Medina de Pomar is a municipality and town located in the

province of Burgos The Province of Burgos is a province of northern Spain, in the northeastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered by the provinces of Palencia, Cantabria, Vizcaya, Álava, La Rioja, Soria, Segovia, and Valladoli ...

, Castile and León, Spain. It is situated 77 km from Bilbao, and 88 km from Burgos, the capital of the province, 8 kilometres from

Villarcayo Villarcayo de Merindad de Castilla la Vieja () is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a ...

and about 20 km from

Espinosa de los Monteros Espinosa de los Monteros is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain, with a population of c. 2,100 inhabitants. The village is spread over a large rural area at the southern outskirts of a mountainous area of ...

, which are the most important towns in the surroundings of Medina de Pomar. Medina de Pomar is 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, ...

Las Merindades Las Merindades 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 te ...

with its varied landscape. The rivers Nela, Trueba and Salón, the steep slopes of the Tesla, the pine forests of Losa and flat surfaces that are dedicated nowadays to the cultivation of cereal, potatoes and lettuces.

History

British Museum - Room 40 Processional Cross (20401870502)

The foundation of the town is attributed to a group of Mozarabs in the 12th century.

Main sights

*The ''Alcázar de los Condestables de Castilla'', was built on the south-west corner of the city's walls. It is a 14th-century fortification erected during the reign of

Henry II of Castile Henry II (13 January 1334 – 29 May 1379), called Henry of Trastámara or the Fratricidal (''el Fratricida''), was the first King of Castile and León from the House of Trastámara. He became king in 1369 by defeating his half-brother Peter th ...

. *Sanctuary of ''Nuestra Señora del Salcinar y del Rosario'', is a chapel that houses the Virgin of Rosario, patron saint of the city. Lends its name to the great festivals of the city in October.Originally called Santa Maria del Salcinar (for being surrounded by the river willow), is now called Our Lady of the Rosary, thanks to the vow the council medines did and who took her as patron because of the victory of

Battle of Lepanto (1571) The Battle of Lepanto was a naval warfare, naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League (1571), Holy League, a coalition of Catholic states (comprising Spain and its Italian territories, several independen ...

. It is the most beloved church by the city citizens and proof of this is that many of them choose it to get married there. *''Monastery of Santa Clara'', founded in 1313,is located in the south of the city, near the Hospital of Vera Cruz and near the Hermitage of San Millán. In its interior there is a church, the family vault of the Fernandez de Velasco and the Museum of the Constables of Castile. It also has a cozy inn and a meeting place. During its seven centuries of history it has been inhabited by a community of Poor Clares, devoted to prayer and work. *''Arch of la Cadena''. One of the gates that gave access to the walled city was the "Arco de la Cadena", which marked the Real road to Burgos. *''Arch of la Juderia''.It corresponds to another of the five gates that gave access to the city, in this case the old Jewish district, hence its name. It is a building of the sixteenth century, possibly replacing an older one. The main focus currently corresponds with Nuño Rasura Street.

People from Medina de Pomar

* Ramón Chíes (1846–1893) –

Journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalis ...

, editor, and

political activist A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some ...

. * Chus Pereda (1938–2011) – Football

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

and manager.

References

City Council of Medina de Pomar

Rural Development Center of the Merindades
Municipalities in the Province of Burgos {{Burgos-geo-stub