Villalobar de Rioja is a municipality of the Autonomous region of La Rioja, ( Spain), with no more than 100 inhabitants. It is located in a privileged location between Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Haro.

Etymology

Geography

It is located in the

Oja valley Rio Oja is a river in the La Rioja province of northern Spain. It flows through the Oja Valley past the town and municipality of Ezcaray. It is generally accepted to have given its name to the famous wine of the Rioja DO, although there are other ...

Agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

activities are predominant, mostly

dryland farming Dryland farming and dry farming encompass specific agricultural techniques for the non-irrigated cultivation of crops. Dryland farming is associated with drylands, areas characterized by a cool wet season (which charges the soil with virtually ...

, with the growing of wheat, barley, potato, beet and vegetables.

History

Remains of the old Roman road between

Tricio Tricio () is a village in the province and autonomous community of La Rioja, Spain. The municipality covers an area of and as of 2011 had a population of 393 people. Politics Places of interest * Basilica of Saint Mary of the Arches Notabl ...

and Briviesca can be found within the city limits. Ancient Romans called the village Alfovare. It appears as Villafavar in a document of the year 1120. Until 23 December 1804 it was a village belonging to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, when Charles IV of Spain granted it the title of independent village.

Historic buildings and monuments

Parish Church of La Asunción * Parish Church of La Asunción, located on the top of the village. Dates from the end of the 12th and beginning 13th century. The

portal Portal often refers to: * Portal (architecture), an opening in a wall of a building, gate or fortification, or the extremities (ends) of a tunnel Portal may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), two video games ...

is covered with a porch which protects it from erosion. It has four rounded archivolts with small columns and moldings supported by pilasters and L-shaped

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

s. * 12th century fortified tower, built with ashlar stones. It has a squared floor and consists of a basement or wine cellar, ground floor and further floor on the top of wooden beams. The interior of the tower has been modified. * Bustamante mansion. Noble mansion from the beginning of the 17th century, with ashlar stones and the coat of arms of the Bustamante family, considered artistic and musical heritage and referent which was recently converted into a luxury hotel, with hand-painted decorations and rooms of different cultural themes. * Emblazoned ancestral houses.

Festivals and traditions

* April 16: Saint Turibius of Liébana * August 25: Thanksgiving Festival. Procession with Saint Peregrín

Cultural associations

* Socio Cultural Association “Villa Alfovare”

Tourism

* Walks through the river Oja poplar grove to Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

References

External links

Pueblos de España

Tower of Villalobar
Populated places in La Rioja (Spain) {{LaRiojaES-geo-stub