Venta de Baños

"Venta de Baños es una localidad y municipio en la provincia de Palencia, en la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León, España. Durante el siglo XX fue el nudo ferroviario más importante de la mitad Norte de España, en el que convergían las líneas entre Madrid y Galicia, Asturias, Santander, Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa y los enlaces a Francia por Irún/Hendaya y a Portugal por La Fregeneda/Barca de Alba y por Fuentes de Oñoro/Vilar Formoso."

"Venta de Baños is a village and municipality of about 5,880 located in El Cerrato, in the province of Palencia, part of the autonomous community of Castile and León, central Spain. It is located south of the provincial capital, Palencia. Noteworthy monuments include its Visigothic church of San Juan de Baños de Cerrato. RENFE and Grupo SIRO are the principal activities in the municipality. In popular culture and among Spanish railway travellers, Venta de Baños has traditionally had the same sort of iconic status as other great railway junctions of the world, such as Crewe in the UK. Before the advent of the dedicated high velocity routes and cheaper air travel, it was the principal transfer point for travellers between the north-east and north-west of Spain and the south. Generations of railway passengers have memories of the waiting rooms and cafeteria at Venta de Baños. The town hosts an annual international cross country running competition: the Cross Internacional de Venta de Baños. It has featured some of the world's foremost cross country athletes including Kenenisa Bekele and Palencian-born Marta Domínguez."