Contamina

Contamina is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain to the west of the Sierra de Padros, in the upper valley of the river Jalón, a tributary of the Ebro. At the 2008 census (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) the municipality had a population of 42 inhabitants. In 1930 the population was 252.^[2] The 16th-century parish church is dedicated to St Bartholomew and is constructed in the baroque style. It has a notable 16th-century altar depicting the life of Saint Bartholomew in eight panels.^[3]

Country

Spain

TimezoneUTC+1 (CET)

Websitehttp://www.ayto-contamina.com/

Quick facts Country, Autonomous community ...

Contamina
municipality

Flag Coat of arms
Contamina Location within Aragon Show map of Aragon Contamina Location within Spain Show map of Spain Contamina Location within Europe Show map of Europe
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Aragon
Province	Zaragoza
Comarca	Comunidad de Calatayud
Area
• Total	13 km² (5.0 sq mi)
Population (2025-01-01)^[1]
• Total	34
• Density	2.6/km² (6.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Website	http://www.ayto-contamina.com/

The novel Secuestro y fonda de Cela en Contamina by José de Cora, is set in the Contamina; it is a fictional history of the kidnapping of 1989 Nobel Prize winner Camilo José Cela by three local inhabitants.^[4]

Two kilometres to the east lies the spa town of Alhama de Aragón. The main highway between Zaragoza and Madrid skirts the northern edge of the settlement. This is a rural community with arable and fruit farms. There is a restaurant and a casa rural (self catering accommodation).^[5]^[6]

A few kilometres to the south-east lies the Tranquera reservoir and the ancient Monasterio de Piedra with its famous water gardens.

History

The origin of the name Contamina is believed to be from the Latin CONDOMIN(I)A (joint domain). Contamina used to lie on the Camino Real, the royal highway to Madrid, and in the Middle Ages was the location of stables for royal post horses. In 1361 king Pedro IV gave the manor of Contamina to Pedro Carrillo. In 1646 Contamina was granted by king Felipe IV to Sr. Juan Fernandez de Heredia of Cetina, who became Conde de Contamina.^[7] In the diaries of Elizabeth, Lady Holland, the Conde de Contamina was mentioned favourably as a supporter of the English cause against Napoleon during the Peninsular War.^[8]

During the Spanish Civil War Contamina remained in the Nationalist Zone following occupation of most of the province of Zaragoza by Franco's Nationalist forces in the summer of 1936.^[9] Five residents of the village were murdered by nationalist forces in 1936.^[10]

Fiestas

August 24, Saint Bartholomew
First Sunday in October, Virgen del Rosario.

Nearby places

Notes

[1]
National Statistics Institute (13 December 2025). "Municipal Register of Spain of 2025".
[2]
"National Statistics institute". www.ine.es. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
[3]
"Contamina" (in Spanish). Comunidad de Calatayud. Archived from the original on 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2009-03-25. La iglesia es de estilo barroco, de una sola nave cubierta con bóveda de lunetos. El retablo mayor, único interesante, está formado por ocho tablas que reproducen estampas de la historia del santo titular, San Bartolomé, obra del siglo XVI, de escuela aragonesa." - translation "The church is of baroque style, a single ship covered with hemispherical vaulting. The unique altarpiece is formed of eight panels reproducing tableaus of the history of the titular saint, San Bartholomew, constructed in the style of the 16th century Aragonese school.
[4]
"Cela, secuestrado en Contamina" (in Spanish). El Periodico de Aragon. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-28. Esta tarde se presenta en la localidad de Contamina la novela 'Secuestro y fonda de Cela en Contamina' en la que se narra una historia ficticia en la que el Premio Nobel español permance secuestrado unos días por tres vecinos de este municipio zaragozano. La obra, de José de Cora, ha sido editada por Tris Tram." - translated "This evening, in Contamina, is the launch of the novel 'Secuestro y fonda de Cela en Contamina', which recounts the fictional story of the kidnapping for a few days of the Spanish Nobel prize winner [Camilo José Cela] by three inhabitants of this municipality in Zaragoza. The work, by Jose de Cora, is published by Tris Tram.
[5]
"Alojamientos y restaurantes en Contamina (Accommodation and Restaurants)" (in Spanish). Asociación Cultural Villa de Contamina. Archived from the original on 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
[6]
"Casa Rural Alto Jalón". www.aquiaragon.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
[7]
"Villa de Contamina //" (in Spanish). www.villadecontamina.es. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-28. Goza de la consideración de Villa, el 31 de mayo de 1361, el rey Pedro IV de Aragón donó a Pedro Carrillo la casa de Contamina, en el castillo de Alhama. En 1610, Labaña dejó constancia de que el lugar era de Juan Fernández de Heredia, señor de Cetina. Precisamente en virtud de este señorío fue creado el condado de Contamina por el rey Felipe IV, en 1646 en cortes celebradas en la ciudad de Zaragoza para premiar los servicios de Alonso Fernández de Heredia, señor de Cetina; luego pasó a la familia de los Parcent." -translation "On 31 May 1361 King Pedro IV of Aragon granted to Pedro Carrillo the 'vila' of Contamina, in the demesne of Alhama. In 1610, Labaña recorded that Juan Fernandez de Heredia held the vila as Lord of Cetina. King Felipe IV, in 1646 at the 'Cortes' held in the city of Zaragoza, rewarded the services of Alonso Fernandez de Heredia, Lord of Cetina, creating him Count of Contamina; in later years the title passed to the Parcent family.
[8]
Lady Holland, Elizabeth. "Full text of "The Spanish journal of Elizabeth, lady Holland"". www.archive.org. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
[9]
Beevor, Antony (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin. pp. 125–129. ISBN 0-14-100148-8.
[10]
Medina, Nacho Morena (January 2008). "Fosas Comunes De La Guerra Civil En La Comarca De Calatayud" (PDF) (in Spanish). Fundación «Bernardo Aladrén». p. 4. Retrieved 9 July 2013.

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Nearby places

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