María Isabel Martín Jiménez

Territorio, patrimonio y turismo en la Raya de Castilla y León = Territory, heritage and tourism in the Raya of Castile and Leon

La linea fronteriza de Castilla y Leon con Portugal tiene una longitud de 349 kilometros donde se amolda una franja compuesta por 37 terminos municipales de las comarcas agrarias de Vitigudino y de Ciudad Rodrigo en Salamanca y de Sanabria, Aliste y Sayago en Zamora. Este territorio rayano comprende una superficie de 2.366,27 km2 y, si tomamos como referencia la escala comarcal, se amplia hasta los 10.203,80 km2. Como consecuencia de la localizacion periferica y “de borde”, de su evolucion historica y de la aplicacion de un modelo economico sostenible, esta zona fronteriza mantiene inalterado un variado medio natural y un rico patrimonio cultural material e inmaterial. Algunas de las areas han sido reconocidas con una figura de proteccion por sus valores ambientales y otro tanto ha ocurrido con la riqueza arqueologica e historico-artistica al incluirse en el catalogo administrativo de Bienes de Interes Cultural. En el periodo finisecular del XX y en el umbral del siglo XXI, gracias a la puesta en valor de los recursos endogenos asociados al patrimonio territorial, han surgido propuestas de actividades turisticas agrupadas en las modalidades de ecoturismo y turismo de naturaleza, cultural y activo con el objeto de buscar alternativas laborales y potenciar el desarrollo socioeconomico. The border between the Spanish region of Castile and Leon and Portugal has a length of 349 km. The border area on the Spanish side totals 37 municipalities in the rural districts of Vitigudino and Ciudad Rodrigo in the province of Salamanca and the districts of Sanabria, Aliste and Sayago in the province of Zamora. This borderland has an area of 2,366.27 square km, which if the area of the border districts would be tabled, would total 10,203.80 square km. As a consequence of its peripheral situation on the Raya (edge), its history and the application of a model of sustainable development the varied natural environment and the rich material and nonmaterial cultural heritage of this border area have remained unchanged. Some zones have administratively been recognized because of their environmental or archeological value or their historical-artistic wealth. As such they are included in the official catalogue of Bienes de Interes Cultural (Goods of Cultural Interest). Due to the recognition of the value of endogenous resources linked to territorial heritage, at the end of the twentieth and the beginnings of the twenty-first centuries proposals have been made to foster tourism. In order to diversify employment and enforce socioeconomic development, these proposals are centered on eco, nature, cultural and active tourism.

Cohesión y convergencia en la frontera de Castilla y León con Portugal (1986-2016): Población, economía y territorio

The areas of Castilla y Leon bordering the North and Centre regions of Portugal are situated in the respective national and regional peripheries. Within the European Union these areas are considered as a geographically disadvantaged space. The intention of the EU structural and cohesion policies has been to reduce socioeconomic deprivation, which characterized the peripheral situation of these areas. The aim of this article is to assess the local socioeconomic and spatial development after the incorporation of Spain into the European Community in 1986 up to the present. The conclusion reveals that social cohesion and quality of life are worsening as well as the traditional economy, whereas progress is made in tourism, cross-border interaction and the protection of natural and cultural heritage.