377 



CASTILLA LA NUEVA. 



CASTILLA LA NUEVA. 



378 



Madrid, Toledo, and Guadalajara, occupy the northern portion of the 

 province, Cuen^a and Ciudad Real (La Maucha) the southern. 



Surface. The northern boundary of Castilla la Nueva is formed for 

 the moat part by a range of high mountains, which, sweeping rounc 

 from the mountain mass of the Moncayo, on the borders of Aragon 

 extends in a west-south-west direction to the Tagus in Estremadura 

 Thia mountain range at the western end is named the Sierra de Gata, 

 Sierra de Gredos, and Sierra de Avila ; north of Madrid it is name;; 

 the Sierra de Guadarrama, the Somosierra, and the Sierra de Guada 

 lajara. Farther east it is called the Sierra de Deza, which is connected 

 with the lofty sandstone mass of the Moncayo. It forms an unbroken 

 chain which prevents all direct communication northward from 

 Madrid, except by the lofty pass of the Somosierra. Two other roads 

 however extending in a north-east direction cross the Guadalajara 

 range, and uniting before they reach Calatayud, lead to Zaragozn 

 The summits of several parts of this mountain range are covered with 

 Bnow all the year. Another mountain range of less elevation than the 

 former commences also at the mountain knot of Moncayo, anc 

 entering Castilla la Nueva near the sources of the Tagus, takes first 

 the name of the Sierra Molina and afterwards that of the Montanas de 

 Toledo. The general direction of this series of mountains is from 

 east-north-east to west-south-west, and they divide the province into 

 two extensive plains. The more northern has a uniform inclination 

 from east to west, and is watered by the Tagus and its tributaries. 

 The southern plain, which is separated from Andalucia by the Sierra 

 Morena [ANDALUCIA], has not a uniform inclination, the eastern part 

 having a southern elope, while the western part has a general slope 

 towards the west. The Sierra Molina taking a south-west direction 

 separates into two ridges, one running west and joining the Moutanas 

 de Toledo, the other, called the Sierra de Cuena, running south to 

 the Sierra de Alcaraz, in the south-east of La Mancha. 



The mountains consist chiefly of limestones, marble?, clay-slates, 

 and gypsum. The province is rich in minerals, but they have not 

 been wrought to any extent, with the exception of salt, iron, jasper, 

 in the quarries near Cuenca, and quicksilver, in the great mine oi 

 Almaden. [ALSHDEN.] 



Riven. The northern plain of Castilla la Nueva, comprising the 

 provinces of Madrid, Toledo, and Guadalajara, is drained by the Tagus 

 (in Spanish Tajo) and its numerous tributaries, which before they 

 reach the city of Toledo flow for the most part in a west-south-west 

 direction across the great plain ; but the Tagus, after passing Toledo, 

 runs through a deep and long valley walled in on both sides by lofty 

 mountains, offsets from the Montanas de Toledo on the south, and 

 from the Sierra de Gredos on the north. The principal feeders of the 

 Tagus, in Castilla la Nueva, are, on the northern bank, the Tajuna, 

 the Henares, and the Jarama, which enter the Tagus by one channel 

 near Aranjuez; the Guadarrama, which enters it below Toledo; and 

 the Albcrche, which enters it a little above Talavera de la Reyna. On 

 the southern bank the Cedron and the Algodar unite, and fall into 

 the Tagus above the city of Toledo ; below, a large number of short 

 tributaries reach it from the Montanas de Toledo. Neither the Tagus 

 nor any of its tributaries is navigable in this province. 



