El Mazuco

El Mazuco (or El Mazucu) is a village in the parroquia of Caldueñu in the concejo of Llanes, in Asturias. Its population in 2004 was 67, in 25 dwellings [ [http://www.vivirasturias.com/asturias/turismo-rural/35585/10503/0/el-mazuco/index.html VivirAsturias] ] .

It is located at 355m above sea level in the Sierra del Cuera, at coord|43|22|56|N|4|51|08|W, which is 16 km from Llanes. The road from Llanes to Meré passes over the the "Alto de la Tornería" at 471m then drops down to the "Ermita del Santo Ángel" at 362m, where a left turn leads immediately into the village. 2km to the south is the highest point in the concejo of Llanes, Peña Blanca (1182m).

The village sits at the western end of a 2.5km closed valley drained by the "Río Belugas" and the "Río del Pasador", which join just before sinking into Cueva del Bolugo [ [http://www.oucc.org.uk/procs/proc05/bolugo.htm Bolugo description and survey] ] (coord|43|22|45|N|4|51|03|W); the river passes nearly directly under the village to resurge at Caldueñin (coord|43|22|48|N|4|51|54|W). During the Spanish Civil War, El Mazuco was the focus of a major battle from September 6 1937 to September 22 1937, when 5,000 men of the Republican forces held off over 33,000 Nationalists in the Battle of El Mazuco; see "El Mazuco (La defensa imposible)" [cite book |first=Juan Antonio|last=de Blas
chapter=El Mazuco (La defensa imposible) |title=La guerra civil en Asturias, Tomo 2 | publisher=Ediciones Júcar | location=Gijón | language=Spanish | pages=369–383 | year=1986 ( [http://www.speleogroup.org/files/ElMazuco-impossible-defence.html English translation] 2004–2005.)] .

The only commercial establishment in the village today is the popular bar/restaurant "El Roxin", known for its traditional Asturian food and (at weekends) its grill.

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