The Spanish Village Transformed by Same-Sex Marriage Law

In 2005, the "Law 13/2005, of July 1, which amends the Civil Code regarding the right to marry," commonly known as the same-sex marriage law, not only changed the lives of many same-sex couples wishing to marry but also the future of a small village in the province of Guadalajara facing extinction due to emigration and the progressive aging of its population: Campillo de Ranas.

This law, approved 20 years ago, sparked significant controversy as it was not unanimously passed, and numerous mayors declared they would never marry same-sex couples. This was not the case for Francisco Maroto García, the mayor of Campillo de Ranas, a village located on the Black Architecture route of Guadalajara, in the northwest of the province.

Francisco Maroto was then a young PSOE mayor and remains so today in his village. Unlike other mayors, he offered his small municipality to host these weddings, and Campillo de Ranas became overnight "a symbol of tolerance and equality and an icon for the LGTBI community," says Maroto, who has married over a thousand couples. "I remember the first couple I married. Their names were Santiago and Alejandro, and it was very emotional," recalls this mayor who radically changed the future of his village.

Twenty years ago, it was the Spanish village where most civil unions were celebrated, and today "almost every weekend there is one," notes its mayor, who estimates that more than 70 weddings are officiated in his village each year, not only for same-sex couples. "All this started as a militant movement but turned into something very prosperous for the village, resulting in many jobs and new opportunities to live here," assures Francisco Maroto.

Today, Campillo de Ranas, with 152 registered inhabitants, has 19 rural houses, five restaurants, and a hostel that serve the guests of the marrying couples. This is complemented by the charm of the village's architecture and its natural surroundings, as "we are in a privileged enclave, the geographical center of the Black Architecture, in the Ocejón Valley, an emblematic mountain of the Sierra de Ayllón with flora dominated by oak forests and fauna typical of high mountains. We are also surrounded by streams of fresh, crystal-clear water that feed the Jarama River as it passes through our municipality," explains its proud mayor.

Getting married civilly in Campillo de Ranas is relatively easy. Simply contact the town hall via email to reserve the date and time of the ceremony. Available dates are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 9, 10, or 13 hours. It is necessary to contact the corresponding civil registry to initiate the marriage process and indicate that the ceremony is to be held at the Campillo de Ranas Town Hall so that the registry sends the file to this municipality. A fee of 200 euros must also be paid into a bank account for the civil marriage ceremony in this village.

Once these procedures are completed, it is necessary to send the payment receipt of the fee, the national identity documents of the contracting parties, and the personal details of the witnesses to the email of the Campillo de Ranas Town Hall. All this is perfectly specified on the website of this town hall, which has seen same-sex marriages as a development path.