Montorio

Montorio is a town and a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castilla y León (Spain), region of Odra-Pisuerga, judicial district of Burgos, head of the town hall of its name. Since 2017, the municipality has been included in the Las Loras Geopark, the first Unesco geopark in Castilla y León.

Geography

It is located about 30 km from Burgos.

Transportation

Montorio is located at the foot of the N-627 road towards Aguilar de Campoo (Palencia province).

Public transport stop.

There is a public transport stop in the town square.

History

Place with double jurisdiction since it was part of the Cuadrilla del Tozo in the Villadiego District, with jurisdiction of manor being its owner the Duke of Frías, mayor of the village, and also of the Jurisdiction of Haza de Siero in the Party of Castrojeriz of manor with honorary mayor. In the Municipality of Burgos, during the period between 1785 and 1833, in the Floridablanca Census of 1787.

Demographics

As of January 1, 2011, the population of the municipality amounted to 188 inhabitants, 106 men and 82 women.

Graphic of demographic evolution of Montorio between 1900 and 2021

Population of Law (1900-1991) or resident population (2001) according to population censuses of the INE. Population according to the 2011-2021 municipal standards of the INE.

Economy

The predominant economic activities in Montorio are agriculture (seed potatoes and cereals), the extractive industry (quarrying and mining) and livestock (sheep rearing and goat farming).

In the municipality there are hospitality and catering businesses.

It also has a small service sector, such as a recently opened hostel-restaurant, a grocery store and two bars.

Monuments and places of interest

The municipality has an extensive rural heritage, especially around religious architecture.

Church

The parish church of Montorio.

This is a temple built in the XVII century, although it has a Romanesque design (like the access door, which still in good condition).

Hermitage

Located next to the road to Quintanilla Sobresierra, in the area of the Fuente del Francés, is the hermitage of Las Mercedes. The hermitage is a building from the XVIII century and is attached to the hermit's house; a hermit lived with his family in said house until the middle of the XX century. Every September 24, the feast of the Virgin, there is a pilgrimage to the hermitage.

Traditional architecture

There are numerous houses that have survived.

Environment

The gorges and forests of the area stand out.

Illustrious people

• Dom Clemente Serna González (Montorio, 1946), Abbot of the Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos) since 7 June 1988, replacing the deceased dom Pedro Alonso Alonso, until on 2 March 2012 he was replaced by dom Lorenzo Maté Sadornil.

• Here he currently lives Rosendo Mercado Ruiz, the rock and roll musician of Montorio is his wife. Here you have composed and recorded part of the themes that make up your latest album Bullshit.

Culture

Parties

• September 24 - Our Lady of the Mercedes
• June 24 - Saint John the Baptist

Administration and politics

Results of the 2007 municipal elections

• Mayor (2007-2011): Emilio Marcos Serna (PP)

Total voters: 131 (81.37%) Abstention: 30 (18.63%) Null votes: 5 (3.82%) Blank votes: 1 (0.76%)