Cuéllar
Segovia · Castilla y León
Cuéllar (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkweʎaɾ]) is a municipality in the Province of Segovia, within the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. The municipality had a population of 9,730 inhabitants according to the municipal register of inhabitants (INE) as of 1 January 2010, divided into 4,929 men and 4,801 women. Cuéllar is located on a hill and is 60 km northeast of the capital city of Segovia and 50 km south of Valladolid. It occupies an area of 272 square kilometres (105 sq mi), and it is 857 metres (2,812 ft) above sea level. The Cerquilla and Cega rivers flow near the town. To the north, the town borders the municipality of Bahabón (the province of Valladolid); to the south, it borders Sanchonuño; to the east is Frumales, and to the west are San Cristóbal de Cuéllar and Vallelado. Inhabitants of Cuéllar traditionally grow different crops (such as cereals, vegetables, chicory, legumes, and beets) and raise livestock, including pigs, sheep, and cows. Forestry and resin production were once important economic resources.
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Origins
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History
Medieval age:
Professor Ubieto Arteta reported that there is some historical evidence of Cuéllar's existence in the 10th century. Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir (Spanish name: Almanzor) sacked the town and enslaved and deported its citizens to Andalusia. King Alfonso VI of León and Castile rebuilt the town, bringing in new settlers at the end of the 11th century. This was the origin of the municipality, which was ruled by its town council. In 1184, King Alfonso VIII of Castile assembled the parliament in Cuéllar.
In the 13th century, Cuéllar was one of the most important towns in northern Spain, and the wool trade enriched the local economy. Many palaces and Mudéjar churches were constructed during this period. In 1256, Alfonso X of Castile granted Cuéllar a royal fuero. Queen María de Molina, Sancho IV of Castile's wife, inherited the town after her husband's death. During her troubled regency, the town was a refuge while her son, the future King Ferdinand IV of Castile, was still a child.
In the middle of the 14th century, King Pedro I "the Cruel" married Doña Juana de Castro in Cuéllar. The marriage was a fraud because the King was unlawfully divorced from his former wife and because he deserted Doña Juana after their wedding night.
In 1464, King Henry IV of Castile gave the town as a lordship to his favorite nobleman, Beltrán de La Cueva, the first Duke of Alburquerque. Since then, the town has been bound to this family. The duke's great-grandson was raised as a marquess.
Modern age:
In the 17th century, the town suffered a recession, along with many cities and villages in the country. The monarchy moved to Madrid and settled the royal court within this city, which forced the aristocracy to relocate to Madrid. It was also a period of poverty, due to the decadence of the wool trade, the taxes to pay for prior wars, and the various plagues that ravaged the country.
In the 18th century, laws enacted by Charles III allowed Cuéllar to recover some of its social and economic prosperity.
When Napoleon invaded Spain, Cuéllar was looted by the French troops, who stole all the treasuries from the churches, monasteries, and the castle. They were never recovered.
In 1833, the writer and politician Jose de Espronceda was exiled to Cuéllar because of his liberalism. Espronceda wrote the novel Sancho Saldaña o el Castellano de Cuéllar when he lived near the church of Santo Tomé.
20th century:
During the Spanish Civil War, the town remained part of the country controlled by nationalist forces, so its churches were preserved from destruction. Cuéllar Castle served as headquarters to the fascist Italian troops, and later as a prison for different political prisoners. Many years after, the castle became a hospital for consumption patients and a jail for criminals. Today it functions as a high school and tourism center. Due to local agricultural production, the people of Cuéllar were affected less after the civil war and did not emigrate as much as other people in the region.
Monuments
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What to visit
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Gallery
Festivals
September 2026
Festivals this month
- 6 · September Fiesta patronal: Arcángel Miguel 📆 Add to my calendar
- 22 · September Fiestas de El Salvador 📆 Add to my calendar
- 29 · September San Miguel 📆 Add to my calendar
Rest of the year
- April: Feria de Cuéllar (22)
- June: Fiestas Barrio de San Gil (5) · Fiesta de la Juventud (29)
- August: Cuellar Mudéjar (18) · Cuenca (21) · Los Encierros de Cuéllar (25) · Fiestas de Nuestra Señora del Rosario/Encierros de Cuéllar · Fiestas Patronales en honor a San Julián
- November: Fiesta patronal: Arcángel Miguel (8) · Fiestas Barrio San Andrés (30)
- December: Santa Lucía en Arroyo de Cuellar (13)
What's on
Street market
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Gastronomy
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Trails and hiking
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Services
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Famous people
•Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, gobernador español de Cuba
•Juan de Grijalva, descubridor y conquistador español que participó en la exploración y conquista de Cuba
•Antonio de Herrera y Tordesillas, Cronista, historiador y escritor español
•Bartolomé de la Cueva y Toledo
•Gabriel III de la Cueva y Girón, V Duque de Alburquerque
•Francisco III Fernández de la Cueva, diplomático español, Presidente del Consejo de Aragón y del Consejo de Italia, virrey de Sicilia y de Cataluña
Town hall
Alcaldía: Jesús García Pastor
Web oficial: http://www.aytocuellar.es
Town hall of Cuéllar
Alcaldía: Jesús García Pastor Web oficial: http://www.aytocuellar.es
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How to get there
- 🚗 56 km from Valladolid (about 40 min by car)
- 🚗 66 km from Segovia (about 47 min by car)
- 🚗 145 km from Burgos (about 102 min by car)
🧭 Travelling around the villages of Spain: a practical guide — Opening hours, transport, money and customs, before you set off.
- ✈️ 70 km from Valladolid airport (about 49 min by car)
- ✈️ 139 km from Salamanca airport (about 98 min by car)
Practical info
🅿️ Where to park
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
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🏧 Nearest cash machine
- Banco Santander · 0.1 km away
- Caixabank · 0.2 km away
- BBVA · 0.2 km away
⛽ Nearest petrol station
- Repsol · 1 km away
- El Surtidor · 1.2 km away
- AN Energéticos - Cuéllar · 1.5 km away
ℹ️ Tourist office
- Tourist office · 0.5 km away
Buses
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Pharmacy and health
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Wall and news
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Obituaries
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In loving memory
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Videos
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