Los Molinos

Los Molinos

The municipality of Los Molinos is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, 52 km from Madrid and has direct access to the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. Its name comes from the old mills whose remains can still be seen. Los Molinos benefits of great natural beauty and abundance of animal and plant species, due to its location.

History

The first mention of the town of Los Molinos comes from the 14^th century, at the time when the Real de Manzanares of Alfonso X came into existence.  Even so, there is talk about the existence of the town earlier on, since the Roman road of Fuenfría passed through it. Its name comes from the traditional activity of the people: the production of flour. Over the centuries, the town has evolved and modernised. Since the arrival of the railroad, at the end of the 18^th century, it has become one of the tourist places of the Sierra de Guadarrama, par excellence.

Culture

Religious elements are the most widespread monuments of Los Molinos. There are numerous chapels and parishes, and the variety of architectural styles stands out. Buildings of various ages can be seen, from Renaissance to Herrerian and to modern times.

Spain Square (Plaza de España)

It is a vast and spacious square, home to the Town Hall. In its centre, there is a wrought-iron lamppost with nine arms.

Julio Escobar House Museum

Calle Concejo, 31.

It is an exhibition centre for the legacy of Julio Escobar. Visitors can see a collection of furniture, fans, antique ink and other items.

Visiting hours:

• Wednesday to Sunday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

• Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

• Appointments for groups can be booked off the clock by calling the town hall at 91.855.10.13

San José Chapel

It dates from 1737. It was located in the Old Cemetery that stopped being used in 1940 when the new cemetery began to be built in Los Llanos. The chapel is in Herrera’s neoclassical style and is currently surrounded by a park called Doctor Rodríguez Padilla.

Carmen Chapel

It was erected in 1929 on a plot ceded by the town council. It is a masonry structure that uses hydraulic mortar and has a wooden roof covered with flat tile.

Lion´s Fountain (Fuente del León)

It is a striking symmetrical stone fountain. Each side of the symmetry consists of a basin in which the waters flowing from two pipes are poured. The statue of a lion on top of the fountain gives this construction its name.

Purísima Concepción Parish

The Parish is of Renaissance style influenced by the style of El Escorial and dates from 1570. It is of a Latin cross plan with one nave. It has an external portico with half-barrel vaults and a wrought iron fence at the main door, dated 1768. The altarpiece inside is from the 18^th century, of baroque style, made of gilded and polychrome wood.

Festivals and traditions

The popular leisure activities in Los Molinos are divided based on brotherhoods. Each brotherhood has its Virgin or saint to praise to and its particular feast to honour them. Each organises the festival in its own way, but they all have in common the tradition and devotion to the saints.

 • San Sebastián´s Brotherhood Festival begins one day before the official date (the 20^th of January), at 12 p.m., with the service of Vespers in the parish church and the song to the holy souls, accompanied by dulzaina and drum music.

• San José´s Brotherhood Festival begins on the 18^th of March with a triduum. However, the big day is the 19^th, the day of San José. A mass followed by a procession touring the streets of the town is celebrated. Next, a meal attended by all the members of the brotherhood is organised.

• Maria´s Brotherhood Festival: The Brotherhood of Maria celebrates its feast on the Friday of Sorrows. The religious services are a mass and a procession.

• San José´s Brotherhood Festival: The Christ of the Good Death is the patron of Los Molinos. On his day, the 14^th of September, a Holy Mass followed by an outdoor procession in which his effigy is venerated and carried by the brothers along all the streets of the town are celebrated.

Nature

Variety and wealth are always present in the flora of Los Molinos. In the town, you can see scrub species such as the buckthorn, the grey willow, the blackthorn, etc. There are also trees such as the black poplar, the oak, the holm oak and various species of pine. The fauna of the place is just as rich and includes the wild boars, rabbits, roe deer, trout, eagles, rooks, storks, vultures and so on that can be seen following the hiking trails.