Soto del Real

Soto del Real, whose former name was Chozas de la Sierra, is a town and municipality in the northern area of the autonomous Community of Madrid which had 8,294 inhabitants in 2009.43 kilometers away from Madrid, the capital city, it is located between the towns of Manzanares el Real and Miraflores de la Sierra, and close to the Santillana reservoir.HistoryThe first evidence of settlements in Soto del Real dates from the 10th century, with archeological remains of houses and ceramics attributed to shepherds.During the 13th century, the area encompassing Colmenar Viejo, Chozas de la Sierra and Porquerizas (Miraflores de la Sierra) was a source of legal conflict between the provinces of Madrid and Segovia, with John I of Castile incorporating Chozas to the municipality of El Real de Manzanres in 1389.In 1568 Philip II of Spain exempted Chozas from El Real de Manzanares.The name Soto del Real has been in use since a 1959 vote in which the local population chose the name over Alameda de la Sierra or its historic one, Chozas de la Sierra. The town's coat of arms makes reference to both of the town's names.