Simancas

Castle of Simancas

Simancas, town, Valladolid provincia (province), in the Castile-León comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), north-central Spain. It lies on the right bank of the Pisuerga River, just southwest of Valladolid city. The town originated as the Roman Septimanca, and its most important landmark is a citadel dating from the Moorish occupation in the 9th century. This citadel is now the Archivo General del Reino, to which the national archives of Spain were removed by order of Philip II in 1563. It houses important private as well as state documents. Simancas is an agricultural trade centre, and poultry is raised there. Pop. (2007 est.) mun., 4,873.