SURROUNDINGS

The mountain massif of LasVilluercas lends its name to the land in easternExtremadura where we find one of the most important monasteries in Spain: Guadalupe.

Starting out from Navalmoral de la Mata, center of the región known as Campo Arañuelo, we take the road that leads to Guadalupe, crossing Los Ibores, a place with rustic landscapes and excellent hunting and fishing. In Bohonal de Ibor we find Valdecañas reservoir. Underneath these waters lies Talavera la Vieja since 1960. Next to the damn, the remains of a Roman temple are preserved. Castañar de Iborrises amid a grove of chestnut trees, offering visitors its famous Ibor cheese and an interesting visit to the baroque altarpiece in its church. Nearby is Navalvillar de Ibor, where you can purchase a sweet treat called “roscas de muédagos” made with honey. In the region of Villuercas, Guadalupe, declared a World Heritage Site, has been a pilgrimage destination for centuries. The monastery would house pilgrims for three days at no charge and give them a pair of shoes for the return journey.

The grandiose monastery is considered the temple of the Hispanic world.Ferdinand and Isabella received Columbus here and provided him with letters so that he could be furnished with ships  and crews.

In the square in front of theentranceway, a baptismal font is preserved where two Indians Columbus brought back on his second voyage were baptized. The monastery displays a mixture of different styles: Gothic rose windows, a Mudéjar cloister with a lovely miniature temple, and more importantly, Renaissance and baroque additions. It was commissioned by king Alfonso XI to commemorate the apparition of the Virgin in gratitude for the victory at the Battle of Salado in the 14th century. One of the most interesting parts is the sacristy where eleven paintings by the Extremaduran master Zurbarán can be admired. In the camarín (shrine) of the Virgin, behind wooden doors, resides the darkfaced image of the Virgin, patron saint of Extremadura.

 The monks once had their own pharmacy and by special dispensation from Rome performed surgical operations. The feudal domination they exercised was the reason relations with La Puebla, the village that grew up around the Monastery, were not always good. The street called Calle Mayor links the upper and lower districts and features houses with typical balconies adorned with flowers, wooden verandas and porches. On the way to Trujillo from Guadalupe, we come across Cañamero, famous for its wine cellars. Nearby is Cancho del Fresno reservoir and a Little further Logrosán, with a grand Gothic church devoted to San Mateo (St. Matthew) and a rollo (a large pillar of stone with a cross on top signifying jurisdiction).

 Berzocana is located amidst groves of chestnut, oak and cork oak. In the vicinity, caves with prehistoric paintings have been found, as well as a Roman necropolis. Later we come upon Navezuelas, Roturas, Cabañas del Castillo and Deleitosa, all of them surrounded by lovely landscapes and hunting reserves.

The lands of Deleitosa once belonged to the Duke of Frías. Of special interest in the village is the carved Crucifix in the church and the rollo.