Saldaña, Palencia

Saldaña is the principal town of the fertile Palencia plains in Spain, and may be the town of "Eldana" mentioned by the historian Ptolemy as being conquered by the Roman Empire.The town's connection to the Roman Era is reflected in the beautiful remains of a villa attributed to the emperor Theodosius I.From the 10th to the 11th century, Saldaña was the seat of a family of powerful counts, the Banu Gómez. The medieval counts of Saldaña figure in local history and literature. Anachronistically, they appear in tales related to the exploits of the semi-legendary figure Bernardo del Carpio, while their legendary scions, the Infantes de Carrión, prove rivals of the hero in the Cantar de Mio Cid. It was here in 1149 that Berenguela of Barcelona died.Saldaña is also known for its popular open-air market day held each Tuesday in the town's central plaza.