Alaró
Encyclopedia
Alaró is a small municipality
in the district of Raiguer
on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands
, Spain.
The town was the first to have an urban electricity network on the island, this event happened August 15, 1901. Currently, electric distribution is unified with the rest of the island, but as a sign of how important it was for the island of Mallorca, on May 8, 2000, the Consell Insular de Mallorca marked the tower of the old factory as a monument of cultural interest.
, Lloseta
, Mancor de la Vall
, Binissalem
, Consell
and Santa María del Camí.
Today, the town of Alaro, like many others on the island has become commuter town, with most of its inhabitants working in the capital of the island (Palma de Mallorca).
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the district of Raiguer
Raiguer
Raiguer is a comarca located in the north-central part of Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands of Spain. It runs parallel to the Serra de Tramuntana district from the town of Marratxí to the town of Sa Pobla...
on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
, Spain.
History
Its origin dates back to the Islamic period. The documented history begins in the thirteenth century, during the reconquest of Mallorca, with its Castillo de Alaro being the center of this. The Castillo de Alaro was built by Christian inhabitants to ward off invasions from pirates.The town was the first to have an urban electricity network on the island, this event happened August 15, 1901. Currently, electric distribution is unified with the rest of the island, but as a sign of how important it was for the island of Mallorca, on May 8, 2000, the Consell Insular de Mallorca marked the tower of the old factory as a monument of cultural interest.
Geography
Alaró is bounded by Buñola, EscorcaEscorca
Escorca is a municipality in northwest Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain.-Hills:* Puig Major * Puig de Massanella * Puig Tomir * Puig Roig...
, Lloseta
Lloseta
Lloseta is a small municipality in the district of Raiguer on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain.There is a theatre which showcases alternative music and traditional acts....
, Mancor de la Vall
Mancor de la Vall
Mancor de la Vall is a small municipality in the district of Raiguer on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain....
, Binissalem
Binissalem
Binissalem is a small municipality in the district of Raiguer on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain.-History:Grape growing and wine production was introduced to the island by the ancient Romans in the year 121 BC when Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius took possession of the island for Rome...
, Consell
Consell
Consell is a small municipality in the district of Raiguer on Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands, Spain....
and Santa María del Camí.
Economy
One of the most important economic activities in Alaró for years was the shoe industry. Alaró municipality once had up to 30 factories and more than 2000 people dedicated to this activity. Today, that economic activity has been reduced to a minimum, with only one major company in that sector. There were also important lignite mines, now closed, relevant to the activities of electricity generation and distribution. For some time they belonged to the electric company GESA (now part of the Endesa group).Today, the town of Alaro, like many others on the island has become commuter town, with most of its inhabitants working in the capital of the island (Palma de Mallorca).