarca'' (, or , or ) is a traditional region or local administrative division found in Portugal, Spain and some of their former colonies, like Brazil, Nicaragua, and Panama. The term is derived from the term ''marca'', meaning a "march, ...

in Castilla-La Mancha,

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 ...

, in the province of Toledo. Its capital and administrative center is Ocaña. The comarca is located in the northeast part of the province, and encompasses an area that includes several hundred meters of the Tajo River Valley. The comarca is bordered on the North by

Aranjuez Aranjuez () is a city and municipality of Spain, part of the Community of Madrid. Located in the southern end of the region, the main urban nucleus lies on the left bank of Tagus, a bit upstream the discharge of the Jarama. , the municipality h ...

(

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

); to the south by

Los Yébenes Los Yébenes is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research center * ...

and the comarca; to the West by

La Sagra La Sagra is a Castilian comarca delineated by natural formations but not legally recognized. The comarca includes localities belonging to both the province of Madrid and the province of Toledo. La Sagra covers an area of 1322 km2, and is bordered ...

and Toledo; and to the East by the Mancha Alta de Toledo and .

Geography

Geomorphology

The altitude changes radically through the region. The height differences between the

escarpment An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations. The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''esca ...

s of the banks of the Tajo river to the North versus the steppes of La Guardia, and between the

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...

s and

ravine A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.Algodor River The Algodor is a 102 km long river in Central Spain. It is a left hand tributary to the Tagus. Course Its source is at the Laguna del Navajo in the Montes de Toledo, within the Retuerta del Bullaque municipal limits, Castile-La Mancha. I ...

to the West and those of the Cedrón River to the East, have given rise the region's nickname of "the staircase." The area has a very distinct and unique set of geological formations which set it apart from its neighbors.

Location

The comarca consists of 1,453.49 km², and contains the following municipalities: Cabañas de Yepes (17.97 km²),

Ciruelos Ciruelos (Spanish for ''plum trees'', ) is a Chilean village located southeast of Pichilemu, Cardenal Caro Province Cardenal Caro Province ( es, Provincia Cardenal Caro) is one of the three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins ( ...

(22.94 km²), Dosbarrios (111.59 km²), La Guardia (195.59 km²),

Huerta de Valdecarábanos Huerta de Valdecarábanos is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear researc ...

(83.00 km²),

Noblejas Noblejas is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Toledo, Castilla–La Mancha. The municipality spans across a total area of 69.67 km2 and, as of 1 January 2021, it has a registered population of 3,721. Radio Exterior (the Span ...

(69.67 km²), Ocaña (147.91 km²),

Ontígola Ontígola is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2015 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research center * Inst ...

(41.49 km²), Santa Cruz de la Zarza (264.54 km²),

Villarrubia de Santiago Villarrubia de Santiago is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members ...

(155.29 km²), Villasequilla (76.95 km²), Villatobas (181.58 km²), and Yepes (84.97 km²).

Climate

The comarca's climate can be considered continental mediterranean due to its extreme temperatures. Average summer temperatures are over 26 °C, while winters average less than 6 °C.

Demographics

According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística in 2007, the population of the comarca is 39,175, with an average population density of 26.94 people/km². The capital of the comarca is Ocaña.

Cultural Heritage

Mesa de Ocaña has a rich cultural and architectural heritage, not to mention the area's many archeological treasures which document the lives of various different cultures who settled the area throughout the centuries. One of the most spectacular of these architectural treasures is the "Plaza de Moros" in Villatobas, an

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...

village whose walls are covered in

mural A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...

s. The ancient town of Ocaña itself is considered a historical monument in and of itself. The town of Yepes was an ecclesiastical dominion during the rule of the archbishop of Toledo, and is now a historical and artistic monument. The towns which make up the comarca share two common characteristics: a plethora of religious architecture and the remains of ancient

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

fortifications. The many religious buildings -- churches,

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglic ...

s, and hermitages—are reminders of bygone days of military

orders Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

and ecclesiastical dominions. Old defensive buildings include castles in Ontígola and Dosbarrios, the ruins of the castle in Valdecarábanos, and the fortress in La Guardia.

Handicrafts

The local handicrafts are very traditional and varied. These include pottery, a legacy of the

Moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...

