Beneficio

Place in Andalusia, Spain

Beneficio

Beneficio community tent

Coordinates: 36°55′20.5″N 3°26′6.5″W﻿ / ﻿36.922361°N 3.435139°W﻿ / 36.922361; -3.435139
Country|  Spain
Autonomous community|  Andalusia
Province| Granada
Area

• Total| 3 km2 (1 sq mi)
Elevation

| 550 m (1,800 ft)
Population

(2011)

• Total| 200
• Density| 67/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)

Beneficio is an intentional community in southern Spain. It consists of a plot co-owned by many residents in a river valley, outside of the Alpujarras village of Órgiva.[1]

Inhabitants live largely in various styles of light shelters such as tents, benders and tipis, although some more permanent structures have been built, including straw bale constructions. There is also a number of people living in vehicles along the dirt road that leads up to the Beneficio valley. A part of the settlement is against Spanish law and the Junta has been evicting its inhabitants since spring 2013. Inside Beneficio there are small businesses, including a shop, bakeries, free range eggs, and cheese making. There are shared facilities including a large communal tipi, shared outdoor kitchen, composting toilet, and a sports pitch. Drinking water is provided by a mountain spring, and secondary water is provided by the stream running through the valley.[1]

Tipis and gardens in Beneficio, April 2011.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Beneficio Orgiva, Spain. Fellowship for Intentional Communities Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine. 2009.