Escalona
Escalona is a municipality located in the north of the province of Toledo, which in turn is part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2017 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 3,240 inhabitants, many of whom are settled in several housing estates outside the town itself.
Escalona | |
|---|---|
| Escalona del Alberche | |
|
Flag Coat of arms | |
Escalona Location of Escalona within Castilla-La Mancha | |
| Coordinates: 40°10′15″N 4°24′19″W | |
| Country | Spain |
| Autonomous community | Castilla-La Mancha |
| Province | Toledo |
| Comarca | Torrijos |
| Judicial district | Torrijos |
| Founded | Ver texto |
| Government | |
| • Alcalde | Álvaro Gutiérrez Prieto (2007) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 73 km2 (28 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 550 m (1,800 ft) |
| Population (2018)[1] | |
| • Total | 3,199 |
| • Density | 44/km2 (110/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Escaloneros |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 45910 |
| Dialing code | 925 |
| Website | Official website |
The town lies 30 metres above the right bank of the river Alberche, in the comarca of Torrijos, which is a part of the historical region of New Castile.
History
Escalona's strategic location, on the Alberche river and between Avila and Toledo, suggests there may have been a fortress there in Roman times or during the Visigoth period. Following the conquest of Toledo (1085), by Alfonso VI of León and Castile, it was a key defensive point against raids by the Almoravides and Almohades that attacked the place in 1131, 1137 and, again, in 1196.[2]
The Mudéjar-style Castle of Escalona, built in the 15th century,[2] is the most characteristic building of the town.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1,272 | — |
| 1910 | 1,553 | +22.1% |
| 1920 | 1,634 | +5.2% |
| 1930 | 1,758 | +7.6% |
| 1940 | 1,821 | +3.6% |
| 1950 | 1,806 | −0.8% |
| 1960 | 1,643 | −9.0% |
| 1970 | 1,429 | −13.0% |
| 1981 | 1,537 | +7.6% |
| 1991 | 1,763 | +14.7% |
| 2001 | 2,193 | +24.4% |
| 2011 | 3,540 | +61.4% |
| 2021 | 3,441 | −2.8% |
| 2023 | 3,669 | +6.6% |
| Source: INE[3][4] | ||
Twin towns
- Villena, Spain
- Peñafiel, Spain
Notable people
- Juan Manuel (1282–1348), writer
- Esteban de Aguilar y Zúñiga, theologian
References
- Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
- (in Spanish) Sureda Pons, Joan, ed. (1998). España Gótica: Castilla-La Mancha, pp. 142-5. Ediciones Encuentro. ISBN 8474905095. Google Books. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
- "Toledo(3078)". INE (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
- "Toledo: Población por municipios y sexo. (2902)". INE (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-02-19.
External links
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) website
- Official website of the Diputación Provincial de Toledo