Santibanez de Bejar

Santibáñez de Béjar is a Spanish municipality and town in the province of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León. It is integrated into the Sierra de Béjar region. It belongs to the judicial district of Béjar and to the Ruta de la Plata Commonwealth.

Its municipal area is located in a transitional area between the Mediterranean and Atlantic or high mountain climates (only in the Sierra de Béjar) being formed by the towns of Santibáñez de Béjar and El Parador, occupying a total area of 29 80 km², and with a population of 476 inhabitants (INE 2017).

In general, Santibáñez is a town rich in flora and fauna, with riverbanks and forests of beautiful charm, highlighting the Encina del Carrasco, one of the oldest trees in the province of Salamanca. As for its artistic and monumental heritage, the Romanesque carving of its patron saint, the Virgin of Valparaíso, and the Santibáñez Tower stand out.

On the other hand, Santibáñez de Béjar is a relatively industrialized municipality, with approximately half of the population working in the tertiary sector, 30% in the secondary sector and the remaining 15% in the primary sector.

Toponymy

In ancient times it was called San Juan, the name from which Santibáñez would later come. The surname "de Béjar" It comes from belonging to the old Community of town and land of Béjar, like many neighboring towns, such as La Cabeza de Béjar, Fuentes de Béjar, etc.

Symbols

Shield

The heraldic shield that represents the municipality was approved on November 20, 1992 with the following coat of arms:

«I hear a match. First, of gold with six slurry beads, placed in two poles. Second, with three venerations of silver on the stick. Silver and sugar wavy stitch. Tied of the Spanish Royal Crown»

Official Gazette of Castile and Leon No. 12 of 21 January 1993

Flag

«The municipal flag is rectangular, with an inner castle, in memory of the Santibáñez tower, on the left side made by scissors of esquilador and on the right side a natural acorns of this area and symbol of work»

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Geography

Río Valvanera at its pass through Santibáñez de Béjar.

The Valvanera River passes through the town, valuable for crops and livestock. The Valvanera river also generates work due to the fish that its waters carry and which they catch and then sell for human consumption. The Tormes river also passes through the municipal term of the municipality, which is located about 4.4 kilometers from the town.

From Santibáñez you can see the Sierra de Béjar, La Piquera, Cabeza Búha, the Neila mountain range, Cerro del Berrueco, where there are Baroque and Roman remains and the Tormes river canyon, which is located just 4 km from the location. The Valvanera river also passes nearby.

• The municipality has a lot of heights, in the lower neighborhoods of the river Valvanera is 909 m altitude and the neighborhood of the Cabals, the highest in the municipality is even 967 meters high. The height of the village is given in 942 meters, because at that point is the urban center.
• La Piquera is a small mountainous nucleus of the municipality which is 1210 m high.
• The Cerro del Berrueco is a mountainous elevation that rises to 1355 meters of altitude, which would be the highest elevation in the municipality.
• Búha Head is another but smaller mountain elevation that only reaches 1166 meters of altitude.

Northwest: Guijo de Ávila	North: Cespedosa de Tormes	Northeast: Congosto Bridge
West: Guijo de Ávila, La Cabeza de Béjar and Nava de Béjar		This: Puente del Congosto and Medinilla
Southwest: Nava de Béjar	South: Sorihuela	Sureste: Neila de San Miguel y Medinilla

The municipal term is 29.80 square kilometers and extends to the north as far as the Tormes River, which serves as a jurisdictional barrier between the municipalities of Cespedosa and Santibáñez; to the west to La Piquera; south to just below the Medinilla junction and east to approximately Cerro del Berrueco. The minimum altitude is 869 meters above sea level, on the banks of the Tormes River, and its highest point is at the summit of Cerro del Berrueco, reaching 1352 m s. no. m. The population density is 17.55 inhabitants per square kilometer (2011). The term is divided into rural and urban areas. The urban one occupies 19 hectares, 0.6% of the total. Rustic land occupies 2,920 hectares, and therefore 99.4% of the municipal area.

Altitude

Population centers

The Parador is the only population center in the municipality, apart from Santibáñez. Currently it is uninhabited in winter and only 5 or 10 people arrive in summer. It is located 500 meters from Santibáñez, at an altitude of 912 meters. It is made up of a small group of houses next to the SA-102 highway.

Flora and fauna

The flora of the municipality is made up of a great variety of holm oaks, the most prevalent tree, and poplars and poplars that are found mainly on the banks of the Valvanera river, although in some places there are also ash trees as well as a great variety of shrubs and some flowers appearing in spring.

The fauna of the municipality are some mountain goats on the tops of Cerro del Berrueco, wild boars, hares and rabbits that roam freely, as well as some reptiles such as lizards, some snakes and also in summer some frogs and ducks in the river Valvanera. There are also birds such as the griffon vulture, sometimes imperial eagles and especially sparrows, swallows and orioles.

Roads and routes

The SA-102 highway runs through the municipality, from Sorihuela to Piedrahíta, the Guijo highway, which runs from Santibáñez to Guijuelo, and finally the Las Cumbres highway, which runs from Santibáñez to the A-66.

