Don Benito

Don Benito is a small Spanish city in the Badajoz province, Extremadura, near the left bank of the Guadiana river.

Overview

Don Benito has 35,564 people, being part of an urban area with the Villanueva de la Serena (25,484) only 5 km away.

It dates from the 15th century, when it was founded by refugees from Don Llorente, who deserted their own town due to the danger of floods from the Guadiana. Besides manufactures of brandy, flour, oil, soap, linen and cloth, it has an active trade in wheat, wine and fruit, especially melons.

Neighoors have the name Calabazones.

In 1809, during Napoleon's Spain conquest, an important battle took place between Don Benito and Medellín, killing thousands of inhabitants from the former.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.