Miranda del Castañar

Miranda del Castañar is a municipality located in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 576 inhabitants.The town of Miranda del Castañar is labeled "Historic-Artistic Grouping" for being part of the Spanish national system of heritage listing. The town is set on a mountainside and is encircled by a medieval wall with four gates. To the south and the east stand the Gates of Saint Postigo and Saint Genesius respectively. To the west stands the Gate of Nuestra Señora de la Cuesta (Our Lady of the slope), the town's patron saint whose festivity is celebrated on either 8 or 9 September. Finally, the Town Gate stands in the north. The most noteworthy monument is the Castle of Miranda del Castañar.The current castle was rebuilt in the early 14th century over the remains of an older castle dating from the 12th. There is a coat of arms belonging to the House of Zuñiga engraved in the westernmost part of the castle. Some parts well preserved are the castle wall, a parapet walk, and some footbridges. The Castle is eyewitness to a past splendor time. The town was founded in the 12th century by the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem and was reinforced by the repopulating carried out by the king Alfonso IX of León in the 13th century. Currently, the castle belongs to the town council, but it first belonged to the Duchess of Alba, who also owns the title of Countess of Miranda del Castañar and donated the castle to the town council in 1954.