Yepes is a ''villa'' (town) in the northern region of the province of Toledo, in the

autonomous community eu, autonomia erkidegoa ca, comunitat autònoma gl, comunidade autónoma oc, comunautat autonòma an, comunidat autonoma ast, comunidá autónoma , alt_name = , map = , category = Autonomous administra ...

of Castile-La Mancha, Spain.

Population

*The first numbers about the population of Yepes date back to 1534 and account for some 4000 or 5000 inhabitants. *In the 20th century the population was 4767 ( INE 2005). *As the last update (2006): population was some 5200 inhabitants.

Geography

Situated on the westernmost part of the

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, ...

called ''La Mesa de Ocaña'' (the

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...

of Ocaña), its limits are: *North:

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 ...

(province of Madrid),

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 (V ...

and Ocaña (province of Toledo) *East: Ocaña *South: Villaseca de Yepes and Huerta de Valdecarábanos (Toledo) *West: Aranjuez and Almonacid de Toledo, Almonacid (Toledo)

History

Yepes has the first documented human presence in a Celtiberians, Celtiberian village, founded ca. 600 BC. The former ''Hippo'' or ''Hippona'' of the Carpetanians, where the Celtiberians defeated the Roman troops of Quintius and Calpurnius, derives its current from the times of the Muslim rule, when it was called ''Hepes'', which in turn would produce ''Hiepes'', ''Iepes'' and finally ''Yepes''. It is possible that ''Hepes'' be a mozarabic toponym. During the reign of Alfonso VII, "Yepes and its castle" are ceded to the ''Concello'' (Council) of San Nicolás.

Monuments

Plaza Mayor (Main Square)

The plan was originally triangular, with the Church and the Archiepiscopal Palace at the sides, and an administrative building at the base. During the 16th century it served as a place for spectacles. Besides, testimonies of the time reveal that there was a good ''mesón'' at it. Later, in the 18th century, the Archiepiscopal Palace was modified in order to create 19 homes for people living in caves and a slaughter house, thus giving the square its current rectangular shape.

Colegiata de San Benito Abad

This church, dedicated to abbot Saint Benito, was designed by Alonso de Covarrubias, master of the Toledo Cathedral. It is a splendid building of white stone, dating from late Gothic architecture#Sequence of Gothic styles: Spain, Gothic and early Spanish Renaissance architecture, Renaissance. It consists of three naves, plus two series of side chapels and a 70-metre tower.

References

Sources

- Website of the ''Diputación'' of the province of Toledo {{authority control Municipalities in the Province of Toledo