Aranda de Duero

Aranda de Duero
Aranda de Duero
	Municipality and city
Villa de Aranda
	Aerial view of Aranda de Duero (right), with the industrial parks in the foreground
; Flag	; Seal
	Location of Aranda de Duero municipality in Burgos province; Location of Aranda de Duero municipality in Burgos province
Autonomous community	Castile and León
Province	Burgos
Comarca	Ribera del Duero
Founded	961
Government
• Mayor	Raquel González Benito (PP)
Area
• Total	127.28 km2 (49.14 sq mi)
• Land	126 km2 (49 sq mi)
Elevation	798 m (2,618 ft)
Population (2012)
• Total	33,459
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	09400
Rivers	Arandilla, Duero, Bañuelos
Demonym	Arandino/a
Website	http://www.arandadeduero.es/

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Aranda de Duero is a Spanish city and municipality in the south of the province of Burgos, autonomous community of Castile and León. It has a population of roughly 33,000 people. The post code for the town is 09400. The closest airport is in Burgos.

The municipality of Aranda de Duero is made up of three towns: Aranda de Duero (seat or capital), La Aguilera and Sinovas.

Aranda de Duero is the capital of the Ribera del Duero wine region. The town is unique for having wine cellars that interconnect below the streets of the town centre. Wine clubs (peñas) celebrate special events in these cellars.

Aranda de Duero is at the junction of several transport routes across Spain. The N1 autovía (known as A-1) runs north / south by Aranda, along which visitors and import/export goods travel between Madrid and the south coast. Another important road running east to west connects Portugal with important cities on the way (e.g. Zamora, Valladolid, Soria) and the east coast. Its location at the juncture of these routes has led to Aranda de Duero acquiring a growing recognition and function as a business centre. Several multinational corporations, such as Michelin and GlaxoSmithKline have large facilities in the area.

A dish called "Lechazo" is a local speciality. This is roast baby lamb and is usually served with a basic salad and lots of "torta" bread for dipping in the meat juices.

Council of Aranda

An ecclesiastical synod was held at Aranda in the province of Burgos in Spain, in 1473, by Alfonso Carillo, Archbishop of Toledo, to overcome the ignorance and evil lives of ecclesiastics. Among the twenty-nine canons of the council is one which says that orders shall not be conferred on those who are ignorant of Latin. Several canons deal with clerical concubinage, simony, clandestine marriages, etc.

Culture

Festivals and events

The Fiestas to honour la Virgen de las Viñas (Our Lady of the Vines) take place on the first Sunday after the 8th of September. They last for nine days from the eve of that Sunday (the Big Day) until the following Sunday when the Fiestas end with the traditional fireworks at midnight, followed by “the sardine burial”.

Gallery of Images - Aranda de Duero

Principal facade of Santa María la Real Church.
Santa María la Real church, built during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Principal facade of Santa María la Real Church.
Interior of Santa María la Real Church.
Interior of Santa María la Real Church.
Interior of Santa María la Real Church.
Principal facade of Santa María la Real Church.
Santa María la Real Church.

Underground Wine Caves in Aranda de Duero

Stairs cut into rock leading to an underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero
Stairs cut into rock in an underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero
Wine Storage in an Underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero
Underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero
Underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero
Underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero
Underground Wine Cave in Aranda de Duero

Places of interest

Santa María la Real is a church built by Simon de Colonia during the 15th and 16th centuries. Its most notable feature is the main doorway. Above the doorway, three carved stone reliefs show Christ carrying the Cross, The Crucifixion and The Resurrection. The doorway is topped by the coat of arms of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. Aranda's own coats of arms is also present along with scenes from the Nativity and other Christian celebrations. Due to their deterioration, the church doors have been replaced by exact copies, the original ones are kept in the Museo Sacro.

San Juan, a church, older than Santa Maria and gothic in style, San Juan still has its fortified defensive tower. The Council of Aranda took place in San Juan in 1473. Nowadays San Juan houses the Museo Sacro.

The Virgen de las Viñas Sanctuary is a 17th-century hermitage. It is situated on a small hill to the north of the town. The patron saint of the town is the Virgen de las Viñas, the local legend says that she was found in a vineyard, hence the name.

The Train museum is situated in the old train station “Chelva” and documents the history of Spanish railways.

The Pottery museum houses pottery from all over Spain, with the largest collection from Castile and León.

Hermitage of Our Lady of the Vines (Virgen de las Viñas).

The Berdugo's palace is a Renaissance mansion.

Bodegas; under the town centre there is a labyrinth of cellars, they were dug between the 12th and 17th centuries. Their original purpose was to store the food and wine that makes the Ribera del Duero famous. Nowadays the Cellars are home to the “Peñas”, cultural associations whose main function is to preserve the cellars, organise social events and ensure the whole of the population enjoy the Fiestas.

San Juan de la Vera Cruz Parish Church.

San Nicolas de Bari is a church in the village of Sinovas.

The Conchuela Bridge.

The Roman Bridge is situated next to the San Juan Church.

The Humilladero is a stone monument on the route to Las Viñas Sanctuary.

Isilla street is the main pedestrian thoroughfare of the town. Local tradition has it that anyone living in Aranda will walk along this street every day.