Hellín
Municipality in Castilla–La Mancha, Spain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Municipality in Castilla–La Mancha, Spain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hellín is a city and municipality of Spain located in the province of Albacete, Castilla–La Mancha.[2] The municipality spans across a total area of 781.66 km2.[2] As of 1 January 2020, it has a population of 30,200,[2] which makes it the second largest municipality in the province. It belongs to the comarca of Campos de Hellín.
Hellín | |
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Coordinates: 38°31′0″N 1°41′00″W | |
Country | Spain |
Autonomous community | Castilla–La Mancha |
Province | Albacete |
Government | |
• Mayor | Ramón García Rodríguez (PSOE-CLM) |
Area | |
• Total | 781.66 km2 (301.80 sq mi) |
Elevation | 555 m (1,821 ft) |
Population (2018)[1] | |
• Total | 30,268 |
• Density | 39/km2 (100/sq mi) |
Demonym | Hellineros or Ilunenses |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 02400 |
Website | Official website |
There is an archaeological site at Tolmo de Minateda hill near Hellín, with phases of Iberian, Roman and Visigoth occupation.[3] There are archaeological evidences suggesting that the Minateda site may have stood at some point at the Byzantine side of the limes.[4] A tentative identification with the Iyih mentioned in the Pact of Theodemir has been also proposed.[5] Minateda was thus probably known as Madinat Iyyuh during the Islamic period.[6] The Arabic name of Hellín was however Falyān, which eventually evolved into 'Felín', and then 'Hellín'.[6]
The importance of the Sulfur-rich mining district in the south of the municipality led to the creation of a mining community in the area (Las Minas), that became a leading producer of sulfur in southwestern Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries.[7]
Railway arrived to the town in 1864, with the opening of the Chinchilla–Hellín stretch on 18 January and the Hellín–Agramón stretch on 8 October.[8]
Hellín was granted the title of city (ciudad) in 1898.[9] Esparto cultivation increased in the first decades of the 20th century, peaking in importance during the Autarky period of the Francoist dictatorship, with the expansion of irrigated crops.[10]
Main celebrations, such as the processions and the traditional tamborada (drumming), declared of international tourist interest, occur during the Holy Week (in Spanish, Semana Santa).
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