Esparragalejo is a municipality of Spain in the province of Badajoz

Badajoz

Badajoz is the capital of the Province of Badajoz in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain, situated close to the Portuguese border, on the left bank of the river Guadiana, and the Madrid–Lisbon railway. The population in 2007 was 145,257....

, autonomous region of Extremadura

Extremadura

Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...

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Located about 8 miles from Mérida

Mérida, Spain

Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...

, it is known for its unique Roman

Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....

 multiple arch buttress dam, the Esparragalejo Dam

Esparragalejo Dam

The Esparragalejo Dam was a Roman multiple arch buttress dam at Esparragalejo, Badajoz province, Extremadura, Spain. Dating to the 1st century AD, it is the earliest known dam of its kind....

, its two natural lagoons, and its religious festivals. During the festivities to honor the town's patron saint

Patron saint

A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...

, the Virgin of Good Health (Virgen de la Salud), its inhabitants come to the cathedral to witness the one-hour Mass and then occupy the streets completely. The townspeople take to the streets to put on a procession, to play music, and to put on shows for the town's children.

Origin of name

The name Esparragalejo refers to the communal pastureland known as the Esparragal. A diminutive suffix was added to the town name due to the fact that the town remained small for many centuries.