Velada
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Velada | |
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 Flag .svg) Coat of arms | |
  Velada Location in Spain | |
| Coordinates: 39°59′N 4°59′W / 39.983°N 4.983°W | |
| Country |  Spain |
| Autonomous community | Castile-La Mancha |
| Province | Toledo |
| Municipality | Velada |
| Area | |
• Total | 145 km2 (56 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 432 m (1,417 ft) |
| Population (2025-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 2,899 |
| • Density | 20.0/km2 (51.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Velada is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2006 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 2,436 inhabitants.
Name
[edit]Velada comes from "velar" ('to stay awake at night'/'to be vigilant', from Latin 'vigilare').[2] Prior to Velada, the place was known as Las Atalayuelas de Guadierva.[3]
History
[edit]Segregated from the land of Ávila, the Crown awarded the place in 1271 to knights from the former city, tasked with the repopulation of the area.[4] Known as Las Atalayuelas de Guadierva, the place was ensuingly renamed as Velada on royal initiative.[3]
Velada was possibly granted the privilege of township towards 1588.[5]
Watermelon of Velada
[edit]The velada watermelon is one of the main engines of the economy of this municipality. Being a dry and ecological crop, these watermelons have great flavor and the largest can reach up to 30 kg in weight. They grow in a large area called "El Baldío" and their collection usually goes from mid-July to mid-October, and even depending on the year, until November. The planting takes place between April and May.
Velada's watermelon is exported in Spain and abroad.
References
[edit]- Citations
- ↑ National Statistics Institute (13 December 2025). "Municipal Register of Spain of 2025".
- ↑ Jiménez de Gregorio 1997, p. 50.
- 1 2 Franco Silva 1990, p. 34.
- ↑ Franco Silva 1990, pp. 33–34.
- ↑ Jiménez de Gregorio 1997, p. 22.
- Bibliography
- Franco Silva, Alfonso (1990). "La fundación de pueblas en tierras situadas al noroeste del reino de Toledo a fines del siglo XIII". Historia Instituciones Documentos (17). Seville: Universidad de Sevilla. ISSN 0210-7716.
- Jiménez de Gregorio, Fernando (1997). La comarca de El Alcor y El Berrocal (PDF). Temas Toledanos. Vol. 90. Toledo: Instituto Provincial de Investigaciones y Estudios Toledanos. Diputación Provincial. ISBN 84-87103-74-X.
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