On the other hand, in this town there are multiple paths. For example, that of Peña del Gato, which goes from the town to the Puente del Congosto. That of the Cerrada, which goes from the town to Medinilla and to Gilbuena, as well as another adjoining one that goes to the town of Neila de San Miguel. Another goes from Santibáñez, along the Valvanera river and reaches the Tormes river, with a diversion to the Santibáñez dam. Also, although the road has already been neglected, it goes from Las Cábilas to La Piquera, the town's mountain range, which rises to 1,200 m above sea level. Finally and very important, the Camino del Guijo, which goes towards the Risco, towards La Piquera, towards the Tormes river and up to the town of Guijo de Ávila. There are several routes:

• Route of the River Tormes (or the Cordel). It is an important route, the longest in the municipality, with about 13 kilometers. It starts from the village, in the direction of the municipal slaughterhouse, where the road of Las Cañás begins. Walk forward, for several kilometres, you reach a crossing. The right way is to Bridge Congosto, neighboring town. The left road is the one following the route. Several hundred meters ahead you access the Presa Salto de San Fernando, where you can make a stop to rest, and observe the landscape of the town. Arriving at the dam, you access a small road, perhaps the one that has the most uneven, and already with an average difficulty, that goes up from about 870 m to 965 m in just 400 m. This way passes the famous Cordel de Merinas. From it the Tormes River is observed at all times, placed in a rocky hole and a charming hair, with a depth of about 100 m. Later on the road arrives to the Arenal, place of the river Tormes where people will fish, and very close to there is access to the so-called "Playa del Tormes", where visitors and neighbors fish and even bathe, although with care because the neighbors know the risk of bathing in the river Tormes. The final section is about 4.5 kilometers, which runs from the river to the village. The route is made approx. in 3 and 4 hours, walking with a good rhythm. Its unevenness is scarce, only about 120 m, min. 870 m and max. 990 m.

• Medinilla route. It is another route of Santibáñez, although smaller, about 11 kilometers, although with an average difficulty and some high places. It has a higher level than the previous one, with a min. of 910 m and a max. of 1200 m. The route begins in the village and is accessed to the road of the molinillo fountain, until in tens of meters you reach the stop of the same name, where you join the Arroyo del Villar and the Valvanera river. Later, the path of the "Cerra" or the "Calvo" is accessed. This road begins to experience a more blunt climb, already over 1000 m. More or less 4 kilometers ahead you reach Medinilla, neighboring municipality. From the village you access another road, towards the Cerro del Berrueco, but without reaching it. The climb is quite pronounced, being this, the part of the road with high difficulty, and already exceeding 1150 m of altitude. The road ahead is accessed to the skirt of the berrueco hill, being in the highest place of the route, about 1205 m high, from here the difficulty is average. In about 2 kilometers you can access the road of "la Peña del Gato", already being in the municipality of Santibáñez and leaving the Medinilla. In about 3.8 to 4 kilometers ahead you reach the village and we return to 930 m from the beginning.

• Piquera route. Santibáñez - La Piquera - El Risco - Camino del Gitano - Santibáñez. It is a route of medium difficulty, 10 kilometers long. Altitude min. 903 m and max. 1195 m. In some, access is made difficult due to the leftness of the field. Approximate duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes.

• Route of the Nava Brothers. Santibáñez - Camino de Sorihuela - Hermanitos de la Nava - Santibáñez. It is a low difficulty route, 17.17 kilometers long. Altitude min. 913 m and max. 1208 m. The roads are preserved in a pretty good state. Approximate duration: 5 hours and 16 minutes.

• Buha Head Route. Santibáñez - Camino de la Peña del Gato - Las Paredejas - Los Monolitos - Cabeza Búha - Tombas de Praojuarro - El Corral - Santibáñez. It is a route of medium difficulty, with 14,82 kilometers in length. Altitude min. 894 m and max. 1155 m. Approximate duration: 4 hours and 09 minutes.

• Route of the Order Chapel. Santibáñez - Tombs of Praojuarro - Head of the Order - Verea de los Gitanos - Camino de las Colonias - Camino de las Cañás Cimeras - Santibáñez. It is a route of medium difficulty, with 14,73 kilometers in length. Altitude min. 889 m and max. 1137 m. Approximate duration: 4 hours and 24 minutes.

• Risco route. Santibáñez - La Tejera - El Calimocho - La Piquera - El Risco - The bells of the Devil - Santibáñez. It is a medium difficulty level route, with 11.8 kilometers in length. Altitude min. 920 m and max. 1260 m. Approximate duration: 3 hours and 20 minutes.

• Peñaflor dehesa route. Santibáñez - old road to El Barco - Dehesa de Peñaflor - Camino de Santa Lucía - Santibáñez. Level of difficulty of the Route: Medium, with a total of 17,58 kilometers in length. Altitude min. 926 m and max. 1146 m. Approximate duration: 4 hours and 10 minutes.

• Tormes route. Santibáñez - Cabeza Búha - Ermita de la Orden - Cañada Real - Presa Salto de San Fernando - El Arenal - Azud - Camino del Tormes - Santibáñez. It is one of the longest routes, with 19,37 kilometers. Difficulty low-low. Altitude min. 876 m and max. 1141 m. Approximate duration: 5 hours and 45 minutes.

• There are also bicycle routes, including the following:

• Route of the Corneja. Santibáñez - Puente del Congosto - Piedrahita - Puerto de Peña Negra - Hoyos del Espino and viceversa. Route of medium difficulty, of 66.83 kilometers. Highlights its high level, being the minimum height 914 m. and the maximum 1983 m.

• In Santibáñez there is an association of people who travel through these paths called LOVE RUTERS OF BÉJAR SANTIBAÑEZ or what is the same, ARSaBe.

