Villarmayor (Salamanca)

Villarmayor is a Spanish municipality and town in the province of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León. It is integrated within the Tierra de Ledesma region. It belongs to the judicial district of Salamanca and to the Comarca de Ledesma Commonwealth.

Its municipal area is made up of the towns of Espino de los Doctores and Villarmayor, in addition to the unpopulated areas of Contiensa, Palacios de los Dieces, Pañamecer and Zafroncino, it occupies a total area of 39.05 km² and according to demographic data collected in the municipal register prepared by the INE in 2017, it has a population of 192 inhabitants.

History

House consistorial

Although the existence of several dolmens in the area attest to the human presence in the municipality since the megalithic, the foundation of the current Villarmayor dates back to the Middle Ages, obeying the repopulations carried out by the kings of Leon in the Early Middle Ages, being framed in the jurisdiction of Ledesma since the creation of its alfoz by Fernando II de León in the XII century, as well as in its archdeacon and in the Kingdom of León. With the creation of the current provinces in 1833, Villarmayor was integrated into the province of Salamanca, within the Leonese Region.

Demographics

Graphic of demographic evolution of Villarmayor between 1900 and 2021

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

Population centers

The municipality is divided into several population centers, which had the following population in 2017 according to the INE.

Administration and politics

Municipal elections

Culture

Heritage

Hermitage of the Virgin of the Snows

• Church of Saint Vincent Martyr.
• Hermitage of the Virgin of the Snows.
• Roman fountain.
• Roman bridge arch.(The Bridge)
• Dolmen de El Torrejón.
• Dolmens of El Guijo.
• Neolithic population of Peñamecer.

Parties

• 22 January: Saint Vincent Martyr

In recent years, the Villarmayor City Council has recovered the Fiesta de San Vicente, patron saint of the town, which stopped being celebrated a few years ago because it was just a mass. Now with his recovery, the party is in full swing, with masses and saints parading through the streets of the town, as well as other acts such as chocolate bars and churros, bingo, dances and children's games, good parties and suitable for the elderly that bring back fond memories.. since it is the biggest festival in the city since it was held for about 35 years before the Snow Festival

• 5 August: Virgin of the Snows

Their parties are well known in the area. Mainly known for the popular parody. The skit consists of singing songs criticizing the council or whatever or person has stood out throughout the year. Another of the things that we are known for is cutting down the tree; In the past, dry trees were always cut on the outskirts of town that had to be carried on shoulders and then planted. Now the tradition has changed and trees are planted, one for each peña, there are approximately 12 peñas, but the highlight of that night is the so-called JUANA that he who is not from here does not know. La Juana consists of a lemonade, but it is not just any lemonade, rather it has a lot of mixtures such as wine, whiskey forty-three, coke, punch and other drinks and lots of ice. We were also known for our crocodile races, locals know what we mean. Unfortunately many of these festivities have been lost

• February 5: Santa Águeda

The tradition of the women of Villarmayor is that the day before their party they go out to the fields with wheelbarrows to collect firewood and pruning remains to make a bonfire on the night before Santa Águeda as a tradition to burn all the bad things of the year and that what is missing in the year is better.