- Villafranca del Bierzo
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Vilafranca del Bierzo Convent of the Padres Paúles.
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Vilafranca del BierzoCoordinates: 42°36′27″N 6°48′27″W / 42.6075°N 6.8075°W Country Spain Autonomous community Castile and León Province León Comarca El Bierzo Partido judicial Ponferrada Government - Mayor Agustín García Millán (PP) Area - Total 177.37 km2 (68.5 sq mi) Elevation 505 m (1,657 ft) Population (2009) - Total 3,481 - Density 19.6/km2 (50.8/sq mi) Demonym Villafranquinos Time zone CET (UTC+1) - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2) Website Official website 
Castle of Villafranca.
Vilafranca del Bierzo is a village and municipality located in the comarca of El Bierzo, in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain.
It is one of Galician speaking councils of Castilla y León[1].
Villafranca del Bierzo lies 187 kilometers from Santiago de Compostela and is located between Ponferrada and O Cebreiro on the Way of St. James pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
Contents
History
The first human settlements in the area date to the Neolithic age, while the first historically known people living here were the Celtiberians, who lived in Bergidum, later known as Bergidum Flavium after the Roman conquest.
In the Middle Ages, the town is first mentioned in 791. The origin of the modern town are connected to the Way of St. James, as a rest place for the pilgrims which started to reach Santiago de Compostela from the 9th century. In the Codix Calixtinus Villafranca is mentioned as an intermediate stage between Rabornal and Triacastela. In 1070, during the reign of Alfonso VI of León, a Cluniac monastery was founded here to cultivate vine, and a borough of French pilgrim rose around it, from which the town's name (meaning "French Town") stems. The town later received numerous hotels and hospitals for the pilgrims.
In the late 12th century Alfonso VII of León gave the lordship of Villafranca to his sister Sancha. Later it went to Urraca, wife of King Ferdinand II and then to Teresa, wife of Alfonso IX, and then to numerous other noble people. In 1486 the lordship became a marquisate assigned to Luis Pimentel y Pacego: his daughter married Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, whose family thenceforth held the marquisate for centuries.
During the Peninsular War Villafranca was the headquarters of the Galician army and was sacked three times by the English troops, and was later occupied by the French troops. The Spanish general Antonio Filangieri died here. The town was freed in 1810.
Main sights
- Collegiate church of Santa María (16th-17th centuries)
- Church of St. John (12th century)
- Church of St. Nicholas (17th century)
- Church of Santiago the Apostle (12th-13th centuries)
- Monastery of St. Francis de Asís (13th century), of which only the late Romanesque church remains, with the upper façade and the two bell tower added in Baroque style during the 18th century.
- Castle of the Counts of Peña Ramiro (16th century), with four towers
- Palace of the Marquisses of Villafrance (18th century)
- Palace of Torquemada (18th century)
Municipalities
The municipality comprehends several villages:
- Villafranca del Bierzo
- Vilela
- Valtuille de Arriba
- Valtuille de Abajo
- Paradaseca
- Puente del Rey
- Cela
- Ribón
- Veguellina
- Tejeira
- Villar de Acero
- Campo del Agua
- Aira da Pedra
- Pobladura de Somoza
- Paradiña
- Prado de Somoza
Local festivities
- January 28, Santo Tirso
- February 3, San Blas
- May 1, Fiesta do Maio
- June, Poetry festivity
- July 25, Santiago
- August, Tourist festivities
- September 14, El Cristo
Marquisses of Villafranca del Bierzo
- 1st Luis Pimentel y Pacego
- 2nd Pedro Álvarez de Toledo
- 3rd Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo y Osorio; no issue
- 4th García Álvarez de Toledo
- 5th Pedro Álvarez de Toledo
- 6th García Álvarez de Toledo; no Issue; brother of Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo y Mendoza
- 7th Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo y Ponce de León; son of Mendoza
- 9th Fadrique Vicente Álvarez de Toledo; married sister of 13th Duke of Medina Sidonia
- 10th Antonio Álvarez de Toledo y Pérez de Guzmán
- 11th José María Álvarez de Toledo (15th Duke of Medina Sidonia)
References
External links
Categories:- León province geography stubs
- Municipalities in El Bierzo
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