Berrueco Hill

The Cerro del Berrueco from Santibáñez.

Cerro del Berrueco is a settlement and archaeological site, located at an altitude of 1,354 m on the southeastern border of the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila, between the municipalities of Medinilla, Puente del Congosto and El Tejado de Béjar. The landscape is granitic and abrupt, almost inaccessible through the higher areas. To the north, west and east of the hill, the topography changes, with a predominance of flat meadows populated with holm oaks and the course of the Tormes River a short distance to the east.

The site has been known since ancient times through different finds scattered in private collections. This archaeological area is made up of six sites: La Dehesa, La Mariselva, Cancho Enamorado, Las Peredejas or Santa Lucía, Los Tejares and El Hontanar. The town of Cancho Enamorado stands out on the highest peak of Berrueco (1355 m), with materials ranging from the final bronze to the s. VI BC, remains of six houses with an irregular plan and metallic deposits. In the town of Las Paredejas, important finds were found on the surface (Greek pottery, afalcate knives, braziers, etc...). No excavations have been carried out, but these findings presume an occupation from the s. VII to the s. III BC, therefore not romanized. The town of Los Tejares was a pre-Roman nucleus (until the 2nd-3rd centuries AD). Numerous ceramic remains and barquiform hand mills appeared on its surface, as well as republican coins dated between 174 and 43 BC. c.

Strangely, evident wall remains did not seem to be documented in the settlements on Cerro del Berrueco, perhaps due to the defensive sufficiency provided by the steep natural relief. Recently, however, the walling in Cancho Enamorado is being verified from very deteriorated construction remains.

Hydrography

Arroyo del Villar dry in summertime (summer and autumn).

The water in this population is of good quality, and this town never has a shortage of water (except in very dry years), because the Tormes river is 3 km from the town, and the Valvanera river passes through it. municipality. The town has several fountains that are in permanent operation, such as the Altozano fountain, the Caño fountain, the Hontanillas fountain, the Vineyard fountain, the Barra fountain, the Tejera fountain and the Hermitage fountain. In addition, the dam of this population, which is located on the Tormes river, which is used to make hydraulic energy, makes the town benefit, and is used for supply and irrigation. In addition to the sources that exist in the municipality, there are several rivers and streams in its municipal area, such as the Higollada stream, the Navaquemada stream, the Fuente del Caño stream, the Las Viñas stream, the Ochavo stream and the Villar stream. besides the Valvanera River (or Mataviejas).

San Fernando Reservoir

The San Fernando reservoir is the dam that supplies the municipalities of Santibáñez de Béjar and Cespedosa de Tormes. Its inauguration was on 02-11-2002. It is located in the course of the Tormes river, at about 900 m above sea level. The reservoir has a capacity of 9 cubic hectometres of water and occupies about 50 hectares of land. It is at the end of the Santa Teresa reservoir and is made up of the reservoir, the dam, the mini power plant and the fish ladder. From the mini-central to the river is the canal.

Owl Head

Head Buha from the road to the dam and back in Cerro del Berrueco.

Cabeza Búha is a mountainous elevation that is in the municipal area and belongs to the Serranía de los Castaños. It is located about 5 kilometers from the town center of the municipality. It rises to 1166 meters of altitude and is accessed by the SA-102. Its vegetation is made up of shrubs and holm oaks, and especially brambles. Its fauna is a great variety of birds, wild boars and hares, and in its highest area its access is difficult due to how neglected it is.

Climate

The climate of Santibáñez de Béjar is continental with a mountainous influence. Its winters are very cold and long, reaching −19.8 °C on January 16, 1960, with abundant precipitation, some in the form of snow, and also many frosts. Autumns are dry but cool, and are usually short. Its springs are long and very rainy, being the time of year in which more precipitation is concentrated, exceeding precipitation even in winter, although they are usually warm. Finally, the summers are hot but short, reaching a record high on August 10, 2012 with 40.1º C. Although at night, temperatures drop, making it necessary to go out even accompanied by a jacket.

Average climatic parameters of Santibáñez de Béjar
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	1.3	3.5	6.2	8.1	10.7	15.4	22.8	24.8	16.9	11.8	6.7	2.4	10.9
Total precipitation (mm)	67	69	72	75	64	37	11	9	35	58	89	86	672
Days of snowfall (≥ 1 mm)	8	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	17
Source: Climate-data.org

1987 Flood

In Santibáñez de Béjar in August 1987 due to a great summer storm at the edge of noon, the ravines of La Piquera overflowed, falling a large amount of water on the mountains of La Piquera, El Calamocho and La Tejera, as well as on the urban area, bringing large amounts of water to the municipality. The Las Viñas stream that crosses the town increased its flow in a few minutes dragging a large number of cut thorns that blocked the mouth of the tunnel at the height of Calle Solano. The stream sought its natural channeled channel and dragged a large amount of mud from Calle Solano, Plaza del Sol Calle Altozano or del Puente and Calle Pradillos. The streets of the town turned into rivers in a few seconds. It was dangerous to go out, because the water that came down was abundant, to the point of flooding several houses, basements and garages in the town, and causing serious material damage. Down the streets it ended up in the Valvanera River, completely dry, where its flow also increased in a few minutes, flooding the riverbank and nearby fields, until it reached the Tormes River, where it empties. It is said to be the most copious storm to fall in the town and harmful to the urban area that was left full of mud due to the clogging of the mouth of the tunnel that crosses the entire urban area from west to east.

