Valdemaqueda

 Valdemaqueda is a small village of approximately 700 inhabitants located at the western end of the Madrid Community. It is situated in a valley surrounded by three hills, and this area borders on Avila province in the west and the towns of Robledo de Chavela and Santa María de la Alameda in the east. The village is situated 70 Km from Madrid city and there is a good communications system, either by train, or by road, with a frequent bus service. The first written document in which the name of the village is mentioned is proof of its existence during Visigoth and Arab periods, since “Valde” is an abbreviation in Castilian romance language meaning “Valley of” and “maqueda” is an Arab word meaning “stability”. Even from the Roman domination period, we still have some historical vestiges, like the Roman bridges over the Cofio River: “Puente Mocha” still in a good state of conservation and “Puente Tabla”, of which only some remains of the pillars are kept. After the Christian reconquest, the Castilian king Alfonso X “El Sabio” appointed in 1275 the repopulation of this area to a territorial knighthood order from Avila. Further reorganizations during the successive Austria’s reigns and Borbones, left Valdemaqueda within the Avila province in 1798. It is in 1833, when it is incorporated to the province of Madrid. Several economic activities have been developed in this village throughout its history: glass ovens during the Middle Ages, or a strong use of pine resin in the early 20th Century. Nowadays, the main activities in Valdemaqueda are based on services and rural tourism.