How many times have you heard that a town is in danger of extinction ? Surely many, since rural life is disappearing and the new generations prefer to live in the city, something that has happened in Spain for many decades.
One of the most threatened towns is Illán de Vacas , where there has been talk of this danger of extinction for more than 15 years. The truth is that it is not surprising, since for a long time it has been the least inhabited town in Spain.
Only five inhabitants!
It is located in the province of Toledo and has an area of less than 10 square kilometers. Without a doubt, more than enough dimensions for the five people who live there.
Centuries ago are the censuses in which it was declared that more than 200 people lived. Now there is only one family that is beginning to get tired of the questions from the press, since journalists do not stop visiting Illán de Vacas for the simple fact of being the least inhabited town in Spain.
As you can imagine, the villagers are part of a family. The Renillas proudly stroll down their main street (the rest are dirt roads) and they don’t plan to pack their bags. Not even the change of mayor, who passed from brother to brother, has changed the thoughts of the last of the 8,125 municipalities in Spain in terms of inhabitants.
Reluctant to merge with neighboring towns
When the crisis came the Government tried to merge peoples . At that time, the possibility of Illán de Vacas merging with Cebolla and Los Cerrablos, which are the ones closest to each other, was raised. However, that possibility has disappeared because the Renillas are very clear about where they want to live.
Oddly enough, there is also a church there. They built it in honor of the Assumption of Our Lady and it serves to host the only important celebration of the town. It is about the Virgen de la Paz and serves to gather residents of other towns around every 24 January. There is a mass, a procession and a snack that puts an end to the most atmospheric day of the year in Illán de Vacas, where from time to time people who were born there are visited.
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