La Mancha

La Mancha, plateau region, southern-central Spain. La Mancha includes parts of the provinces of Ciudad Real, Toledo, Albacete, and Cuenca. Much of La Mancha is located in the upper reaches of the River Guadiana. The plateau is divided into La Mancha Alta (high) in the north-east and La Mancha Baja (low) in the south-west. La Mancha’s climate is harsh, with hot summers and cold winters. Rainfall is scanty and irregular, particularly in the lower elevations, and from spring to autumn there is virtually no precipitation. There are few trees, and the region is relatively barren. Even in these unfavourable conditions, the principal economic activities remain agricultural, with some grain and wine produced. In the high basin of the Guadiana is a marshland area called La Mancha Húmeda (wet), which is drained for farming but also supports a variety of birds and plants.

La Mancha’s population density is among the lowest in Spain, and most of the inhabitants of the region dwell in rural towns. Founded in the 13th century, Ciudad Real is one of the largest towns in La Mancha, but other places of interest include Almagro, with a medieval open-air theatre, and Calatrava La Nueva, with the castle ruins of its monk-soldiers. La Mancha was made famous by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel Don Quixote de la Mancha (Part I, 1605; Part II, 1615). Small windmills like those with which Don Quixote jousted still dot the landscape in parts of the region; some of the best examples can be found at Consuegra. La Mancha was formerly known as the Campo Espertario and was called Al Mansha (dry land) by the Arabs. During the Middle Ages the plateau was a dividing zone between the Christian north and the Moors of the south.