Fire of 2003

The fire that occurred in the demarcation of Santibáñez de Béjar in 2003 was of great concern. It burned a total of 8,650 hectares of land. It started from Puerto del Tremedal (Ávila), passed through La Carrera, El Barco de Ávila, Palacios de Becedas (Ávila), Becedas, Casas de la Vega, Losar del Barco, Navamorisca, Junciana, Gilbuena, Neila de San Miguel, Medinilla, El Tejado, Puente del Congosto and Santibáñez de Béjar, where it was extinguished due to the fact that the Tormes River was located, which served as a firebreak. They had to evict 2 municipalities, a total of 500 residents, who moved to Barco and Santibáñez. They blocked 7 highways in the provinces of Ávila and Salamanca. It lasted almost 1 week and it was going at high speed, which is why almost 3,000 head of cattle were in danger in the municipality, of which only about 10 animals, including cows and sheep, died. It was the largest fire in Spain in that summer of 2003.

Demographics

Country	Population
Romania Romania	15
Argentina	8
BelgiumBelgium	1

Graphic of demographic evolution of Santibáñez de Béjar between 1842 and 2022

Source: Spanish National Statistical Institute - Graphical development by Wikipedia. Population of Law (1842-1897) according to population censuses of the INE Resident population (1897-2001) according to INE population censuses Population according to the 2011 municipal and 2021 INE.

The population of Santibáñez de Béjar in 2010 was 543 inhabitants, of which 273 were men and 270 were women.

The population increases considerably in summer, although the greatest increase is notable in the celebration of the October festivities, in which the population can reach 3,000 or even 4,000 people.

The largest population it had was in 1945, with a population of 2,227 inhabitants, according to the municipal census.

Despite not having a very high population, in the province of Salamanca it occupies an important place, since of the 362 municipalities in it, Santibáñez de Béjar has more inhabitants than 271 of them.

In the town there are several resident nationalities, among which the most are Romanians and Argentines. In total, 4.05% of the population is foreign in 2010, the highest figure since 2001.

Economy

The main economy is the services sector representing 49%, a little less than a few years ago. In recent years, the industry has been increasing, now representing 35%. There is also an activity under construction (5%). The Denominations of Origin are exploited: Carne de Morucha de Salamanca, Lechazo de Castilla y León (Sac. and slaughtered), Carne de Ávila (Prod. and Elab.), for which reason livestock is also important, rarely rising in the last years from 10% to 11%. There are also great abundances of ham and sausage factories, (some of them with Denomination of Origin of Guijuelo), Jamón de Guijuelo. Also in the town there are several shops. Regarding the unemployed active population (figures from January 1, 2014), it is noteworthy that the municipality has a total of 9.89% unemployment, being one of the municipalities with the lowest percentage of unemployed in the province Salamanca, with the average for this province being 23.05%.

Primary sector

It is mainly made up of Livestock and Agriculture, currently representing 11% of workers.

Agriculture in Santibáñez de Béjar was important in the XX century, with 60% of the population working on it. Currently it is still practiced, but there is barely 3%, therefore with less intensity. It is mainly irrigated, but also dry land. Its lands are mainly dedicated to the cultivation of potatoes, legumes (Júdías del Barco, chickpeas and lentils), and in recent years there has been some harvest of sunflowers. It is also quite common to plant onions, lettuce, chives, tomatoes, carrots and garlic. There are also woody crops, mainly holm oaks, the harvest of which is used largely for fattening pigs.

The livestock is mainly sheep, cattle and pigs, and is based on the sale of morucha meat from Salamanca, and meat from Ávila. Livestock represents the work of almost 11% of the municipality's population, almost 5% more than 8 years ago.

Secondary sector

The most important secondary sector is the pork industry, with 35% of the population dedicated to it. Another important activity is construction (5%), adding a total of 40% of the population.

Its main source of income is the pork industry, there are even 7 cheese, ham and sausage factories and several ham drying warehouses in a municipality of only 500 residents. One of them is from the Guijuelo designation of origin. In the province of Salamanca, Santibáñez de Béjar, together with the municipalities of Ledrada and Guijuelo, are the largest producers of hams, sausages and cheeses, with designation of origin and higher quality. Undoubtedly the only thing in the municipality are its cheeses, already famous in parts of Castilla y León. It is the local economic sector that has been growing the most in recent years, going from approximately 15% in 1995 to a current 31%.

Tertiary sector

The tertiary sector or services is the most abundant, but it has dropped in recent years to currently represent 49%, almost 6% less than about 10 years ago.

Communications

Santibáñez de Béjar is located in a place with a high passage of vehicles, since the road that passes through the municipality connects Ávila, Madrid and Piedrahíta with Guijuelo, Béjar, Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo. A normal day on average about 7000 vehicles pass through. The three highways that concur in the municipality are the regional highways of the SA-102, the so-called "Carretera del Guijo" and the so-called "Cabeza road".

• From Béjar to Santibáñez is accessed through the A-66. A few kilometers later, at Exit 401 you access the road SA-102, until you reach the municipality.
• From Piedrahita to Santibáñez you are accessed through the AV-102 road and then entering the province of Salamanca you access the SA-102 road. Passing Puente del Congosto, 7 km away is the municipality.
• From Salamanca is accessed by the A-66 and before arriving at Guijuelo you will be accessed by the road DSA-164, as you pass by the Guijo de Ávila, and then to Santibáñez.
• From Guijuelo to Santibáñez are only a few kilometers away, only a few meters are accessed to the crossroads of Fuentes de Béjar, and takes direction to La Cabeza de Béjar, along the road DSA-170, until it stops just at the southern entrance of Santibáñez de Béjar.

