Castles churches chapels n cathedrals

[Kiwi-family]

So the Madrid route is full of these. @peregrina2000 i saw you mention somewhere that there are some great Romanesque churches off route. I have loved other suggestions of yours that I have detoured for, so I’d like to do the same again. Could you please give more details?

 

[peregrina2000]

Hmmmm, I don't think I took any off-Camino detours for Romanesque churches on this route. I did take a day to visit Valladollid, which I really enjoyed. The sculpture museum is in a Renaissance convent, and the church facade is stupendous Baroque, probably Plateresco, which is the special Spanish baroque. There is also a house where Cervantes reportedly lived, and a nice Gothic/romanesque church tower. And the Plaza Mayor is really pretty.

The castle in Manzanares is wonderful, it is supposedly the best example of Castilian XVI century military architecture. But it is right on route and easy to visit. Coca's castle is now dedicated to some sort of job center, I thnk, but Annie seems to have had the same experience I did and was able to walk around freely.

I didn't figure out how to get into the Romanesque church in Wamba, but as @Magwood has confirmed, the main attraction inside is the bones chapel -- gruesome. There is a nice Romanesque church (I am thinking mainly of the apse) in Santervás, I think it is. And another very nice apse in Alcazarén, but those are all on camino.

Maybe my memory is failing, so Rachel if you can point me to those posts, I will see if I can figure out what I was talking about!

 

[Kiwi-family]

@peregrina2000 I thought maybe I had misremembered so I had a wee search. Here’s what I found:
“And one last thought about Segovia. I have been to Segovia many times, but always only during the day. Last December when I was in Madrid for work, I took the train out with some colleagues who had never been there. Because night fell so early, we were there well after dark and I have to say that I found the aqueduct lit up at night to be absolutely breathtaking. That is really the highlight for me, along with a few romanesque churches (worth a detour off the camino or on your walk through town, a couple of them have just beautiful towers and portals). The cathedral and the Alcazar (from the inside) are ho hum to my jaded eyes. But the views of the Alcazar as the camino leaves Segovia are fabulous”
I’m just as happy to wander and see what I find - but i’ll Always look out for your treasures!

 

[peregrina2000]

Oh, yes, the romanesque churches in Segovia are quite beautiful. If you spend a day there, you will have plenty of chances to enjoy them. Wikipedia lists 14, but I am sure I never saw that many. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Romanesque_churches_in_Segovia

I would say my intown favorites were San Millán, San Martín and San Clemente (based on a quick look at my journal), and then there is that octagonal church outside of town on the Camino. I have been inside only once, but I think the exterior is the showstopper.

Segovia is definitely worth a full day at least, if you can swing it, but my own jaded opinion (especially if you have only a half day or a few hours) is that paying the euros they charge to get into the castle is not worth the time or the money.

Hope your Camino de Madrid is wonderful and snow-free in the pass at Fonfría!

 

[Kiwi-family]

My tentative plan is a short (20ish km) walk to La Granja so I can spend the afternoon in the palace/gardens. Then quick hop to Segovia the next morning would leave a whole day there. Plus a second day if I just walk to Zamaramala the following evening. I’ll certainly need it if there are 14 Romanesque churches to find;-)

 

[Tincatinker]

Ah. One more reminder of why I love this forum

 

[KinkyOne]

To already mentioned sites in above posts I can add:
- Madrid (but that's pretty obvious)
- Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Soterrana in Sta.Maria Real de la Nieva
- Torre de San Nicolas in Coca
- Iglesia Sta.Maria de Mediavilla in Medina de Rioseco
- Rollo de Justicia in Villalon de Campos
- Palacio (not to be missed especially now when there's albergue in it and you can wander through it alone even in the night) and fortress in Grajal de Campos
- La Peregrina in Sahagun.

 

[peregrina2000]

- Rollo de Justicia in Villalon de Campos

Thanks for reminding me of that word, Rollo. I was going to mention the tall thin stone pole in the square of Villalón to Kiwi-family but couldn't think of the word. It's rollo! I believe it is a sign that the town where it is has legal authority to condemn people to death, but I could be wrong about that. I also think that the slang term rollo (meaning it is a complicated mess) also comes from there, but my entymology is no better than my history.

