Benasque

Benasque ( Bénas in local patois) is a municipality of the Province of Huesca, in the autonomous Communauté of Aragon, in Spain. This town of 2.045 inhabitants is located in the middle of the the Pyrenees, with 143 kilometers in the North-East of the capital .

Geography and Culture

Located near the río Ésera, this town of 2.045 inhabitants (2007) constitutes the center of the Vallée of Bénasque. It is an area considered for its landscapes, in particular the Natural park Posets-Maladeta, and the proximity of the Massif of Maladeta, where the mount Aneto as well as more the high mountains of the the Pyrenees is located.

The communes in the vicinity are the small municipality of Anciles (Ansils in patois) and Cerler (Sarllé), famous for the famous ski station of Aramón Cerler. The city is also an obligatory starting point during the rise of the mount Aneto, culminating point of the the Pyrenees, which is worth sometimes the nickname to him of " Chamonix espagnol".

The most spoken language remains the Castillan, although the proximity of Catalonia makes that the Catalan remains very present. A considerable part of the population still speaks the bénasquais, local Patois, mixture between the Aragonese and the Catalan, as well as the French, language formerly rather common, because of the proximity of the Vallée of Benasque with the common Frenchwoman of Luchon which reviewed passage of it between the two countries, by the collar of the Portillón de Benasque.

History

Benasque was probably rested by the Romans who built the first baths of sulfurous Eau with the current site of the city, although no document makes state of it, oldest documents dating from the years 1006 to 1018.

Since the 11th century, the city belongs to the Comarque of Ribagorza, thus forming part of the Royaume of Aragon.

Economy

The econonmy of Bénasque rested formerly princinpalement on the Agriculture and the Sylviculture. However these activities almost completely disappeared at the end of the 20th century, leaving room to tourism very important, mainly Spanish and French who involved a deep metamorphosis of the city.

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by the exploitation of a mine of Pyrite S, whose remainders can be seen today, with a few hundred meters of Benasque.

Creation near the city of the ski station of Aramón Cerler was also a source of tourism, mainly Spanish.

Important places

Buildings

In the center of the city many historical buildings are, this part representing old Benasque, in opposition to recent urban expansion in hotels, apartments. Let us quote:

the Romance church Santa María, dating from the 13th century
the palate of the counts of Ribagorza, the rebirth
the tower of the " Juste" put;
the " Faure" put;

Mountains and glaciers

In the province of Benasque is a great number of the highest peaks of the the Pyrenees divided into three solid masses:

Massive of Maladeta. peak of Aneto (3.404 m), Maladeta, Maldito (Cursed),…
Massive of the Posets (3.375 m), Espadas, Eriste,…
Massive of the Perdiguère (3.222 m), Royo,…

Although the climate makes that the majority of the Glaciers of the the Pyrenees are in the French side, one finds the largest glaciers in the Vallée of Benasque, the such Glacier of Aneto or the Glacier of Maladeta.

There exists also a great number of Ibón are, such Cregüeña, Batisielles, Perramó, or Llosás.

Landscapes

the " Forau d' Aigualluts" , where water coming from the Glacier of Aneto is inserted in the ground to arise in the Val of Aran, bringing thereafter the major part of the water of the the Garonne.
the Ibón de Batisielles
the valley of the hospital of Benasque

Others

the hospital, restaurant and obligatory stage for the passage enters France and Spain by the valley of Benasque.
the Refuge of Renclusa, intermediate stage in the rise of the Aneto.
refuges of Estós and Angel Orús.

Internal bonds

Valley of Bénasque
Mount Aneto

External bonds

Official site of the city
Site of the town of Cerler, and the ski station of Amon-Cerler

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