• In terms of public transport, the CEVESA bus company makes daily journeys (at a given time), from Santibáñez to Piedrahita, Ávila and Madrid. Also vice versa. On Thursdays (day of market in Béjar), a bus leaves early that stops in Sorihuela, Fresnedoso and Vallejera de Riofrío. The same bus that same day returns from noon again to Santibáñez making the stops mentioned above. In the school and school hours, buses leave every day from Santibáñez to transfer children from the village to the school of Guijuelo. The ALSA bus company also makes some trajectory passing through the municipality, but they occur in isolation. Finally, the MOGA bus company also makes trips in the so-called "ruta de los pueblos" by Santibáñez, to Salamanca.

Motor Vehicles

Santibáñez de Béjar is a municipality where motor vehicles abound. Trucks are abundant for the food trade etc.

Culture

Santibáñez is a municipality with a good history in terms of folklore and traditional songs of the place. In the town they are called cortos or charrados, in which characters such as Mariquelo come to play the instruments belonging to the place, such as the dulzaina, the charra bagpipe, the famous tambourine, etc. It is accompanied with castanets and typical Salmantino costumes and dresses. Above all, folklore is performed in the summer and at festivals and religious themes, such as dances and songs to the Virgin. In holy week sometimes in processions it is accompanied with marracas.

Education

Santibáñez de Béjar is the head of the Colegio Rural Agrupado Valvanera and his other town is Sorihuela. The Santibáñez school was built in 1912, being the oldest in the region. It has 55 students, compared to 11 in Sorihuela. In the town there is infant and primary school, as for ESO and high school you have to move to Guijuelo, 9 km from the town. There is also a nursery, which has 10 children. Many centers have closed in the area, so in recent years the children of Puente del Congosto, El Tejado, Medinilla, La Cabeza de Béjar and Guijo de Ávila have had to transfer to the Santibáñez school.

Games

In this municipality the favorite game for children and adults is the bald game, a game that consists of throwing a stone at a wooden stick and trying to hit it, a traditional game in these lands.

There are also others such as the “tute” or the “mus”, more common among the elderly.

Parties

Procession of the Virgin of Valparaíso.

• Fairs and festivals of October are celebrated in honor of the Virgin of Valparaíso for about 5 days, to which they take out of procession accompanied by thousands of santibañejos. The last years bulls and the fairs are also held for young people and children, with chacon cars, mattresses, giant futbolines, tombolas, the antigravity, the tourist train, mechanical bulls, elastic beds etc., that come every year to the fairs and parties of October. In addition, a virgin auction is made. In these days the population increases considerably, and people come to the verbs, of the adjacent municipalities such as Guijuelo, Puente del Congosto, Piedrahita, etc.
• Parties are also held on the first weekend of August, for 3 days.
• On the day of St. John (24 June) they bring out their patronage from procession. On the day of James the Apostle (July 25), the patron of this people, make a Mass in their honor and party with dance for the retirees.
• The Corpus Christi, traditional in the municipality where a party is made in the square.
• Holy Week, where they make several processions, although many years have to cancel them through the rain. The first of them is the procession of Palm Sunday, the second is the procession of Holy Thursday (the Procession of Silence) in which the sizes of the virgin and the pantheon of Jesus are drawn. Another and the last procession is the Holy Friday (Procession of the Encounter), the most important and well-known, in which the sizes of the Sacred Heart and the Virgin Mary (the Virgin carried by women and the Sacred Heart by men) come out, which come together in the square, since each size goes by an end of the square. When they come together, they all return together to the church. All processions occur at night, except the Sunday procession of bouquets.
• The traditional massacre, usually carried out between February and March.
• The Carnival, which is held a parade in the municipal theater, which the winners take a prize.

• The day of the bake, celebrated every year on Resurrection Sunday, which the vast majority of people go out to eat in the countryside all day, and as not accompanied by a bake.

Virgin of Valparaiso

The Virgin of Valparaíso is an invocation of Mary (mother of Jesus), patron saint of Santibáñez de Béjar and in which her festivity takes place on the first weekend of October and also on the day of San Juan (June 24).. Romanesque in style (12th century), it is one of the most important sculptures in the province of Salamanca.

Gastronomy

The most traditional dishes of this town are scrambled potatoes, stew, some good Serrano ham dishes and some other delicacies from these lands.

Another typical custom of this town and related to gastronomy is going out on Sunday mornings to do a tour of the bars, to taste tapas and have a wine.

There are also typical sweets, such as perrunillas, rosquillas, mantecados, floretas, etc.

Anthroponymy

In Spain there are 34 Santibáñez, of which 28 are in Castilla y León. 11 of them in the province of León, the one with the most. In our province there are 5, Santibáñez de Béjar and Santibáñez de la Sierra, which have their own town hall, and another three that are smaller population entities; Santibáñez del Río, in the town of Doñinos de Salamanca, Santibáñez del Cañedo, in the town of Forfoleda and finally Santibáñez, in the town of San Pedro del Valle.

Architecture

La Noria is a construction that has been used especially in the municipality of Santibáñez de Béjar since 1850. It is built mainly with iron and is circular in shape. Some iron vessels are hung from it, on chains that draw water from a well, either for the use of livestock or crops. Throughout the town there are approximately 930 waterwheels, of which only about 40 are already in use. It is made to move with a large rod that is inserted into a hook and pushed by donkeys, and it is turned until the water comes out. for some channels.

