Palacios y Villafranca, Los

Town of remote origins located in the southern part of the province, amongst fields of cereals, olive trees and rice marshes in the south.

In the town the typical white houses are characterised by wrought iron balconies and window bars which reach street level. Its most important monuments are the Church of Santa María la Blanca, the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de la Aurora and the Chapel of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios.

History

The town is the result of the merger of two others.
It seems that Los Palacios might be olf Tartessian origin.
During the Roman domination it was called Searotinos and was entitled to coin its own money.
During the period of Al-Andalus it was called Zaracatín.
It was abandoned following the Christian reconquest and became a hunting centre.
The king Pedro I of Castille used the palace of Atayuela for recreational purposes. It would later belong to the duchy of Arcos.
Villafranca, on the other hand, was founded by Alphonso XI and granted to Diego López de Arnedo. It was called Villafranca because it was founded with the privilege of being exempt from taxes, in other words "villa franca".
It belonged to the same family until Carlos III annexed it to the crown.
The two villages merged into one in 1836. Up until that time they were separated by a street in which a stone cross was used as a court where disputes between the villages were resolved.
Eminent citizens
Joaquín Romero Murube, poet and writer.