In the heart of Castilla: Peñaranda de Duero

Visiting the Premonstratensian monastery of Santa María de la Vid and not passing, sooner or later, through Peñaranda de Duero, would be, I assure you, an obviously unforgivable mistake.

Much more, still, if we know or intuit that, due to its location, in that metaphorical geographical center where the powerful heart of Old Castile still beats strongly, Peñaranda is one of those cities, whose value, both historical, artistic and of course, cultural is well worth anything from a mass to a long and attentive visit.

Still preserving a good part of the gates and walls that kept it relatively safe during those violent medieval vicissitudes, we have, here, a very attractive city, without a doubt, above all, for tourists, who, fleeing from the suffocating and crowded Levante beaches, prefers to be seduced by a wealth of nuances, which also contrasts with that megalomaniacal sensation that always comes with feeling part of an immemorial history.

A history, on the other hand, whose legacy can still be seen, to a large extent, in a fantastic old town, which still preserves that type of alleys and architectural extensions, closed tight on a main nucleus, in the shape of a monumental square, always in sight, from the heights of the nearby hill, of that feudal symbol and origin of the first Castilian banners, which is, of course, its castle.

A historic castle, if there ever was one, despite the reforms of later centuries, since it was, like some others in the fertile surrounding lands, built, as early as the 10th century, by one of the Castilian counts, whose exploits and rebellion against the Muslim conqueror, have written the most entertaining pages of the History of Spain, being definitively immortalized in that jewel of universal Literature, which is the old Romancero: Fernán Gonzalez.

Part of the greatness of this ancient heritage is also located next to a Main Square, which draws powerful attention for the constitution of its typical Castilian architecture, in the formidable church, of probable Gothic origins, dedicated to the figure of Santa Ana.

A church, which once enjoyed the status of Collegiate Church - it could be understood, in this case, as precedents for later universities - in which, along with its monumental baroque façade, some Roman columns can still be seen, surely coming from the neighboring city of Clunia, whose ruins were, in times, true quarries from which churches and hermitages were nourished, such as that of Cristo de San Sebastián, located on the outskirts of the town of Coruña del Conde.

In front of this and on the other side of the Main Square, another of the heritage elements that make Peñaranda proud stands out, due to its proportions and idiosyncrasy: in this case, a notable example of palatial civil architecture, such as the palace of the Counts of Miranda, built in the 16th century, where it is speculated that Francisco de Colonia, a member of that family of notable German artists, who is known, among many other details, to have worked in the cathedral of Burgos and to whom it is attributed, may have worked. In addition, the superb altarpiece that can still be admired in the church of San Nicolás, located a few meters from it.

It should also be noted that numerous of the old mansions, where some of them still continue to display the noble coats of arms of their first inhabitants on the lintels of their doors, in addition to preserving their original natural architecture, currently serve as accommodation. of tourism, which, especially in the summer, multiplies by two a population estimated at approximately five hundred inhabitants.

This means that, in addition to accommodation, they also have restaurant services and seeing the surroundings of the Main Square, congested by the terraces, offers a romantic and picturesque vision, like few others, of those warm summer days, where in the heat of a good wine or a cold beer, families and friends relax and close ties around the most enthusiastic of conversations.

It can also be added that, after all, Peñaranda de Duero is also an ideal place, as an unrivaled base to practice, not only hiking through its beautiful surroundings, but also to draw maps of routes where you can get lost in search of fantasy. and adventure through a region, which, due to its nature and antiquity, may well continue to be considered the Heart par excellence of Castile.

And as the Spanish writer, Juan Eslava Galán, would say, it is also one of those places in Spain, whose visit you should not miss.

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NOTICE: Both the text, the accompanying photographs, as well as the video that illustrates it, are my exclusive intellectual property and are therefore subject to my Copyright.

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