Espinar, El

Segovia · Castilla y León

Wall of Espinar, El Wall of Segovia 🤍 Save to my getaway WhatsApp 🖨️ Poster with QR code

El Espinar is a Spanish population centre and a municipality located 65 kilometres (40.38 mi) away northwest from Madrid city centre, in the northern slope of the Sistema Central mountain range. It belongs to the province of Segovia and to the autonomous Community of Castile and León. The distance from the city of Segovia is 34 kilometres (21.12 mi). According to the 2025 census (INE), the municipality has 10,409 inhabitants, being 5,258 men and 5,151 women. The municipality has four population centres that are physically separate from one another: El Espinar. San Rafael. La Estación de El Espinar. Los Ángeles de San Rafael. The population centre of El Espinar, the oldest and the most populated one, gives the name to the entire local territory and has the municipality hall's headquarters. As of 2024, these 10,145 inhabitants are roughly distributed in the municipality as follows: 50% of population live in El Espinar, 25% in San Rafael, 15% in Los Ángeles de San Rafael and 10% in La Estación de El Espinar. The municipality is not part of Madrid metropolitan area, but is not far away from it because its outer ring begins just heading 25 kilometres southeast in Collado Villalba. However, the municipality of El Espinar is part of Madrid's functional urban area as more than 15% of the inhabitants commute daily in Madrid.

Sections the premium town hall can edit · Fixed sections of the guide

Origins

There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.

History

The documented history of El Espinar dates from the 11th century, even though the area has been inhabited since the Iron Age. In fact, in September 2016 was found the settlement of Canto Los Hierros in a nearby mountain located south of town, just at 1,700 metres above sea level. The settlement, dated back to the Iron Age and later reused and expanded by the Romans, covered about 70 hectares and included about 100 houses, few traces of walls and quite a lot of iron items. This kind of ancient settlement at such a high altitude is considered unique within Europe.

Before the arriving of the Romans, the area known today as the municipality of El Espinar probably was in the very eastern limit of the vettones territory.

During the rule of the Visigothic Kingdom, the area was not known as El Espinar, but as Gudillos, and then during the rule of Al-Andalus it received the name of Albarrana.

In 1293 received the foundation document called as Carta Puebla, which made the area independent from the city of Segovia and therefore received city rights. The Carta Puebla was renewed later in 1317 and in 1368, which allowed the municipality to increase its territory.

El Espinar played a crucial role during the Revolt of the Comuneros as a guerrilla warfare unit of nearly 2,000 men gathered by the leader rebel Juan Bravo moved to Segovia to support the rebels as the royalist armies had started to suffocate the comuneros rebellion.

During the 18th century, both the economy and the population boosted because of the sheep wool production and for the replacement of the farthest mountain pass of La Fuenfría by the nearest one of Guadarrama Pass as the safest, main mountain pass to travel between Madrid and the northwestern quadrant of the Iberian Peninsula.

In 1888, the railway between Madrid and Segovia was built, so the area experienced a boost as less time was needed to travel from El Espinar to both Madrid and Segovia.

In the early 20th century, El Espinar became more famous for people from Madrid as a place to spend summer holidays whilst keeping away from the hotter Madrid's summers.

From 1936 to 1939, the eastern limit of the council by the Guadarrama pass became a key frontline during the Spanish Civil War. Because of that reason, nowadays the area is famous for the several bunkers and becoming a popular destination for people who like to follow the traces of war. During the early 21st century, the town increased its population as people from Madrid moved to the area to live permanently there whilst working elsewhere in Madrid as commuters. Living there as remote online workers and moving only one day per week to Madrid city centre is also a growing fast trend.

Monuments

There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.

What to visit

There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.

Gallery

Festivals

September 2026

Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Festivals this month

14 · September Cristo del Caloco 📆 Add to my calendar
29 · September San Rafael 📆 Add to my calendar
September Fiestas de San Rafael

Rest of the year

January: San Antón (17)
April: Feria de Abril (10) · San Eutropio (30)
June: XXVII Fiesta Gabarreros
July: Verano cultural (31) · Fiestas de San Rafael
August: Fiestas de la Virgen y San Roque (15) · Fiestas de San Rafael
October: Feria del Caballo (5)

What's on

See all events →

Street market

Mercadillo semanal: Miércoles, de 08:00 a 14:00 · Calle Ramón y Cajal.

Street market on the map Search for the street market online

Gastronomy

There's no information in this section yet. The village's profile can complete it from the panel.

Trails and hiking

•Camino Natural de la Cañada Real Soriana Occidental

Services

Do you have a business in Espinar, El? Advertise it for free and go premium whenever you like. List my business for free

Famous people

•Rafael Calvo Ortega, político y catedrático español

•Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce, político español

•Frutos Patón de Ayala, eclesiástico español

•Lázaro del Álamo, compositor y maestro de capilla español (1530-1570)

•Pablo de Laguna

•Alonso de Ortigosa de Tobar

Town hall

Alcaldía: Francisco Eloy Jorge Gómez

Web oficial: http://www.elespinar.es/

Town hall of Espinar, El

Alcaldía: Francisco Eloy Jorge Gómez Web oficial: http://www.elespinar.es/

Here goes your town hall's profile or your website address. Are you from the town hall? Go premium to complete your profile and edit your village's content. hola@ciudadesypueblos.es