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Fuente Álamo de Murcia

Fuente Álamo de Murcia
Municipality
Fuente Álamo
Fuente Álamo
Flag of Fuente Álamo de Murcia
Flag
Coat of arms of Fuente Álamo de Murcia
Coat of arms
Motto: Muy Noble y Muy Leal Villa
Fuente Álamo de Murcia is located in Spain
Fuente Álamo de Murcia
Fuente Álamo de Murcia
Location in Spain
Coordinates: 37°43′N 1°8′W / 37.717°N 1.133°W / 37.717; -1.133Coordinates: 37°43′N 1°8′W / 37.717°N 1.133°W / 37.717; -1.133
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Murcia
Province Murcia
Comarca Campo de Cartagena
Judicial district Cartagena
Founded 15th century, from 1700 Villazgo
Government
 • Mayor María Antonia Conesa Legaz (2003) (PP)
Area
 • Total 273 km2 (105 sq mi)
Elevation 127 m (417 ft)
Highest elevation 1,062 m (3,484 ft)
Lowest elevation 82 m (269 ft)
Population (2009)
 • Total 14,876
 • Density 54/km2 (140/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Fuentealameros
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 30320
Website Official website

Fuente Álamo de Murcia is a town and municipality in the Region of Murcia, southern Spain. It is situated 22 km northwest of Cartagena and 35 km south west of Murcia. The town lies in the basin of the Mar Menor surrounded by the mountains of Algarrobo, Los Gómez, Los Victorias and the Carrascoy.

The water from these mountains flows down into the Rambla de Fuente Álamo and then onto the Mar Menor. The highest point in the region is the "Eagles Rock" at 1,066m, situated in the Carrascoy mountains.

The town is known locally as Fuente Álamo (without using "de Murcia").

The climate of Fuente Álamo is best described as typical Mediterranean. The actual classification is "Mediterranean semi-arid subtropical climate". The average yearly temperature is 18.4 °C, reaching highs of around 40 °C in July and August and dropping as low as 4 °C in December and January.

The town can trace its history back to 1520, although there was activity in and around the site of the town several years prior to this date. The area was used for Transhumance by the shepherds and goat herders from La Mancha and there is a village and area named La Manchica (little La Mancha) to the south of Fuente Álamo.

In 1463 the area was referred to as "La fuente del alamo" in a dispute over who actually owned the land between the peoples of Cartagena and

In 1500 the council of Lorca, in an effort to assert its authority, started to allocate small sections of land to the population for the use of cultivation. The area was controlled by the "Three Councils" of Murcia, Lorca and Cartagena.

Permission was sought to build the first church in 1545.

On 5 July 1700 Fuente Álamo was Granted authority from King Charles II to exist as an independent township and 20 July that year elected its first mayor Gregorio Reyllo Hernández. The three councils, because each had a vested interest in controlling Fuente Álamo objected to this decree of independence and on 1 April 1702 King Felipe V rescinded the privilege of Fuente Álamo to exist independently. The title of mayor was then given on a yearly basis to a citizen of the three councils on a rotation basis. This situation was to exist until 1820 when full independence was restored.

During the latter part of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century the town declined due to the pollution of its water source. Some 3000 residents left and settled in the surrounding villages, and by 1822 only 9 houses were occupied in the town.


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