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Municipality of Torregamones (Castile and Leon, Spain)

Zamora Province

image from municipal website

Introduction
Description
Coat of Arms

See also:

Introduction

The municipality of Torregamones (304 inhabitants in 2009, 3,707 ha) is located in the southeast of the Zamora Province, on the border with Portugal (here river Duero / Douro). The village is located in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, created on 11 April 2002. The word "arribes" comes, via Asturian, from Latin "ad ripam," "on the banks". It is used, locally, to designate the canyon formed by the Duero.

Torregamones most probably emerged around a watchtower ("torre") built by the villagers of neighboring Gamones, and later reused as the church tower. Remains of a border fort used during the reign of Charles III (1759-1788) recall the then-struggle between Spain and Portugal.

Source: Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 16 Oct 2010

Description

The municipal symbols of Torregamones were unveiled on 15 October 2010, as reported in "La Opinión de Zamora" (with a color photo showing the flag).

Source: "La Opinión de Zamora"," 16 October 2010

Presented on a dedicated page of the municipal website, the symbols are credited to Angel Barrios Licarion, a citizen of Torregamones who performed on his own time and money the research and design of the symbols.

The flag of Torregamones is divided grey-purple by the descending diagonal, with the municipal coat of arms in the middle. Grey represents granite, used in the municipality for centuries to build houses, mills, fountains, huts and enclosures; grey also represnts the natural treasure represented by the Arribes del Duero. Purple is a tribute to the Community of Castile and Leon; this color is found in the municipal symbols of the different (Province) capitals.

The flag shown, as a graphic, on the municipal website, has the coat of arms with the base wavy, that is not the adopted design; on the photo published in "La Opinión de Zamora," the coat of arms seems to be as adopted, that is with the canyon. However, the lower field of the flag seems blue rather than purple.

Source: Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 16 Oct 2010

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Torregamones is "Per pale, 1. Gules a tower argent surrounded by three asphodels of the same, 2. Azure a cross patriarchal or charged with the Ave Maria monogram argent, grafted in base or a canyon proper. The shield surmounted by a Royal Spanish crown." These arms were selected by the Municipal Council among three designs submitted by Angel Barrios Licarion. The first, rejected design differs by the base, "Or a mount proper charged with number "2" argent standing on waves azure and argent". The second, rejected design, has the tower or and the base as the first, rejected proposal, the mount omitted and the number "2" azure.

The article in "La Opinión de Zamora" explains that the tower ("torre") with the three asphodels ("gamones") recalls the popular etymology of the village's name; the religious elements recall the two patron saints of the village, Bishop St. Ildephonsus of Toledo (d. 667) and the Virgin of the Temple. The base of the shield represents the Arribes del Duero canyon.

Source: Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 16 Oct 2010