CITY COUNCIL
Santiurde de Toranzo
Contact
Santiurde de Toranzo Town Hall
Barrio La Portilla, 1
39698 Santiurde de Toranzo
Phone: 942 597 542
Fax: 942 597 680
Web: https://www.ayto-santiurde.com/
E-mail: aytosantiurde@ayto-santiurde.com
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There is no better way of getting to know Santiurde de Tozando than visiting the numerous reminders of ancient inventions, flour mills and hydraulic forges scattered through the municipality. These buildings that are larger in number than in other areas of the region, were frequently destroyed by the floods of Pas river and then rebuilt, until during 19th century when they fell into disuse.
General placement:
31,5 Km from Santander, is located on the oriental margin of the valley of Toranzo, crossed by Pas river and flanked by mountain lines that separate it from the Besaya and Pisueña regions. Limits north with Puente Viesgo, Castañeda and Santa María de Cayón; east with Corvera de Toranzo; south with Luena, and west with the ends of Vega de Pas, Villacarriedo and Villafufre.
Population: 1.461 Extension: 36,8 Km2 Altitude: 73-876 m.
Towns: Acereda · Bárcena · Iruz · Pando · Penilla · San Martín · Santiurde de Toranzo · Vejorís · Villasevil
Capital town: Santiurde de Toranzo
Festivities:
[MEC id=”1613″]
This municipality is located on the oriental margin of the wide valley of Toranzo, crossed by Pas rivercourse and flanked by the mounts that separate it from Besaya river from the west and Pisueña river from the east.
The mountain line that closes Manzano range is crowned by Berana (886 m), Collado Tablao (804 m) and Cavillas (469 m). Regarding its original oak, beech, aldre and maple vegetation there are not many strongholds: the Cagigal del Carmen, in San Martín de Toranzo, and a small oak grove in Villasevil. Are aboundant, however, monumental trees, standing out Los Hoyos, in Soto and Iruz: there grow singular exemplaries like an enourmous holm oak, known as “La Encinona”, a big oak, a sequoia, a Monterrey cypress, a banana walk, as well as varied palmettos, palm trees, Indian chestnuts, bay trees, poplars, chestnut trees, etc. Pas rivercourse, trout and salmon wealthy, has been declared Communitary Importance Place (LIC) inside of Red Natura 2000.
Municipal website: www.ayto-santiurde.com
Municipal services: See map
- Religious heritage: in Iruz is located the Franciscan monastery of Our Lady of El Soto, one of the most important religious architecture shows in the valley of Toranzo, and dominated by a slender, octagonal tower, example of late-Gothic tradition in Cantabria. There are some Roman examples: Saint Cecilia in Villasevil and La Asunción in Acereda.
- Civil architectural heritage: there are remnants of stately architecture from the Modern Age. The most important is the House of Sancho Ruiz de Villegas, Renaissance construction built in 16th century and declared Cultural Interest Good in 1992.
- Industrial heritage: in the municipality there have been numerous mills that benefitted from hydraulic energy for centuries in the Pas river. Some documented are in Acereda, Vejorís, Iruz and San Martín. Other hydraulic inventions were the forges, of which there is record thanks to the one in Vega del Prado, in La Bárcena, and the one in La Rabia, in Vejorís; these functioned between 17th and 19th centuries. Are also of interest the bridges along Pas river, like the one in Vejorís or that of “la Unión Deseada” (the Desired Union), in Santiurde de Toranzo.
In Santiurde de Toranzo there is a balance between the different sectors that the active population occupy, although there is a predominance of livestock farming activities. On the establishments from the limiting municipalities, however, there is a proliferation of secondary sector jobs. This municipality lived an early and fast livestock farming specialisation oriented to milk production, although also having a great number of ovine cattle. Lastly, services are oriented to the communicative infrastructure that is the national road Santander-Burgos.
- Medieval temples of Iruz, Villasevil and Acereda: the visit to these three towns, by car or by bike, lets us see the valuable temples of Our Lady of El Soto, Saint Cecila and La Asunción. It is said that in Saint Cecilia took place, in 1497, the marriage between Prince Juan, unfortunated child of the Catholic Monarcs of Spain, and his betrothed, the archduchess Margaret of Flanders.
- Stately architecture: after visiting Renaissance House of Sancho Ruiz de Villegas, built in 16th century, and the House of Escalante, in Vejorís stands out the portal that gives access to the House of Obregón. The House of Vargas and the Tower of Bustillo, in Penilla, are also worthy of admiration.
