It is located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) east-northeast of the capital of the province, Córdoba. In 2008, the city had an estimated population of 9,895, with 4,897 men and 4,998 women.[3]
Montoro is identified with Roman Epora, a civitas foederata belonging to the Conventus Cordubensis in the early Republican era, which became a municipium in the time of Augustus.[4] It is mentioned as the seat of an Islamic fortress (Ḥiṣn Muntur) belonging to the Kūra of Córdoba in the 10th century.[5]
Geography
It is integrated into the Alto Guadalquivir region of the province of Córdoba, located 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the provincial capital and it is also located in the Guadalquivir valley. The municipal area is crossed by the Autovía del Sur between points 353 and 366, as well as by the national highway N-420 (Córdoba-Tarragona), which separates from the A-4 in this municipality, and the autonomous highway A- 309, which allows communication with Bujalance.
The urban center is located in the area of contact between Sierra Morena and the countryside, located on a promontory inside the embedded meander that the Guadalquivir River forms here, it owes its characteristic urban planning to the Muslim period of Al-Andalus. Since 2013, the meander of the Guadalquivir River, as it passes through Montoro, has been classified as a natural monument. It is also categorized as Monte Público. The river forms a very pronounced curvature, which is embedded in the Paleozoic materials (period between approximately 500 and 250 million years ago) of the foothills of Sierra Morena, which represents one of the best examples of epigenic meander on a national scale. . This section of the river is part of a Site of Community Interest (SCI), which is currently a Special Conservation Area (ZEC Río Guadalquivir-middle section ES6130015) and constitutes the southern entrance to the Sierras de Cardeña y Montoro natural park. , being located in a privileged position, since from it you can see the town of Montoro, declared a Historic-Artistic Site since 1969.[6]
Its municipal area occupies approximately 581 km2, including areas of the mountains to the north and the plains and countryside to the south. A large area of its northern area is a protected natural area, as it is part of the Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro natural park and the Southwest Special Conservation Zone (ZEC) of the Sierra de Cardeña y Montoro (ES6130005). Likewise, the Gualdaquivir River as it passes through the municipal area is part of the ZEC Río Guadalquivir-middle section (ES6130015). In addition, the river as it passes through the town center forms a meander that has become a natural monument Meandro de Montoro. The Arenoso River, coming from the mountains, is the most important tributary of the territory.
The altitude varies between 782 meters on Cerro de Brezorrubios, in the mountain area, and 143 meters on the banks of the Guadalquivir River. The countryside, south of the river, reaches 335 meters The town is located on a hill, 195 meters above sea level.
Summers are scorching, with the average maximum summer temperature being the highest in all of Europe in the last 16 years and in recent years the average maximum temperature has consistently exceeded 38 °C (100 °F) in July and August.[8][9] Temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) occur very often every year.
The lowest temperature ever recorded was −7 °C (19 °F) on 9 February 2012, while the highest temperature was 47.4 °C (117.3 °F) on 14 August 2021, which is also one of the highest ever recorded in Spain.[10] In July 2015, Montoro registered a mean maximum of 41.4 °C (106.5 °F), with 22 days being above 40 °C (104 °F), 19 of them above 41 °C (106 °F).[11][12]
Climate data for Montoro 155 metres (509 ft) asl (2009–2023), extremes (2009-present)