The southern plain, comprising the provinces of Cuenca and Ciudad 

 Real, or La Mancha, is drained chiefly by the Guadiana and its tribu- 

 taries, which have a general western direction, and by the Jucar and 

 its tributaries, which flow to the south and east, passing through 

 Murcia and Valencia to the Mediterranean Sea. The Guadiana rises 

 about 39 N. lat., and after making a curve towards the south, runs 

 north-west past Argamasilla; below this it flows underground for 

 about 15 miles, reappearing through a series of small hikes called 

 the Ojos de Guadiana (Eyes of the Guadiana) a little above the town 

 of Daimiel, near which it receives the Giguela on the northern bank 

 and the Azuer on the southern ; thence its course is west till it receives 

 the Cambron from the north, after which it takes a southern direction 

 till the Jabalon enters it from the south-east, when its course becomes 

 west, and having received the Bullacho from the north enters Estre- 

 madura. It is not navigable in any part of this province. The 

 Jucar rises in the Sierra Molina, and flowing south receives the Jura, 

 and then turning east enters Valencia, where it receives the Cabriel 

 with its tributaries the Moya and Guadazaon. 



Climate and Productions. The climate is dry and healthy, but 

 owing to the elevation of the surface the winter is very cold. In 

 summer the heat is great ; violent winds sweep the plains, which then 

 become dry and dusty. The soil is generally fertile, and produces 

 abundant crops of wheat. Water is scarce, the average fall of rain on 

 the table-land being only ten inches. There are few trees, and the 

 plains being without hedges or inclosures of any kind have a cheerless 

 and monotonous aspect. The slopes of the mountains and the valleys 

 afford plentiful pasture to large flocks of sheep. Cattle and horses 

 are also reared, but not in large numbers. Mules and asses are 

 numerous and of great beauty. The principal objects of cultivation 

 besides wheat are olive-oil, wine, fruita, saffron, honey, hemp, silk, and 

 garbanzos, a sort of pea much used for food. The wines of Almagro 

 and Val de Penas are in high estimation. Wood for fuel is scarce 

 except in the vicinity of the mountain forest*, which contain plenty 

 of timber and smaller wood, but are difficult of approach for want 

 of good roads, in consequence of which almost the only means of 

 transport for all kinds of pro-.luce i.i on tlu bucks of rmilcs. The 



manufactures consist mostly of coarse cloths and other articles of 

 common use. 



Towns. Madrid is the capital of the kingdom of Spain, of the 

 ancient province of Castilla la Neuva, and of the modem province 

 of Madrid. [MADRID.] AtCald de Henares. [ALCALA BE HENARES.] 

 Arganda, 16 miles S.E. from Madrid, has a population of 3800. It 

 stands in a fertile district between the rivers Jarama and Tajuna. 

 Eacorial, 24 miles N.W. from Madrid, stands on the southern slope 

 of the Sierra de Guadarrama : the population is about 1500. The 

 town grew up round the magnificent monastery of San Lorenzo, 

 founded by Philip II. The ground-plan of the building is in the form 

 of a gridiron. It contains a fine collection of paintings ; a library rich 

 in ancient and especially in Arabic manuscripts ; and vaults in which 

 are the tombs and monuments of some of the kings and queens of 

 Spain. A royal residence is attached to it. The grounds are beauti- 

 fully laid out, planted with trees, and adorned with fountains. 



Toledo is the capital of the province of Toledo. [TOLEDO.] A Icazar dc 

 San Juan, 57 miles S.E. from Toledo, is a small town, in the neighbour- 

 hood of which are mines of iron, and which has saltpetre-works and 

 powder-mills. Aranjuez, 25 miles N.E. from Toledo and 28 miles S. 

 by E. from Madrid, stands on the south bank of the Tagus, and con- 

 tains a royal palace and gardens : the permanent population is about 

 4000. The situation is beautiful, and is much resorted to in summer. 

 The town contains a large bull-arena (Plaza de Toros), a theatre, arid 

 numerous hotels, cafe's, and public walks. Consucgra, 35 miles S.E. 

 from Toledo, stands on the Amarguilla. There are remains of an 

 ancient castle and Roman, antiquities. Coarse woollens are manu- 

 factured : the population is about 5000. Hei-encia, 54 miles S.E. from 

 Toledo, stands on the southern bank of the Amarguilla. It is a con- 

 siderable town, with manufactures of soap and a large weekly market : 

 population, 6400. Madridejos, 42 miles S.E. from Toledo, is situated 

 near the northern bank of the Armaguilla, which sometimes overflows 

 and damages the town. It is an ancient well-built town, with two 

 parish churches. It has manufactures of serge and a largo annual 

 fair : population, 6000. Saffron is largely cultivated in the vicinity. 

