Piloña

Infobox Asturian municipality
capital =Infiesto
judicial district =Piloña
population =8,440
population rank =24
year =2005
population percentage =0.78
density =35.46
area =238
highest point = Les Vízcares, 1.420
parishes =23
mayor = Juan Antonio Roberto Pérez
party =PP
coat of arms =Escudo-Piloña.jpg


website =http://www.ayto-pilona.es/

Piloña is a municipality in the province and autonomous community of Asturias, northwestern Spain. Its capital is the town of Infiesto. Piloña is bounded to the north by Villaviciosa and Colunga, to the east by Parres, to the west by Nava and Cabranes, and to the south by Ponga, Caso and Sobrescobio. The area is semi-mountainous with many small, but deep and narrow valleys.

History

In prehistoric times Piloña lay along the natural path between Oviedo and Cangas de Onís, in the narrow basin that parallels the coast. Piloña was the largest settlement along that path which connected central Asturias with the Asturian east.

Even earlier there were paleolithic settlements in caves in Piloña such as Aviao (Espinaredo) Cave, Collaréu Cave, and La Peña Ferran (Ferran Rock) which were excavated by the Count de la Vega del Sella in the 1920's. There are several sites with paleolithic rock art and Neardenthal remains, most notable perhaps being Sidrón Cave in Borines.

During Roman times Beloncio was occupied, and is identified with the town Paelontium, mentioed by Ptolomy as the capital of the Astur tribe known as Luggones. There is also evidence of Roman occupation at Borines.

Economics

The area is poor, and is depopulating. There were over 20,000 inhabitants in 1930; 8,799 in 2001; and 8,440 in 2005.

The three largest towns are Infiesto (with about 20& of the population) and Villamayor and Sevares. All three are on the Piloña River, a left-hand tributary of the Sella River, and on the main highway, the N-634.

The area is agricultural with cattle raising for both milk and meat, and with some production of forest products.

External links

* [http://www.infiesto.com/ Virtual Guide to Piloña, in Spanish]
* [http://www.facc.info/CONCEJOS/Piloña.htm Piloña page of the Asturian Federation of Municipalities, in Spanish]