Bolaños de Calatrava

History

The first settlement dates back to Roman times. The area became a strategic point for trade and communication, linking Toledo with Córdoba and Mérida with the Mediterranean Sea. Bolaños Castle was built to provide housing and protection on the road from Toledo to Córdoba. Possession of the city was contested by the Taifa of Córdoba, the Taifa of Seville and the Taifa of Toledo, after the fragmentation of Al-Andalus. During the Reconquista, the region was in a constant state of siege and battle. With the Christian victory at Las Navas de Tolosa (1212), the area began to repopulate. The city's villa was owned by Berenguela of Castile. In 1229, she donated the village to the Order of Calatrava. This grant was confirmed by Fernando III el Santo and later by Alfonso X el Sabio. Bolaños had large Islamic and Jewish populations until the expulsion of members of these religions in 1492, at which point many of them converted to Christianity.

Geography

The city lies within small Paleozoic mountain ranges, surrounded by shallow creeks, including the Pellejero and de Cuetos. It also lies within a volcanic zone (la Yezosa), which lies upon a quartzite sierra, similar to the zones of Olot and Cabo de Gata in the Iberian Peninsula.

Most-observed species

• Eurasian Magpie

  Pica pica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  463
• Crested Lark

  Galerida cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  451
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  431
• Spotless Starling

  Sturnus unicolor Temminck, 1820 · Aves
  414
• corn bunting

  Emberiza calandra Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  406
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  331
• European Goldfinch

  Carduelis carduelis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  298
• Pin-tailed Sandgrouse

  Pterocles alchata (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  295

Most recent

• M 4.5 — 2015-02-23
  12 km NNE of Ossa de Montiel, Spain
• M 3.5 — 2008-05-06
  5 km E of Tembleque, Spain
• M 2.9 — 2008-04-28
  Spain
• M 4.1 — 2008-04-28
  4 km ENE of Tembleque, Spain
• M 3.2 — 2008-02-26
  1 km NE of Tembleque, Spain
• M 3 — 2008-02-23
  4 km ENE of Tembleque, Spain