A Chabarco is a kind of open well, about 2 or 3 m deep, and that has a kind of ramp to go down into it. It is paved, so that the earth does not fall from the walls, it is usually done in the most humid areas of the meadows. It serves so that the water is used by the cattle. The water never usually dries up, because most of it is filled by underground rivers. In Santibáñez there are about 700 farms and almost all of them are used for the 2,500 head of cattle in the municipality.

The Meales were piles of dry grass placed in a circular shape with a stick in the middle that were located inside the meadows, and were used in the winter, since at that time there is no grass, and with this, the farmers gave to feed cattle. The meal was surrounded by a stone wall so that animals could not eat it.

Administration and politics

Municipal elections

Mayors

Public buildings

• College of secondary education Colegio Rural Agrupado Valvanera, built in 1912 (101 years old), called Jorge Moro College, has been the school of Santibáñez and the surrounding municipalities. There are currently some 55 children in children ' s and primary education, and some 9 teachers in their post. The school also has a headquarters in the adjacent municipality of Sorihuela, which has 11 students.
• Municipal Guard.
• The Municipal Theatre, also called the living room, on top of a village hill next to the school and the church. It was built in 1989, in order to make performances, concerts etc. in the municipality. They use it at the October parties for the dances and carnivals for the costume contest, although it is also sometimes used in some performances they perform at the August parties. Before the municipal theatre was the old theater that burned in 1947 and left it in ruins, and a few years ago they restored it, although it is not used for public use.

Campanario de la Iglesia Parroquial de Santiago Apostle.

• Church of Santiago Apostle.
• Hermitage of the Virgin of Valparaiso.
• The Town Hall of Santibáñez de Béjar is in the Plaza del Consistorio, very close to the main square. It has rectangular shape, an approximate height of 10 m and 3 floors. On the third floor are the offices of the municipal councillors. In the second there are the full lounge, the mayor's office and the secretary's office, and in this plant is forged the shield of the villa and the municipality. On the ground floor is the medical office (left) and the municipal library (right). The two entrance doors have half-point arches. It was built in 1991 and its construction was completed in 1992. Before building the current one was in the same place. It has no watch, because the clock tower is already in the municipality.
• Municipal pools.
• Post office.
• The old cinema, currently in ruinous state and part of a meadow, where was part of the cinema, and where now in the patron saint's parties, the chauffeur cars are located.
• The Tanarium La Soledad, which was inaugurated a few years ago, where the people of the villages come from next door, since there are no tanariums.

History

Torre de Santibáñez, important monument, which in the 15th century was owned by Da Isabel I of Castile.

Emperor Alfonso VII (1105-1157), King of León and Castile, reconquered this area. He maintained the separation of the two kingdoms and by establishing the limits between them on the border (in what was then called Extremadura), he granted Castilla the area of the Sierra de Béjar up to the Quinea or de la Plata road. This area of the Sierra de Béjar, where Santibáñez is located, came to belong to Castilla, forming part of the Ávila council, which will be in charge of the repopulation of the region and its head, Béjar, repopulation carried out by Castilians, mainly by people from Avila alfoz.

These historical and ethnic conditions, in addition to the geographical ones, explain the differential characteristics that Sierra de Béjar and Sierra de Francia have since then, two perfectly characterized and differentiated natural regions despite the abundant common features, despite that for the inhabitants of the rest of the province of Salamanca both the natives of the Sierra de Béjar and those of the Sierra de Francia are generically "serranos" (but mountains quite different from each other).

The origins of Santibáñez de Béjar must be found in medieval times, in the XII century, since it is From those dates on which the definitive repopulation took place in this area (on many occasions peasants heavily subjected to large seigneurial burdens saw it as a relief to emigrate in search of land with fewer burdens, taking advantage of the village charters that the kings issued, bringing with them their culture, their customs, their way of life and their religion: this may be the origin of the Virgin of Valparaíso).

In the year 1211, King Alfonso VIII of Castile "el de las Navas" segregates a part of the territory of Ávila, in which Santibáñez was located, to form the Community of Villa y Tierra de Béjar, granting it its own Jurisdiction by which "it grants all those who live in Béjar and those who are to come to Béjar with all its term, as well as to the towns that populate in the term, as well as the councils of the villages that if the Councils of the villages dispute over the terms, the judge and the mayors go and demarcate according to the limits that were already set so that all the villagers come to Fuero de la Villa de Béjar". Santibáñez is one of those villages in the term of Béjar, with its own village council, subject to the council of Villa de Béjar.

Santibáñez was first from Avila, then from Bejarana, forming part of the Kingdom of Castile to become dependent on the Kingdom of León from the beginning of the XV century after the loss of the vote in Cortes de Béjar and its becoming dependent on Salamanca in that aspect from 1425, a fact favored by the passage of Béjar and its territory into the hands of the Zúñiga in 1396, having subsequently remained as Salamanca and Leonese in the territorial divisions of Floridablanca in 1785 and finally in that of 1833 in which the current provinces are created, in which Santibáñez was framed in the province of Salamanca, within the Leonese Region. In any case, belonging He maintained the community of Béjar until its disappearance in 1833, depending since then on the Bejarano judicial party.

In ecclesiastical terms, the territory of Béjar has been included in the diocese of Plasencia since the beginning of the XIII century, to which continues to belong today.