In any event, it is beautiful, and I believe that it is attributed to one of the stonemasons of the Burgos cathedral.

 

[KinkyOne]

Thanks for reminding me of that word, Rollo. I was going to mention the tall thin stone pole in the square of Villalón to Kiwi-family but couldn't think of the word. It's rollo! I believe it is a sign that the town where it is has legal authority to condemn people to death, but I could be wrong about that. I also think that the slang term rollo (meaning it is a complicated mess) also comes from there, but my entymology is no better than my history.

In any event, it is beautiful, and I believe that it is attributed to one of the stonemasons of the Burgos cathedral.

You are partly right:
"(from Wikipedia) Un rollo es una columna generalmente hecha de piedra y normalmente rematada por una cruz o una bola. Representaba la categoría administrativa del lugar, levantándose solo en los villazgos que tenían plena jurisdicción, indicando el régimen al que estaba sometido: señorío real, concejil, eclesiástico o monástico. Además marcaba el límite territorial y, en ciertos casos, era un monumento conmemorativo de la concesión del villazgo. Compartían con las picotas las funciones de ajusticiamientos. Estos ajusticiamientos fueron suspendidos por decreto de las Cortes de Cádiz en 1812. "
In my part of the world there are remains of medieval (similar to rollo's) "pillars of shame" where criminals or adulterers etc. were exposed for punishment. I guess rollos weren't just that but had more of the administrative role.

Etymological "rollo" means something like the "roll", for its upright shape.

I kind of remember the same about the stonemason. I would have to take a peek in the guide I guess. But as always I'm too lazy

 

[Kiwi-family]

Thanks so much @KinkyOne. I love to stumble across things when I’m traveling, but I also love to savor the anticipation of what I’m going to look for.

 

[AZgirl]

You are probably aware, but I loved the church of Santiago in medina del rioseco. From what I remember it's not open on Monday, I ended up taking a rest day to see it, but it was worth it. I loved the whole town actually. You must take the tour to see that church and also the santa maria one. I know that the convent is closed but for my second night i stayed at a hostel for only 15 euros for a nice single.

Eta: also as @KinkyOne mentioned the palacio at grajal de Campos was amazing albergue. I was there and had the place to myself, i was just a little spooked out but it was wonderful!

 

[Kanga]

I found the castle at Coca stunning. Not a job centre from what I could see - I can’t imagine that.

 

[Kiwi-family]

You are probably aware, but I loved the church of Santiago in medina del rioseco. From what I remember it's not open on Monday, I ended up taking a rest day to see it, but it was worth it. I loved the whole town actually. You must take the tour to see that church and also the santa maria one. I know that the convent is closed but for my second night i stayed at a hostel for only 15 euros for a nice single.

Eta: also as @KinkyOne mentioned the palacio at grajal de Campos was amazing albergue. I was there and had the place to myself, i was just a little spooked out but it was wonderful!

Which hostel did you stay in in Medina del Rioseco? I like the sound of 15 euros!

 

[AZgirl]

@Kiwi-family It was the duque de osuna. They had a special pilgrim rate, but it didn't show on booking.com I called the property directly, it was nice, and in such a lovely town.

 

[Elizabeth2018]

Noted. Thank you for that information!

 

[Kiwi-family]

According to @OzAnnie The Duque de Osuna could only be brought down to 25 euros a week or so ago!

 

[AZgirl]

According to @OzAnnie The Duque de Osuna could only be brought down to 25 euros a week or so ago!

Ah, I was there in late Sept 2017. I will say even at 25, it probably would have been a good value. Maybe it was slower then? I hardly met any pilgrims. When are you planning to go?

 

[Kiwi-family]

Ah, I was there in late Sept 2017. I will say even at 25, it probably would have been a good value. Maybe it was slower then? I hardly met any pilgrims. When are you planning to go?

September 20 I leave NZ. Two days later start walking. Tossing up whether to go slowly-ish and take a train between Sahagun and Leon or to take some longer days on the Madrid and walk all the way. I’m keen to walk all the way but it seems there are LOTS of things to look at and sketch along the way so I may need to slow down.