Espinosa de los Monteros

Espinosa de los Monteros is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain, with a population of c. 2,100 inhabitants.

The village is spread over a large rural area at the southern outskirts of a mountainous area of the Cantabrian Mountains.

History

First settlements in the area date from the Bronze and Iron Age, but its modern settling and location officially started with the town charter given by Alfonso VI of León to repopulate it after its war destruction during the early 11th century.

It is home to the ancient Royal Guard of the "Gentlemen of the Chamber" since its founding in 1008 by Sancho García of Castile of the early local counts dynasty.

Espinosa is said to be the birthplace of Miguel de Espinoza, father of the famous philosopher Baruch Spinoza.

Main sights

• Palacio de Chiloeches, in Renaissance style, built from 1600. It is chacterized by a façade with two towers surmounted by small spires.
• Church of St. Eulalia
• Church of St. Cecilia
• Torre de los Velascos
• Torre Berrueza
• Torre de los Monters (14th century)
• Fernández-Villa palace, in Renaissance style
• Torre de los Azulejos (16th century)

Economy

The main activities and industries have been related to military career services, stockbreeding mostly of cattle and as a regional hub of transportation due its geography, currently are intensified around dairy products and as modern commercial and services local center of its area and smaller neighbor communities of the wider valley. It is developing a small recreation tourism focused in its rugged and preserved mountain attractions. In winter, due to its heavy snowfalls, it runs a modest ski resort mostly catering to the neighbor coastal major cities day and weekend tourism.