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Lumbrales (Municipality, Castilla y León, Spain)

Flag of Lumbrales - Image by Ivan Sache, 21 May 2011

Presentation of Lumbrales
Symbols of Lumbrales

See also:

Presentation of Lumbrales

The municipality of Lumbrales (1,924 inhabitants in 2010; 6,994 ha) is located in the south-west of the Province of Salamanca, 100 km from Salamanca.

Lumbrales was already settled in the 2nd millennium BC, as evidenced by the Navalito dolmen, located 3 km of the today's village and excavated in the beginning of the 20th century by Father Morán. The Castro de Merchanas was fortified by the Vettones in the 4th century BC; a verraco was found near the northern gate of the citadel. The Romans reused the citadel and set up several villae, whose remains have been found in El Madroñal and La Fuente Blanca.
In 1175, Sancta María de Liminares was mentioned by King Ferdinand II of León among the villages of the restored Ciudad Rodrigo Diocese.
In 1880, Isabel of Bourbon, the daughter of Queen Isabel II, inaugurated the Fuente de San Esteban - Barca d'Alba railway, on behalf of her brother Alfonso XII. Ricardo Pinto da Costa, Consul of Portugal in Spain and main supporter of the railway, was made Count of Lumbrales in 1888 by Queen Maria Christina.

Ivan Sache, 21 May 2011

Symbols of Lumbrales

The flag and arms of Lumbrales are prescribed by a Decree adopted on 24 April 1992 by the Salamanca Provincial Government, signed on 20 December 1993 by the President of the Government, and published on 11 January 1994 in the official gazette of Castilla y León, No. 6 (text). The Decree had already been published on 22 October 1992 in the official gazette of Castilla y León, No. 204 (text), without the dates of adoption and signature.
The symbols are described as follows:

Flag: Quadrangular, the field vertically divided argent and gules of Castilla y León.
Coat of arms: Quadrangular rounded-off in base. The shield surmounted with a Royal crown closed of the reigning Spanish monarchy. Field vertically divided into two symmetric quarters. Dexter, argent a tower crenelated proper with flames proper. Sinister, vert episcopal emblems proper.

The coat of arms (unofficial website), designed by Salvador Llopis, was approved in December 1991 by the Municipal Council.
The dexter part of the shield refers to the proposed etymology of the village's name, based on the Latin word lumen, luminis, "light", "burning material", "splendor". In the 16th century, the local churchmen claimed that the village's name alludes to the two lights formed during Genesis, that is the Sun and the Moon, metaphorically representing the Virgin in Assumption, which is sculpted on the gate of the parish church, surrounded by the caption "Assumpta es Maria, electa ut sol". However, modern philologists prefer an etymology based on limen, liminis, "a border". Lumbrales was indeed a border post watched by the fortified tower, subsequently replaced by the today's parish church. The field argent symbolizes valiance.
The sinister part of the shield shows a bishop's mitre with infulae and crozier, recalling that Lumbrales, together with five other villages formed the territory known as El Abadengo, ruled by the bishop of Mirobriga (Ciudad Rodrigo). Green represents the vassal status of the village.

The Royal Academy of History accepted the proposed arms "without any inconvenience".
The Academy rejected the proposed flag, which is similar to the flag of Castilla-La Mancha. The colors, taken from the fields of the arms of Castilla y León, result in an excessive generic character and lack a specific connection with Lumbrales.
[Boletín de la Real Academia de la Historia 190:3, 447. 1993]

Ivan Sache, 31 March 2019