Calatrava Carrion
Carrión de Calatrava is a Spanish municipality and town in the province of Ciudad Real, in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. Belonging to the Manchegan region of Campo de Calatrava, it has a population of 3,131 inhabitants (INE 2022).
Geography
Integrated in the region of Campo de Calatrava, it is located 10 kilometers from the provincial capital. The municipality is crossed by the Guadiana highway (A-43), by the N-430 road, which shares a route with the N-420 between Ciudad Real and Daimiel, by the local CR-211 road, which goes to Fernán Caballero, and by the local road CR-511, which goes to Almagro.
It borders the municipalities of Fernán Caballero to the north, Miguelturra to the northwest, Torralba de Calatrava to the east, Almagro and Miguelturra to the south, and Ciudad Real to the west.
The municipal term has an area of 95.77 km². The topography of Carrión de Calatrava shows a municipality with a predominantly flat relief, with a morphology composed of small hills of modest altitude, which result in gentle undulations in the relief. The slopes tend to disappear in the area where the urban nucleus of the municipality is located and at the passage of the Guadiana river. The highest altitude in the municipality is recorded in the Cerro del Erazo (687 meters), located to the south.
The territory falls within the Guadiana hydrographic basin, the main river that flows through the municipality of Carrión de Calatrava, in addition to its tributaries, the Valdecañas stream and the Pellejero stream. We also find, at the surface water level, the Romaní lagoon. The Guadiana river forms the border with the municipality of Fernán Caballero in an east-west direction and is regulated by the El Vicario reservoir located on the dividing line with Ciudad Real. The altitude ranges between 687 meters (Cerro del Erazo) and 600 meters on the banks of the Guadiana. The town rises to 615 meters above sea level.
| Northwest: Miguelturra (exclave) | North: Miguelturra (exclave) and Fernán Caballero | Northeast: Torralba de Calatrava |
| West: Ciudad Real |  | This: Torralba de Calatrava |
| Southwest: Miguelturra | South: Almagro | Sureste: Torralba de Calatrava |
Flora, fauna and hunting
The most typical flora of the town are scrub, cereals, olive trees and vines. Regarding the fauna, it could be said that the partridge, quail, turtle dove, pigeon, rabbit, hare and fox are the most common species. The hunting activity is the same as in the neighboring towns (small game).
History
Middle Ages
There is little written information about Carrión in the Middle Ages, so it is difficult to establish its origin and evolution up to the XVth century. What is unquestionable is that the history of Carrión de Calatrava is linked to that of Qal'at-Rabat (Calatrava's Muslim name) and later to the Military Order of Calatrava, founded here by Raimundo de Fitero. The origin of Carrión can be located as a village in the great city of Qal'at-Rabat and considered inhabited as early as the IX century . The proximity to Calatrava and the roads that ran through it, favored its development. The depopulation of Oreto, which favored the rise of Calatrava, could also have affected Carrión in a positive way. The Christian conquest of Calatrava by Alfonso VII in 1147 and the subsequent founding of the Order of Calatrava in it influenced the growth and repopulation of Carrión. According to the chronicles, Raimundo de Fitero brought a large number of settlers to Calatrava and some of them would settle in Carrión. Possibly from this repopulation the name was born, given by settlers from the Carrión river valley, in the current province of Palencia. Thus, Carrión would gradually become a village or place independent of the city of Calatrava, but always dependent on the Order of Calatrava, although not subject to any encomienda. The transfer of the convent and head of the Order to Calatrava la Nueva in 1217 influenced the growth of Carrión, because Calatrava la Vieja gradually became depopulated and its inhabitants would swell the population of nearby places.
From the town charter of Miguelturra that cites Carrión as adjacent, it can be ensured that Carrión has already formed its terminus in the XIIIth century. Calatrava la Vieja remained as one more commendation of the Order (1296) and its commanders had their seat and home there. But as depopulation continued throughout the XIV century, the encomienda moved its main houses to Turrillo (a disappeared town) to late 14th century or early XV, as witnessed by the visits of the visitors of the Order. Meanwhile, Carrión continued to grow and become an independent town. But in the second half of the XV century, the Turrillo was also depopulated, without our knowing the causes, and most of its settlers passed to Carrión, swelling its population. As a result of these events, a transcendental event occurred for the town. The council of Carrión requested the term of Turrillo from the Order and in 1488 the last master Fray Garci López de Padilla gave the said term "to censo infintiosin...for ever and ever" so that the neighbors could cultivate it for the annual income of 20,000 maravedis.
Modern Age
It is now, the late 15th century and early XVI, when the parish church of Santiago was built. The depopulation of the Turrillo also motivated the commander of Calatrava la Vieja to buy and build a house in Carrión at the beginning of the XVI century, which was opposed by the town (a copy of the lawsuit between the town of Carrión and the commander for this reason is preserved). The house ended up being built and over time the parcel was renamed "Calatrava la Vieja y Carrión".
From the Turrillo donation deed we know that Carrión was a town in that year of 1488 and should have been years before. The town council had its regiment made up of two mayors, two aldermen, the common attorney, the bailiff and other officers. There were two mayors, one for the noble state and the other for the "pecheros" or flat state. Their mandate lasted one year and they were elected on the day of San Miguel. These mayors had jurisdiction, that is, they administered justice in the first instance, a prerogative highly valued at that time. Throughout the XVI century the growth of the town of Carrión continued, reaching 440 residents (about 2000 inhabitants)., and a Franciscan convent was founded. Historical source to know this period are the Relations of Felipe II. It is a questionnaire answered by the Council of Carrión and whose answers contain data related to all aspects of the life of the town, such as government, religiosity, crops, hunting, fishing, hermitages and population. Another event marked the life of the town of Carrión in this period. At the end of the century, Felipe II withdrew jurisdiction from the towns of Campo de Calatrava, but later gave them the possibility of recovering it by paying a "service" pecuniary to the royal treasury. Carrión, who wanted to recover jurisdiction and did not have the resources to pay for the "service," requested loans for several million maravedíes and recovered jurisdiction, but mortgaging "own" and the same jurisdiction. As he paid the loans, there were countless claims and lawsuits, with the consequent added expenses, which ended with the loss of their own and jurisdiction, which passed to the holders of the patronage of Juan Diego de Molina de Almagro
The population of Carrión declined in the 17th century, recovering in the XVIII, period known by the Ensenada Cadastre.