, which is popular in Ocaña, Villarrubia de Santiago, Santa Cruz de la Zarza, and Villamuelas. Ironwork, carpentry, wickerwork, basketweaving,

cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * Cooper (video game character), in ...

age and crafting with glass and ebony, along with the production of wineskins are all popular traditional trades.

Cuisine

The cuisine of Mesa de Ocaña is typical of Castilla-La Mancha, with many game-based dishes, especially

partridge A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perd ...

. Other traditional dishes include various types of roasts, lamb stew,

gachas Gachas is an ancestral basic dish from central and southern Spain. Its main ingredients are flour, water, olive oil, garlic, paprika and salt. Origin Gachas are based on a very ancient Iberian flour-based staple food preparation. Gachas may hav ...

migas Migas () ("crumbs" in English) is a dish traditionally made from stale bread and other ingredients in Spanish and Portuguese cuisines. Originally introduced by shepherds, migas are very popular across the Iberian Peninsula, and are the typical br ...

, , hare, and ''

cuchifrito Cuchifritos () or cochifritos refers to various fried foods prepared principally of pork in Spanish and Puerto Rican cuisine. In Spain, cuchifritos are a typical dish from Segovia in Castile. The dish consists of pork meat fried in olive oil an ...

s''. Popular desserts include a wide range of sweets and pastries, including , puff pastries, and ''borrachos de Ocaña'' (literally "the drunks of Ocaña"). In terms of wine, the comarca is a part of the ''Denominación de Origen''

La Mancha La Mancha () is a natural and historical region located in the Spanish provinces of Albacete, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, and Toledo. La Mancha is an arid but fertile plateau (610 m or 2000 ft) that stretches from the mountains of Toledo to th ...

, and its wineries enjoy the same international acclaim as those of . The most-developed winemaking municipalities include Villamuelas, Ocaña, Yepes,

, Santa Cruz de la Zarza, and

. Some of these municipalities are considered part of the ''Denominación de Origen''

Uclés Uclés is a municipality of Spain located in the province of Cuenca, Castilla–La Mancha. The municipality spans across a total area of 64.61 km2 and, as of 1 January 2020, it has a registered population of 212. History The fortress and town w ...

. These wines tend to be made of

Airén Airén is a variety of ''Vitis vinifera'', a white grape commonly used in winemaking. This grape is native to Spain where it represents almost a quarter of all grapes grown. As of 2010, Airén was estimated to be the world's 3rd most grown grape ...

Viura Macabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu (, ), is a white variety of wine grape. It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. S ...

Macabeo Macabeo, also called Viura or Macabeu (, ), is a white variety of wine grape. It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Spanish ...

Tempranillo Tempranillo (also known as Ull de Llebre, Cencibel, Tinto Fino and Tinta del Pais in Spain, Aragonez or Tinta Roriz in Portugal, and several other synonyms elsewhere) is a black grape variety widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its ...

, Cencibel, Cabernet Sauvignon, or combinations of these.

Monuments and Places of Interest

Ocaña: the Plaza Mayor, the Palace of the Cárdenas, the Great Fountain, and the

Dominican Convent The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of ...

, all of which are registered National Monuments. Santa Cruz de la Zarza: Church of St. James, Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Convent of the

Trinitarian Order The Trinitarians, formally known as the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives ( la, Ordo Sanctissimae Trinitatis et Captivorum; abbreviated OSsT), is a mendicant order of the Catholic Church for men founded in Cerfroid, outside Pari ...

, Casa del Gallo, Casa de Chacón, Plaza Mayor, Casa de las Cadenas, Casa de la Tercia, Fountain of the Caños. Yepes: a declared historic-artistic area, with ancient walls, the Plaza Mayor, and the Church of San Benito Abad. Villatobas: "Plaza de Moros" archeological site, Shrine of Jesus the Nazarean. Lillo: the Longar, Altillo, and Albardiosa Lakes, the Don Quixote de la Mancha Aerodrome, and the San Pedro Bautista hospice. Noblejas: Traditional bodegas and ''almazaras'' (mills for making olive oil). Villarrubia de Santiago: Church of St. Bartholomew, Castellar Hermitage, archeological site of Hoyo de la Serna. La Guardia: Hermitage of the Holy Child, Church of the Assumption, prehistoric cave dwellings.

References

Bibliography

External links

Guide to the comarca rom the ''Asociación Don Quijote'' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mesa De Ocana Comarcas of Castilla–La Mancha Geography of the Province of Toledo