Molina de Aragón is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2009 census (INE), the municipality had a population of 3,671 inhabitants. It held the record (−28.2 °C) for the lowest temperature measured by a meteorological station in Spain, and now it's on the third place.[2]

Molina de Aragón, Spain
Flag of Molina de Aragón, Spain
Coat of arms of Molina de Aragón, Spain
Molina de Aragón is located in Province of Guadalajara
Molina de Aragón
Molina de Aragón
Location in the Province of Guadalajara
Molina de Aragón is located in Castilla-La Mancha
Molina de Aragón
Molina de Aragón
Location in Castile-La Mancha
Molina de Aragón is located in Spain
Molina de Aragón
Molina de Aragón
Location in Spain.
Coordinates: 40°50′46″N 1°53′11″W / 40.84611°N 1.88639°W / 40.84611; -1.88639
Country Spain
Autonomous community Castile-La Mancha
ProvinceGuadalajara
ComarcaSeñorío de Molina-Alto Tajo
Government
 • MayorDavid Pascual Herrera
Area
 • Total
168.33 km2 (64.99 sq mi)
Elevation
1,065 m (3,494 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total
3,295
 • Density20/km2 (51/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
19300
WebsiteOfficial website

It was the seat of the taifa of Molina, a Moorish independent state, before it was reconquered by the Christians of Alfonso I of Aragon in 1129. On 21 April 1154 Manrique Pérez de Lara issued a sweeping fuero to the town of Molina, which he was building into a semi-independent fief.[3] He and his descendants claimed to rule Molina Dei gratia ("by the grace of God"). Molina is also the type location of the carbonate mineral aragonite.

Main sights

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  • Medieval alcazar (10th–11th centuries), the largest in the province
  • Roman bridge (Puente Viejo)
  • Convent of St. Francis
  • Giraldo (St. Francis Church Bell Tower)
  • Church of Santa Clara
  • Church of Santa María de San Gil
  • Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark, Molina de Aragon is within this Geopark.

List of settlements in the municipality

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Climate

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Molina de Aragón has an atypical variety of the oceanic climate with semi-arid influences. Due to its irregular precipitation patterns the location does not fall into the clear mediterranean zones to the south-west or the semi-arid that is common in the region, with significant precipitation in the spring and relatively low in the winter and summer.

Climate data for Molina de Aragón 1062m (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 21.4
(70.5)
26.8
(80.2)
26.8
(80.2)
28.7
(83.7)
33.2
(91.8)
36.0
(96.8)
38.2
(100.8)
38.0
(100.4)
36.4
(97.5)
30.0
(86.0)
23.6
(74.5)
19.2
(66.6)
38.2
(100.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.6
(47.5)
10.6
(51.1)
14.4
(57.9)
15.7
(60.3)
20.0
(68.0)
25.6
(78.1)
29.7
(85.5)
29.2
(84.6)
24.2
(75.6)
18.0
(64.4)
12.0
(53.6)
8.7
(47.7)
18.1
(64.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.5
(36.5)
3.7
(38.7)
6.6
(43.9)
8.5
(47.3)
12.5
(54.5)
17.1
(62.8)
20.2
(68.4)
19.9
(67.8)
15.8
(60.4)
10.9
(51.6)
5.9
(42.6)
3.1
(37.6)
10.6
(51.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −3.5
(25.7)
−3.2
(26.2)
−1.2
(29.8)
1.3
(34.3)
5.0
(41.0)
8.6
(47.5)
10.6
(51.1)
10.5
(50.9)
7.3
(45.1)
3.9
(39.0)
−0.2
(31.6)
−2.4
(27.7)
3.1
(37.5)
Record low °C (°F) −28.2
(−18.8)
−20.2
(−4.4)
−15.6
(3.9)
−8.6
(16.5)
−5.2
(22.6)
−1.8
(28.8)
1.0
(33.8)
0.0
(32.0)
−3.6
(25.5)
−6.4
(20.5)
−15.6
(3.9)
−28.0
(−18.4)
−28.2
(−18.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 27
(1.1)
27
(1.1)
28
(1.1)
50
(2.0)
66
(2.6)
48
(1.9)
22
(0.9)
26
(1.0)
47
(1.9)
50
(2.0)
39
(1.5)
36
(1.4)
466
(18.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 5.8 5.4 5.5 8.8 9.3 6.4 2.9 3.5 5 7.9 6.7 6.8 74
Average snowy days 4 3.8 2.8 2.7 0.5 0 0 0 0 0.1 1.6 2.7 18.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours 135 154 202 195 222 271 327 304 231 174 128 112 2,440
Source 1: [4]
Source 2: [5]

Notable persons

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Notes

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  1. ^ Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. ^ "Temperaturas históricas en España". El Tiempo. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  3. ^ Simon Barton, The Aristocracy in Twelfth-century León and Castile (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 265.
  4. ^ "Molina de Aragón Climate Normals 1981-2010". Aemet.es. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Molina de Aragón Climate Extremes". Aemet.es. Retrieved 6 December 2014.