History

The origin of the village of Almensilla is closely linked to Arab culture. It was originally an alquería or farmstead, that is, a collection of houses belonging to Serra-al-Mensi, an Arab landowner settled in this area. Given the vast underwater resources of this area, the Arabs considered it the perfect place for a settlement, as they were guaranteed water to irrigate their crops and for domestic use.

Although some historians associate the name of this town with that of the Arab owner of the farmstead, its origin is still today a subject of debate, as others maintain that the name actually comes from the word mensilla, meaning "small plateau" in Latin. The Arabs subsequently added the prefix Al, and the two words merged into ‘Almensilla’ after the Christian reconquest.

Together with other neighbouring towns in the region, in the 17th century it formed part of the domains of the powerful Count-Duke of Olivares, the favourite of King Philip IV of Spain.

During the Middle Ages, the village of Almensilla came under the control of the neighbouring town of Palomares del Río, from whom it gained its independence in 1837, when it set up its own town council.

It is currently in the throes of a considerable population increase due to the town planning revolution which began in the late 20th and early 21st century, when it received a large influx of new residents from the capital in search of affordable housing in the area around Aljarafe.