Monuments and places of interest

Carrasco Holm Oak

Encina del Carrasco.

The centennial holm oak of Santibáñez de Béjar, also called the holm oak of Carrasco, is located on the road to the dam, 4.8 km from the town, and it is believed to be even 450 years old. It is the oldest holm oak in Villa de Santibáñez, with large dimensions. To cover it, 7 children are needed, when the normal is 3. Its height is also important, which amounts to 15 m, when the normal in a holm oak is about 6 or 7 m. The holm oak of the Santibáñez castle is also important, but it is only 220 years old and 9 m high.^{[citation required]}

The holm oaks of this municipality give many acorns that were used to sell them, and it was the town's economy, although they are still sold for human consumption, although also for that of the creed, that's where the Guijuelo denomination acorn-fed hams come from.

The Tower

Isabel I of Castile saved the Tower of Santibáñez and ordered the destruction of El Guijo.

This privately owned watchtower is located on a small elevation a few meters from the town of Santibáñez de Béjar, isolated next to an oak tree. It belonged to the Marquis of Fuente del Sol who ordered its construction in the s. XIII. Its function was that of border signal towers (from which the town and its surroundings are called), in which at least since the s. XV, time of conflicts between the kingdom of Castile and that of León, to which it belonged. It is said that it was an important square in the war between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja and those of Isabel the Catholic for the throne of Castile. The Santibáñez tower belonged to supporters of Isabel la Católica and was built on the defensive line that also included the watchtower of the municipality of Guijo de Ávila, which was in the hands of supporters of Juana la Beltraneja. At the end of the war with the victory of Dª Isabel, it was decreed that the Guijo de Ávila tower should be demolished, saving the Santibáñez tower instead.

It is built in granite masonry, which had three floors: the first dedicated to the stables, the second for the guard (with artillery walls) and the third dedicated to housing. The door has a pointed arch without a key and the walls represent arrow slits at different heights. The auction has disappeared, although it could have been crenellated. It is in a dilapidated state and its interior is completely hollow, although it is being considered to rebuild it to save it from collapsing. It is the 2nd most important monument in the town, after the Virgin of Valparaíso and has been declared a Spanish Historical Heritage Site since 1985.

The Cliff

El Risco was a large Chalcolithic settlement (3000 BC), a period in which the megalithic phenomenon developed: Collective burial technique that is carried out in mound structures based on large stone blocks that form a chamber, at to which an access corridor is sometimes added. In this chamber, members of the same family would be buried. The El Risco site was discovered by Father Ignacio Belda, and corresponds to a small town from the Bronze and Iron Age that ended around the s. II a. C., with the Roman conquest. Due to the remains found, the Romans also established a military observation post on the Risco, next to the Cordel, as in Praojuarro, where the Roman military settlement was very important.

Main Square

The main square of Santibáñez is located in the center of town, at an altitude of 930 meters. It is just 100 meters from the town hall and about 150 meters from the Church of Santiago Apóstol. In the year 2002 the conditioning works of the square began, placing trees and changing the floor for one of granite. Sidewalks were added and the streets around it were fixed. The market is located there on Fridays, and in summer circuses and magic shows are also held.

Clock Building

Clock building, old town dungeons, located in the city center, and built in the 19th century.

The Clock Building was built in 1892 by the residents of Piedrahíta (Ávila) Samuel Nieto and his son; Juan Nieto. The latter married Isabel Casquero González. The project is by the Jerezano architect, Joaquín Vargas y Aguirre, who also designed Casa Lis and the Salamanca Market. About 13 m high, although in the original project it was less high and made of granite and materials that were typical of that time, which is located at an altitude of 930 m s. no. m. It has large heavy pendulums inside that are used to wind the clock. This has the design of that time, in Roman numerals. On the roof is the bell, responsible for giving the hours, latticework and filled in a weather vane. Formerly this small building was the headquarters of the court and the jails of the municipality, currently the right side of the building, property of the city council, is ceded to the post office and Telegraph after an event of the building was carried out for this purpose. In 2007 it was necessary to fix the roof of the left wing, having lost height. It is located in the heart of the urban area of Santibáñez, on C/ Jorge Moro and C/ La Iglesia, one of the busiest streets in the municipality, which lead from the SA-102 highway and the urban area. It is one of the main monuments of the municipality, but also one of the most modern, since it was built in 1890. In front of it are the fairs of the October festivities. In front of him some residents of the town take the grapes on New Year's Eve.

Santiago Apóstol Parish Church

Church of Santiago Apostle, 2011.

The parish church was built in the middle of the s. XV, later it has undergone several remodeling, being the one of the years 1956-1959 the most important, and since then it has conserved its current state, in full reform one of its workers died from falling when they were carrying out the reconstruction of the bell tower. It is not yet known why it happened, but some witnesses say that a block of stone fell off and hit him, throwing him into the void. In January 1996, the wind and rain caused the collapse of the stork's nest built next to the bell tower, causing serious damage when it fell into the church portico. The bell tower is paved, 24.5 meters high, almost three times higher than the height of the church. In its eastern part there is a pentagonal apse, in the northern part it is formed by a porch formed in its center by the old entrance to the temple, currently not used. In its southern part is the main façade, formed by two entrance doors and a cobbled wall halfway up, then up to the ridge it is made up of granite blocks. In its center a simple but beautiful rose window.

Hermitage of Our Lady of Valparaíso

Hermitage of Na Sra. de Valparaíso.

The Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Valparaíso is believed to have originally been built on top of an ancient Roman temple of which the bases have been preserved. This idea is based on the fact that some Roman tiles were found on the floor of the hermitage; In addition, the old sewer of the Arroyo de la Cerilla could have been built by the Romans. In 1670 the hermitage already existed with a sacristy on the right inside a corridor with high walls where bullfights were held during the patron saint festivities. When burials in the churches and within the town stopped, half of the slide became a cemetery until the current one was built. The hermitage was ravaged by the French in 1812, even burning the altarpieces and images. The image of the Virgin of Valparaíso was saved because it was in the church at that time (although it also suffered damage). The hermitage was rebuilt, including walls and coffered ceiling (which was identical to that of the church), around the year 1826-1828, being built exactly the same, except that the sacristy was built on the left side. The mantle, touch and lace were made for the virgin. The last reform dates from 1966. The sculpture of the Virgin of Valparaíso, in Romanesque style, dates from the 12th century.

The Mines

They are deposits of Esfalerita and Wolframita that are found in the municipalities of Santibáñez de Béjar and Cespedosa.

Leisure areas

• The municipal swimming pools, which in summer you can bathe and spend the afternoon playing ping pong, basketball etc., as well as traditional competitions and games that take a few days. It is open in summer from 12 H in the morning to 8 or 8:30 H in the afternoon.
• In the municipal park, where there are exercise machines, slides, swings, swings, for children to have fun, and there are also banks for people to enjoy in the summer of the night sitting watching as children play. It was inaugurated this same year.
• The football, basketball and tennis courts of the municipality, called in it as "the tracks", where throughout the year is open for children living in the village to play and play sports. In summer, football competitions are held, which organizes the City Council of Santibáñez de Béjar, in which the winner receives a trophy.
• The stop of the hermitage where swings, slides, climbing games etc are found; in which in recent years it is used less but is still used for children to have fun.
• The river Tormes and Valvanera, where hundreds of people come from the spelling to spend the afternoon fishing in the river, a very important place, being the tail of the Santa Teresa reservoir. It has a wide variety of fish, which are even more abundant trouts, jureles and barbos or tents.

La Piquera

La piquera is a mountainous massif, called "Las Cumbres", in which the maximum altitude is 1208 meters. It is between Santibáñez, Guijo de Ávila and La Cabeza de Béjar. Its access is difficult, especially in the Santibáñez area, although in the Guijo meadow it can be accessed more easily. At the top is the cross of the meadow, famous in the area, and where all the tourists who come there leave their names on it (as tradition dictates). Currently the environment is neglected. The vegetation consists of holm oaks and some shrubs. Its fauna is wild boars, rabbits and hares, and some birds, where some birds of prey such as the imperial eagle stand out.

Others

• The bridge of the "source of the Molinillo", where the Valvanera River passes, goes back to the Roman origin. Also another bridge, where the river Valvanera also passes, dates back to the centuryXVIII.
• The three junctions that today are next to the theater, the largest of two meters, has sculpted a cristo bleeding is of the centuryXVII. The other two don't know when they are, but they approach the century.XIX.
• The verraco vetón found in the Cerro del Berrueco, which is located in the garden of the hermitage, which is of the centuryV.
• The big houses, mostly built in the centuryXIXbelonging to the wealthiest families of the town. They stood out above all others, for example, that some rose three floors, unusual at that time. They are made up of large galleries and large gates, usually in families belonging to the bourgeoisie. One of the best known buildings in Santibáñez is located in the Plaza del Altozano, in the heart of the village and was built approximately in the middle of the centuryXIX. It has three floors and consists of a large balcony.

Illustrious Santibañejos

• Santos Moro Briz (1888-1980), was bishop of Ávila after being a priest in the municipality and having been a cardinal in an Abulense church. In his honor a bust was made in the church garden. His brothers were priests and his sister nun, Dña. Moor Briz, killed in the Spanish Civil War.
• Francisco Martín González (1935-2011), abulian priest and sister Amada Martín González, missionary, sister of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Argentina, died.
• Angel Blázquez, journalist and writer of several books and newspapers, very famous between the 1970s and 80s.
• Demetrio González Briz (1892-1969), secretary.
• Veronica Domínguez, missionary
• Abel Benito, professor.
• El Niño Juanito Sánchez Díaz (1927-1944), was the most illustrious santibañejo that had an artistic sensibility, modeled and carved fabulous, belonging to the art and education school when he was only 13 years old. It belonged to the third salmantine art exhibition, being widely the winner. Although his artistic vein lasted little, as on July 15, 1944, Juan died due to a disease that suffered almost the last 3 years of his life, with only 17 years. Currently in his memory there is a tombstone with his bust above the door of the house in which he was born, made by the prestigious sculptor of the time, D. Francisco González Macías.
• Francisco Hernandez de la Higuera (1547-1607).First santibañejo in America, owned a company, with 200 slaves and 600 Indians in Veracruz, Mexico.
• Modesta Moro Briz (1901-1936), god's maid, famous in Ávila for being the sister of Saints Moro Briz and Joseph Máximo Moro Briz. She was killed in the Spanish Civil War with her brother.
• José Máximo Moro Briz (1882-1936), pastor, killed in the Spanish Civil War by the FAI militias.
• Also other illustrious santibañejos throughout history have a reminder in the streets of the village, such as the street of Don Anacleto Fernández, Demetrio González Briz, Jorge Moro etc.