Valderrodrigo

Valderrodrigo is a Spanish municipality and town in the province of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León. It is integrated into the Vitigudino region and the sub-region of La Ramajería. It belongs to the judicial district of Vitigudino.

Its municipal area is made up of a single population center, it occupies a total area of 22.35 km² and according to the demographic data collected in the municipal register prepared by the INE in 2017, it has a population of 153 inhabitants.

Geography

It is located in the southern part of La Ramajería, between the towns of Valsalabroso (5 km to the north), Barceo (4 km to the east), Villasbuenas (6 km to the west) and Guadramiro (7 km to the south).

Northwest: El Milano	North: Valsalabroso	Northeast: Barcelin
West: Villasbuenas		This: Barceo
Southwest: Encinasola de los Comendadores	South: Guadramiro	Sureste: Vitigudino

Accesses

The main access to Valderrodrigo is from Salamanca:

• Abandone Salamanca by the CL-517 towards Vitigudino.

• Once you arrive in Vitigudino take the DSA-560 towards Mieza and 8 km to Valderrodrigo.

Etymology

Its name has remained unchanged since its medieval foundation, translating as "valley of Rodrigo". Thus, the "Val" translates as valley and indicates the name most commonly used in medieval Leonese to refer to "valley". As for the "de Rodrigo" would indicate that the creation of the town would have been directed by someone named Rodrigo (some theories would point to Rodrigo González Girón, founder of Ciudad Rodrigo and vassal of the kings of Leon), from whom the town took its name, a fact quite frequent throughout the Leon area and that occurs in other surrounding towns such as Villarino de los Aires (originally Villarino de Arias) and Villar de Peralonso (Villar de Pedro Alonso) as well as in the same sense Guadramiro (Guad Ramiro, which would be translated as Valle de Ramiro, in this case of King Ramiro II of León).

Demographics

Graphic of demographic evolution of Valderrodrigo between 1900 and 2022

Source: Spanish National Statistical Institute - Graphical development by Wikipedia.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, Valderrodrigo had, as of December 31, 2018, a total population of 152 inhabitants, of whom 74 were men and 78 women. Regarding the year 2000, the census reflects 191 inhabitants, of which 90 were men and 101 women. Therefore, the loss of population in the municipality for the period 2000-2018 has been 39 inhabitants, a 19% decrease.

History

The foundation of Valderrodrigo dates back to the Middle Ages, obeying the repopulations carried out by the kings of Leon in the Early Middle Ages. It was the lordship of the Order of Santiago to which it was linked by order of King Ferdinand II of León in the XII century, maintaining in the same until 1873 under the bishopric of León de Santiago, which framed the Leonese territories of said Order, passing then, with its dissolution by papal order, to form part of the Diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo. With the creation of the current provinces in 1833, Valderrodrigo was integrated into the province of Salamanca, within the Leonese Region.

Culture

Parties

First weekend of October (Las Madrinas) and last weekend of July (Torito Perdigón).

Administration and politics

Municipal elections

The mayor of Valderrodrigo does not report information about his salary (2017).

Autonomous elections

Urban core.

Monuments and places of interest

• Church of Our Lady of the Rosary.
• Statue of the Perky Torito.
• Traditional architecture.