It is judicial district of Huesca, in the region of the Monegros, with 276,1 Km2. of extension, about 3.200 inhabitants (3.190 in 1.950), 281 m. of height on the level of the sea, and 48 Km. of distance to Huesca. The gentile is "sariñenense".

The water of the Alcanadre and Flumen rivers, convert into flower and fruit garden this part of the `Black Mount', originating name in these spots, that would derive thereinafter in the word Monegros. The reason of this qualifying, it is not other that the obscure color that the abundance of savins were conferring to this geographical zone. Antonio Beltrán, assures that the origin of the primitive accession is that of a Roman town. But in the urban estructure, there is testimony of all the eras; the Arabic presence for example, is demonstrated by the ingenious irrigations system (irrigation canals of Valdera and of the Molino). Throughout the times, Sariñena always was an important Market spot and of Fairs. The first mention of the place, is soared by year 1100 and they write it as Saragena. From among its resources, emphasize: cereals, grapewine, alfalfa, maize, vegetables and fruits. The cattle-raising, it is wooly preferably. Other resources are the Aviculture and Food Industry.

The parochial church of the Salvador has ornaments from the disappeared Monasterio de las Fuentes, emphasizing in it, the romanic image of the Virgin. Also it is venerated the Virgin of Loreto in the convent of San Francisco. To the exit of this population, already about Alcanadre river, it is found the hermitage of Santiago (of romanic architecture) on the river and ravine of the Gallo, about medieval bridge; according to the tradition, this hermitage was built by San Eufrasio, disciple of the apostle. On 15 of May (San Isidro Labrador) is attended in pilgrimage. This locality enjoys its holidays to first September, in honor San Antolín. Also the day 2 of May, there is a dance typical ancient and very complete, with the aragonesian bagpipe of bellows (roncón) and the clarinet of snake skin (so that it is not dried).

We should not forget the Lagoon of Sariñena, that it is about 800 mts. to the West of the head-board of the Region of the Monegros. It is one of the the most important lagoons of Aragón, not by its dimensions only, but by its interest as biological reservation. It presents some interesting characteristics, due mainly to be hung between Flumen and Alcanadre rivers (both rivers meet 8 kms. to the South), that manifests the erosiv inefficiency of the climate of the region. It seems that is of the few lagoons of Monegros that from the geological times maintain water in permanent regime. In a given moment, The Lagoon has been very altered, since in the XIX century, was built a drainage tunnel, in ceramics, that was maintaining the water level. But once covered the tunnel and due to increase in poured in the basin, motivated by the irrigable, the surface increased considerably, descending the degree of salt and that of pollution; this last aspect, due to negligent poured of remmants of farms and traditional use of The Lagoon as dungheap. Paradoxically, the result of what is indicated, has been to favor the proliferation of the aquatic fowl, being in a few years, in the second aquatic interest area in Aragón (after that of Gallocanta, in Zaragoza). Along the year, the variation cycle of the fauna presents each maximum of abundance and diversity in the equinoctials stations, indicating the importance of such places, as rest and refuge areas in migration. In the Winter also, it is important the number of fowl that are observed, prevailed the ducks. The Summer, it is a poor era, in the one which prevail the fowl with nest: small storks and avocets (in the mire); and large golden plover (between the pebbles). In the islands, where the scrub under is dense, nestle the ducks: royal duck, colored duck, frieze duck, water hen and jolly gull . Other interesting kind of nestting is the carrizal (ground covered with ditch reeds), relatively vast in the South zone and West of the lagoon. The colonies constitute palafittes, using many times as base, the nests of dadchick; there they can be found nests of zampullín kid and zampullín black-neck (another kind of ducks), all with its typical floating nests. Fit to emphasize furthermore, the herons colony, in the one which nestle: common small heron, night heron and small european bittern. The nests of focha, are counted by hundreds, being also abundant those of white-face fumarel. The typical raptorial fowl, that nestles in a carrizal, is the lagooner eaglet. Though no-nesttered, but in different eras of the year, they can be observed numerous kinds of ducks; between them, the goose (common, rural, large face) and so interesting fowl as the flamingo, spatula and a long etcetera.

Bibliography: * Great Aragonesian Encyclopedia. ** Manuel Tomé.

* Manuel Tomé Bosqued.

Upper Aragon, Literary Articles (Huesca, Spain)