 Talavera de la Reyna, 45 miles W. from Toledo, stands on the northern 

 bank of the Tagus. It is surrounded by walls flanked with towers. It 

 contains eight churches and a college, and has manufactures of earthen- 

 ware, leather, and soap : population, 8000. The Tagus is here crossed 

 by a stone bridge. In the vicinity was fought the battle of Talavera, 

 July 27th and 28th, 1809. Tarancon, 60 miles W.N.W. from Toledo, 

 stands near the northern bank of the Rianzares : population. 5000. 



Guadalajara is the capital of the province of Guadalajara. It is 

 35 miles N.E. from Madrid, and stands on the eastern bank of the 

 Henares. The town is large, but ill-built ; it contains however several 

 imposing edifices, among which are eight churches, a fine old palace 

 of the Mendoxas, and a royal cloth manufactory : population about 

 7000. Guadalajara is the chief town of the fine pastoral and wheat 

 district called the Alcarria, which is an Arabic word meaning ' a place 

 of farms.' Briguega, 20 miles N.E. from Guadalajara, stands on the 

 west bank of the Tajuna, also in the district of Alcarria. It is an 

 old town, with a population of 5000. Siguenza, 40 miles N.N.W. 

 from Guadalajara, stands on the left bank of the Henares. It is an 

 ancient episcopal town, and contains a large gothic cathedral richly 

 decorated hi the interior, and containing several fine monuments. 

 There are three other churches, a college, and two hospitals :' popu- 

 lation, 5000. 



Cuenca is the chief town of the department of Cuen9a, It is 90 

 miles E.S.E from Madrid. It stands on a high hill not far from the 

 Jucar, and has a population of 8000. It is the seat of a bishop, and 

 has a large handsome and richly-decorated cathedral. The town is 

 surrounded by walls, is well supplied with water, and has some woollen 

 factories, paper-mills, and establishments for washing wool. Iniesta, 

 orHiniesfa, 48 miles S.S.E. from Cuenca, contains a fine parish church, 

 and has manufactures of coarse woollens : population, 4000. There 

 are some jasper-quarries in the neighbourhood. About two miles E. 

 from Minglanitta, a village with 1500 inhabitants, there are very 

 extensive mines of pure rock-salt. Molina de Aragon, 65 miles N. by 

 E. from Cuena, stands on a slope overlooking the Gallo, a small 

 stream. It is surrounded by walls, and has a castle. A large part 

 of the *own was burnt by the French in 1810. There are manufac- 

 tures of cloth and soap, and it has a good trade in corn and wool : 

 population, 4000. Molina originally belonged to Aragon, but was 

 incorporated with Castilla in 1293. Requena, 70 miles S.E. from 

 Cueu(;a, is situated on an elevation which overlooks a rich plain. It 

 contains two gothic churches, and has manufactures of woollen, cotton, 

 and silk : population, 11,000. Utid, 9 miles N.W. from Requena, has 

 manufactures of hemp, linen, silk, soap, and leather : population, 

 6000. 



Ciudad Real is the capital of the province of Ciudad Real, which 

 comprises the greatest part of the old province of La Mancha. It is 

 a city, 97 miles S. from Madrid, and stands in a plain between the 

 Jabalon and the Guadiana, on the road from Madrid to Cordova. It 

 a surrounded by walls, is tolerably well built, and has 10,000 inhabit- 

 ants. In the Plaza Mayor there is a large bull-arena. The town 

 ias three lino churches, a college, and five hospitals, ono of which, 

 founded by Cardinal Lorenzaua, is a noble building. A great fair 

 for cattle, mulen, and asses is held yearly. Almaden is celebrated for 



