Molina de Aragón is a municipality located in the
province of Guadalajara,
Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2009
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
(
INE), the municipality had a population of 3,671 inhabitants. It held the record (−28.2 °C) for the lowest temperature measured by a
meteorological station in Spain, and now it is in third place.
It was the seat of the
taifa of Molina, a
Moorish independent state, before it was reconquered by the Christians of
Alfonso I of Aragon in 1129. On 21 April 1154
Manrique Pérez de Lara issued a sweeping ''
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 ...
'' to the town of Molina, which he was building into a semi-independent fief.
[Simon Barton, ''The Aristocracy in Twelfth-century León and Castile'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 265.] He and his descendants claimed to rule Molina ''Dei gratia'' ("
by the grace of God"). Molina is also the type location of the carbonate mineral
aragonite
Aragonite is a carbonate mineral and one of the three most common naturally occurring crystal forms of calcium carbonate (), the others being calcite and vaterite. It is formed by biological and physical processes, including precipitation fr ...
.
Main sights
*Medieval
alcazar (10th–11th centuries), the largest in the province
*Roman bridge (''Puente Viejo'')
*Convent of St. Francis
*Giraldo (St. Francis Church Bell Tower)
*Church of ''Santa Clara''
*Church of ''Santa María de San Gil''
*Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark, Molina de Aragon is within this
Geopark
A geopark is a protected area with internationally significant geology within which Sustainability, sustainable development is sought and which includes tourism, conservation, education and research concerning not just geology but other relevant s ...
.
List of settlements in the municipality
*
Anchuela del Pedregal
*
Cubillejo de la Sierra
*
Cubillejo del Sitio
*
Novella
A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most novelettes and short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) ...
*
Tordelpalo
Climate
Molina de Aragón has a
warm-summer mediterranean climate (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: ''Csb'') with some
semi-arid influences. Precipitation is irregular throughout the year, with most rainfall occurring during spring and autumn. Winters are cold for Spanish standards, with temperatures often below due to its altitude and its inland location. Summers are warm with mean maximum around while the nights remain relatively cool.
Notable persons
*
Claro Abánades López (1879-1973), Carlist politician and publisher
*
Romualdo de Toledo y Robles (1895-1974), Carlist politician and longtime high official of Ministry of Education
*
José María Araúz de Robles Estremera (1898-1977), Carlist politician and bull-breeder
Gallery
Parador Santa Rita, Molina de Aragón.jpg, A typical inn (built 1826) at Molina de Aragón, Spain.
Puente Viejo - Castillo, Molina.jpg, Old bridge over the Gallo river, 13th century, in the background the Medieval alcazar of Molina de Aragón, Spain.
Giraldo.jpg, Giraldo on top of St. Francis Church bell Tower.
Posada de los Comuneros, Molina de Aragón, Guadalajara, España, 2017-05-25, DD 16.jpg, Posada de los Comuneros.
WLM14ES - 02082003 125604 1812 - .jpg, Tower of Aragon.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Molina de Aragon
Municipalities in the Province of Guadalajara