Contemporary Age
In the XIX century, the seigneurial rights were abolished and the assets of the Calatrava Commandery were confiscated, the lands belonging to brotherhoods and patronages, which by auction become private property. The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the XX is a time of prosperity in Carrión. The population grows, crops increase, especially the vineyard. The production and marketing of wine is the main wealth. The large number of wineries corroborates what has been said. The urban nucleus grows with new streets and blocks of houses, which welcome workers from other towns. The increase continued until the middle of the XX century, when Carrión reached 5,000 inhabitants. Starting in 1950 and especially in the decade from 1960 to 1970, there was a drop in the population caused by mechanization in the countryside and the consequent emigration to other regions (Basque Country, Madrid, Valencia and Catalonia). Later the population was stabilized at about 2500 inhabitants. In the last quarter of the XX century, Carrión's life progressed and changed on the urban and economic level. Drinking water network, sanitation, pavement and paving of streets, delimitation of urban land, ring road, schools, sports center, opening of new streets and neighborhoods define its urban progress. In the economic field the changes are spectacular. We have gone from a traditionally agricultural town to a predominant occupation in the service sector. The proximity to the capital has had a decisive influence on this. Agriculture —cereals, vines and olive trees— is maintained, but there are few families dedicated exclusively to it.
Historical heritage
- Calatrava the old: To the north of the municipality, next to the river Guadiana, this archaeological site is located. During the Islamic period it was the most important city between Toledo and Córdoba. After their passage to Christian hands (sixteenth century)XII) was the place of origin of the Order of Calatrava (1158). It is currently part of the Alarcos-Calatrava archaeological park. In the castle of Calatrava la Vieja was the image of the Virgin of the Martiles; during the civil war he deteriorated and after the end of the contest he took to the Museo del Prado for its restoration.
- Torreón: Near the center of the population is a typical house of the end of the centuryXVIII. This construction dates back to the end of the centuryXVIII. It was built for the manor house of the counts of Carrion. In the centuryXIX He passed his property to the Zaldívar family. The main building has a square shape. It has three floors and its facades are magnificent toledan mating. Inside the plot there is another unique building, also of three floors. The first floor - semi-basement - consists of two crusies based on cruise vaults, built with adobe brick and covered with lime and sand. It could be used as a wine cellar. The second floor is similar to the previous one in walls and vaults. It would be warehouse for wool and other agricultural products. The upper floor was a space dedicated to barn. He was known as the shrimp. These buildings have been used for various uses. They are now being restored and projected as buildings for cultural use..
- Church of Santiago Apostle: This religious building dates back to the end of the centuryXV and early centuriesXVI. It houses a single and large nave composed of two distinct parts, the first of Gothic traces in presbytery and header with dodecagonal apse in its vault and a second with half barrel vault with magnifying glass. Inside is the image of Our Lady of Martyrs belonging to the centuryXII and transition from Romanesque to Gothic in polychrome alabaster. The carving of the Crucified Christ; "The Christ of Forgiveness", made of wood, is another of the sculptures that exist within the temple in which also remains of mural paintings of the century are preserved.XVI and a polychrome Franciscan cross. Before covering the plaster walls he had mural paintings on the walls.
- Sanctuary of the Incarnation: It is a building of Muslim origin, with about a thousand years old. It should have been a mosque in Muslim times as witnessed by an arch of horseshoe with alphyz located on the north facade of the shrine church. On this mosque was erected the primitive chapel of Our Lady of Martyrs and around it a cemetery where the remains of the calatravos died after the battle of Alarcos. Already in the centuryXIX the sanctuary is completed with the current buildings. It is a building of clear manchego taste very careful and loved by the carrioneros. Around it, groves, services, barbecues, bar, facilitate the stay in pilgrimages and field days.
- Medicinal baths Los Hervideros: They are located about 3 km from the population, on the road that connects Carrión with Fernán Caballero, near the landscape known as "La Dehesa". Its origins seem to have been Romans. They have now been reformed. Its waters had healing effects for skin diseases.
Economy
In this town there are some wineries that produce one of the most interesting wines on the current oenological scene in La Mancha. These are Bodegas Naranjo, founded in 1898 by Mr. Gaspar Naranjo Coello, and producers of Viña Cuerva wine in its different maturations, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, as well as in its different blends of varieties, Merlot, Tempranillo, Blanco Airén, Macabeo.
Fairs and festivals
The Virgin of the Incarnation is the patron saint of Carrión. The festivities are held during Holy Week, beginning on Holy Saturday and continuing until the following Saturday. There are cultural and sporting events, as well as religious acts in honor of the patron saint. On Easter Sunday known as Virgin Sunday, the Virgin is carried on her shoulders from the hermitage to the town, which are separated by a distance of about 5.6 km. 40 days later the pilgrimage is celebrated where the virgin returns to the hermitage.
Other festivals are celebrated in summer, with less devotional repercussions than the first ones in honor of Santiago Apóstol, on July 25.