LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY
The town of Salinillas de Buradón is located to the west of the Sierra de Toloño, just where the River Ebro passes the place known as Conchas de Haro.
Its main communications route is the A-124, "Camino de Rioja Alavesa", from the junction with the N-I at Armiñón to Logroño. The A-68 Bilbao - Zaragoza motorway is also close by.
The most outstanding nearby population centres are Labastida, the capital of the municipality, Haro, Miranda de Ebro and Laguardia, capital of the Cuadrilla.
Salinillas de Buradón lies upon level ground, between the Sierra de Toloño and the Obarenes hills, next to the River Ebro, at one of the natural corridors from the Meseta to the Llanada Alavesa. This location has been the main influence on its origin and on its identity as a walled enclosure, as will be seen later.

    HISTORIC EVOLUTION AND URBAN STRUCTURE

HISTORY		  
Buradón, during the 8th and 9th centuries, was a strategic location in the war between the Muslims and the kingdom of Asturias, to which Castile and Álava belonged at that time. The Muslim attacks between 756 and 923 took place via the three natural corridors between the Meseta and the Llanada:
  the Conchas de Haro, with the fortresses of Buradón and Bilibio.
   the gorge of Pancorbo.
   the Hoz de Morcuera, protected by the fortress of Cellorigo.
Sancho IV, king of Castile, moved the settlement to its current location, granting it its Foundation Charter in 1264 and authorising the erection of town walls by its inhabitants. In 1289, in another document, Sancho IV granted various privileges in order to attract the population to what was a frontier town on the border of the Kingdom of Navarre.
The condition of independent town lasted for only a short time; by the 14th century it was in the hands of the Ayala family; later it passed over to the Guevaras, until 1837 when it came to be ruled by the laws of Álava. Remains of the times of the nobility can be seen in the tower and mansion of the Sarmientos, Ayalas and Guevaras. The extension of this medieval tower in the 16th century (the mansion of the Condes de Oñate), possibly at the expense of neighbouring buildings, was the only relevant alteration that took place in Salinillas during those centuries.
The start of the obtaining of salt that gives the town its name is prior to the town's foundation; the sale of salt is mentioned in a document from 1264 and had probably been practised since the days of Alfonso VIII. The salt pans were abandoned at the beginning of the 19th century, although the salt mine continues to be used.
URBAN GROWTH  
Very little information exists on the history of the town's structure, such as its dimensions or the distribution of housing plots or public spaces.
All that survives, from the Charter of 1264, is the order to erect the town walls which, although with numerous alterations, still exist today.
The distribution of the space within the walls seems to coincide with the medieval type, even though it is to be assumed that it has undergone many changes with the years. As regards this distribution, the archaeological study currently being drafted will be able to clarify which parts of the medieval layout have been modified and which remain.

 
TYPES OF BUILDING  
The urban centre of Salinillas is noticeably homogenous, with only three differentiating elements: the town walls, the Mansion and the Church.
The typical building is the common medieval house, lying upon level ground, with a porch or covered entry and a wooden frame structure filled in with brick or adobe.
Aside from this building type, there are a significant number of emblazoned houses from the 17th and 18th centuries.
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS  
Town walls: Their erection was ordered by Sancho IV in 1264 and they were constructed in two types of stone: sandstone from "La Lobera" and limestone from "La Calabroza", these being two nearby quarries.
Its ground plan has an irregular layout, although its elevation is continuous and clear, with some of the façades almost uninterrupted, following the orography of the ground; in particular the ravine of Pozo del Hortelano to the north and west and the brook called Pilagar to the east.
Two entrances still exist, at the north-east and at the south-east, defended by their respective towers, somewhat taller than the others. There were possibly two other entrances, one at the south-east, opposite the salt pans and the other at the north-east, possibly forming part of the fortress.
The Town Walls have undergone a process of continual deterioration with the passing of the centuries. As well as the existence of constructions that have spoilt its uniformity, there have been constant attacks in which the stone has been used for the construction and repair of buildings from the 16th century to the present day.
The state of the walls, analysed by sections, is as follows:

Eastern Section: The walls were intruded upon by the appearance of a 17th century wooden frame building, which is of interest, although spoilt by successive alterations.
After this building, the walls continue as far as the northern arch practically free from interruptions. It is the best-conserved section, the layout and the stone intact up to a height of 4 m.

Northern Section: Remains of the walls exist at the ends of this section; not, however at the centre, where even the foundations have disappeared, so that the layout is unknown, pending the results of an archaeological survey.
The first third is relatively well-conserved, continuing on from section 1.

Western Section: In the first third of this section, the walls are incorporated into various buildings, in an acceptable state of repair. The types of stone used can be distinguished, as can the different masonry bonds. The height of the walls in this section is of some 9 metres.
The following area is that of the Mansion of the Condes de Oñate, where it is totally clear, but disappears in several sections. It reappears in the part next to the southern arch, with housing backing onto it.

Southern Section: From the arch onwards, there is an area of the walls where cottages back onto their outside. After this, there is a gap and having reached the corner, the line of the walls disappears once more.
The totality of the wall sections that survive have been declared Patrimony of Cultural Interest by the Department of Culture of the Basque Government, in accordance with Law 7/90.

The Tower of the Sarmientos, Ayalas and Guevaras: Constructed, according to the historian Micaela Portilla, in the second half of the 14th century, it holds a strategic position, commanding the Cabrera hills to the north and the Conchas de Haro, towards the south.
The tower has a rectangular ground plan and retains various architectonic features characteristic of the period in which it was built, such as embrasures, machicolations, modillions, or lancet arch windows.

The Mansion of the Condes de Oñate: This renaissance building from the 16th century was built around the medieval tower. It has a square-shaped ground plan and the composition of the façades is absolutely uniform with a base course that defines and regularises its footings. The two upper floors are crowned with friezes and cornices. Over the main entrance there is a large pedimental window with a round gable upon ornamental mouldings.
Both the Tower and the Mansion are currently in ruins. Only the façades of the buildings remain and the masonry of these continue to be eroded by vegetation. The only way to avoid their total destruction is the restoration and utilisation of the buildings.

The Church of La Inmaculada.Palacio de los Condes de Oñate: The Church of La Inmaculada has suffered the construction of commercial premises upon the entrance portico, a vulgar addition that disfigures the façade facing the square.
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