Venta de Baños

Venta de Baños
Municipality
Church of San Juan Bautista, founded in 661 AD
Church of San Juan Bautista, founded in 661 AD
Coat of arms of Venta de Baños
Coat of arms
Venta de Baños is located in Castile and León
Venta de Baños
Venta de Baños
Location in Spain
Venta de Baños is located in Spain
Venta de Baños
Venta de Baños
Venta de Baños (Spain)
Coordinates: 41°56′N 4°30′W / 41.933°N 4.500°W / 41.933; -4.500
Country Spain
Autonomous community Castile and León
Province Palencia
ComarcaEl Cerrato
Judicial districtPalencia
CommonwealthEl Cerrato
Founded1860
Government
 • MayorConsolación Pablos Labajo (2007) (PSOE)
Area
 • Total
14.25 km2 (5.50 sq mi)
Elevation
723 m (2,372 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total
6,363
 • Density450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Venteños, Ventabañenses
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
34200
Official language(s)Spanish
WebsiteOfficial website

Venta de Baños is a small town and municipality of about 6,400 inhabitants located in the Cerrato district of the province of Palencia, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León in central Spain. It lies some 10 km south of the provincial capital, Palencia. Noteworthy monuments include the medieval Church of San Juan Bautista (St John the Baptist) which is believed to be Visigothic.

RENFE (Spanish National Railways) and the Grupo SIRO food-sector company are the main employers in the municipality.

In popular culture and among Spanish railway travellers, Venta de Baños has traditionally had the same sort of iconic status as other great railway junctions of the world, such as Crewe in the UK. Before the advent of dedicated high-speed rail routes and cheaper air travel, it was the principal transfer point for travellers between the north-east and north-west regions of Spain and the south. Generations of railway passengers have memories of the waiting rooms and cafeteria at Venta de Baños.

The town hosts an annual international cross country running competition, the Cross Internacional de Venta de Baños, which has featured some of the world's foremost cross country athletes including Kenenisa Bekele and Palencian-born Marta Domínguez.[2]

Twin towns - sister cities

References

  1. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. ^ 25 años de historia (in Spanish) (25 Years of History). Venta de Baños. Retrieved on 2009-12-27.