| Briones | |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Pushpin Map: | Spain La Rioja#Spain |
| Mapsize: | 250 |
| Coordinates: | 42.5442°N -2.785°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Autonomous community |
| Subdivision Type2: | Comarca |
| Subdivision Name2: | Haro |
| Area Total Km2: | 37.72 |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | c. 1st century |
| Population Demonym: | brionero,ra |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Official language |
| Blank Info Sec1: | Spanish |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 26330 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Name: | María Carmen Ruiz Ruiz |
| Leader Party: | People's Party |
Briones is a village in the province and autonomous community of La Rioja, Spain. The municipality covers an area of and as of 2011 had a population of 873 people.[1]
The name Briones comes from the Berones, ancient inhabitants of La Rioja, but according to a lithic site from the Bronze Age found in the path of the Santos Mártires chapel, Briones had inhabitants before the Beroners.The Albedense Chronicle (c. 883)[2] says that Alfonso I of Asturias cut down the village of Briones and six other municipalities. Moreover, the chronicle also mentions the famous expedition led by Alphonso I, king of Asturias all the way down the Ebro river in 740. In that chronicle, these destroyed villages are mentioned: Mirandam (now Miranda de Ebro), Revedencam, Carbonariam, Abeicam (Ábalos, where the expedition crossed the Ebro river), Brunes (this might be Briones but it is uncertain), Cinissariam (now Cenicero) and Alesanco.
Briones was under Saracen control until the late 9th century, and it belonged to King Ordoño II of León since the beginnings of the 10th century. Briones also belonged to the Castilla County, which had been repopulated with Basques and was a frontier between Castilla and Navarra. After Sancho el de Peñalén was murdered 4 June 1076, Alfonso VI took over La Rioja and Briones became part of the domain of Haro.Fernando III named Don Diego López III de Haro, the monarch's nephew, first Lord of Briones.In 1240 Don Diego López rebelled against Fernando III and found shelter in Briones. The king enclosed the town and made him prisoner. Since then, Briones belonged to the crown.On 18 January 1256, Alfonso X of Castile gave Briones the regional laws from Vitoria, as a guarantee of the Castillian repopulation.In 1293 Sancho IV gave Briones royal privilege.During the Basquisation in 1536 there were thirty Basque surnames in Briones.
On 1 January 2010 the population of the town was up to 867 inhabitants, 464 men and 403 women.[3]
It was built in the 16th century using the Isabelline Gothic style and was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in the monument category on 4 September 1981.[4]
Briones has been Bien de Interés Cultural in the Conjunto Histórico category since 4 July 1973.[4]
In 2010 was published in TVE the TV series Gran Reserva. Part of it was filmed in Briones, but in the show it was renamed as Lasiesta.[6]