Ariany

Ariañy (officially in Catalan: Ariany) is a Spanish town and municipality located in the north-central part of Mallorca, an autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It borders the municipalities of Petra, Sinéu, María de la Salud and Santa Margarita.

The Ariañero municipality is one of the sixteen entities that make up the traditional region of Llano de Mallorca, and includes the population center of Ariañy - municipal capital - and various areas scattered around, among which Sa Cabaneta, Son Bonay, Son Gibert stand out., Son Guillot, Son Huguet, Son Reisach (Son Reixac) and Son Ribot.

Toponymy

The place name of Ariañy appears documented in the Book of Reparto of 1232 under the form Arian, similar to the name of Ariant, a possession of Pollensa that is also indicated in the Reparto as Hyrian. It has been proposed that both may come from the Latin term Arīānus, derived from Arīus, which would mean «[the property of] Arīāni».

Its name in Catalan is Ariany, which derived in Spanish as Ariañy or Ariaña. The only name used is ariañero/a.

History

In the area there are about thirty sites from prehistoric times, declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1966, among which the Canova de Ariañy Cave stands out, a natural cavity with pre-talayotic burials that was important for the study of this culture. In Islamic times it was a farmhouse that was part of the Yiynau-Bitra juz. After the distribution, the real part remained and the main beneficiary was Pedro de Portugal.

The Ariañy farmhouse was a possession and manor of the Cotoner family that remained as a possession until the XVI century. The town has its origins in the houses known as s'Auberg.

After the War of Succession, the Marquisate of Ariañy appeared, created by King Felipe V in gratitude for the support of the Cotoner family, the main owners of the town. Marco Antonio Cotoner Sureda de Vivot, the first Marquis of Ariañy, brought from Madrid an image of the Virgin of Atocha, which replaced the previous one, the Virgin of the Snows.

In 1935 the church became a parish and delimited the parish term, which served to divide the new municipal term when it separated from Petra on July 30, 1982. Previously it had already tried to separate on two occasions: in 1925 and 1949.

Geography

Integrated in the Llano de Mallorca, it is located 50 km from Palma, the island capital; 6 km from Petra, regional capital; and 19 km from Manacor, headquarters of the judicial district to which it belongs. The municipal area is crossed by the Ma-3340 highway, which connects Petra with Santa Margarita.

Northwest: Mary of Health	North: Mary of Health	Northeast: Santa Margarita
West: Sinéu		This: Petra
Southwest: Sinéu and Petra	South: Petra	Sureste: Petra

Demography

It has a population of 912 inhabitants (INE 2022), which are distributed as follows:

Graphic of demographic evolution of Ariany between 1991 and 2021

In the 1991 Census this municipality appears because it is segregated from the municipality 07041 (Petra).Population of law according to population censuses of the INE.

Administration and politics

The results in Ariañy of the last municipal elections, held in May 2023, are:

Mayors

Transport and communications

Roads

The main roads of the municipality are:

Some distances between Ariañy and other cities:

Services

Health

Ariañy has a Basic Health Unit (UBS) located on Calle San José, n.º16, managed by the Health Service of the Balearic Islands (IB-Salud). The municipality belongs to the basic health zone of Villafranca-Las Rocas Lisas (Vilafranca-Ses Roques Llises), with the Continuing Care Point (PAC) in the nearby town of Villafranca de Bonany, health sector of Levante.

Education

The only educational center in the municipality is:

Culture

Monuments

Among its main places of interest, the parish church of Nuestra Señora de Atocha stands out, inaugurated in 1818, where the image of the municipality's patron saint is located.

It is also worth noting buildings such as s'Auberg and the Marquise road, the house that gave rise to the population center; and the House of the Nuns (Ca ses Monges), a convent of Franciscan nuns located at number 2 on Calle Mayor.

Finally, highlight the Pozo Bueno or Pou Bo, a public well probably from the Islamic period, located three hundred meters south of the urban center, on the Son Gibert or Petra road; the three terminus crosses; windmills of different characteristics; and the cistern (or s'aljub), a construction that carried drinking water.

Intangible heritage

Ariañy celebrates its festivities on the last weekend of August in honor of the Virgin of Atocha, patron saint of the town since 1744.

Also on January 17, San Antonio Day is celebrated, with bonfires in the streets. The night fair takes place on the last Saturday of July, and the municipal independence festival takes place the next day.

Famous Ariañeros