Covarrubias

[alansykes]

An easy and beautiful four hours over the sierra from Santo Domingo de Silos, I've really taken to Covarrubias, currently basking in bright autumn sunshine, with its half timbered houses, swift Arlanza flowing past, gaunt castle keep, elegant squares, friendly people and Colegiata de San Cosme y San Damian, with its impressive and surprising contents.

The town boasts that it is the "cuna", or cradle, of Castile, so presumably of Spain itself, and Fernán Gonzaléz, an early independent count of Castile is buried here in a Roman sarcophagus (recycling has alweays been encouraged). The Norwegian flag flies from the ayuntamiento in honour of Princess Kristina, who married an Infante of Castile, died in her 20s in 1262 and is buried here - her skeleton suggests she was 5'6" tall. She asked for there to be a church dedicated to her own St Olaf, and in 2010, just under 750 years after her death, they got round to building her one.

And they've got some impressive Flemish paintings, including a slightly dodgy "van Eyck". Definitely worth a few hours pause on the way north.

 

[alexwalker]

Very strong ties to Ancient (and today) Norway:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covarrubias,_Province_of_Burgos
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Norway,_Infanta_of_Castile

I have planned go go there for years. Envy you.

 

[peregrina2000]

So, Alan, you must be in Burgos -- decision time! Where to from here? I am enjoying your posts very much, and I think I'll be following in your footsteps in late May. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Anniesantiago]

Oooo I'm jealous tooooo!

 

[Castilian]

The town boasts that it is the "cuna", or cradle, of Castile

They make it because it was the capital of the Infantado de Covarrubias (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantazgo_de_Covarrubias). Whether that really makes it the cuna (birthplace; origin) of Castile I guess depends on who's talking and his or her points of view.

so presumably of Spain itself

Food for thought: Castile is just a part of Spain.

 

[alansykes]

But don't just take my word that Covarrubias is a great place, this is what Lorca had to say when he passed through in 1916:

Passing by a remarkable lonely Byzantine cross, you enter the town through a superb golden triumphal arch. ... The town has magnificent, ancient corners - its main street is dark and narrow, with bulging, slightly decrepit houses, with coats of arms over the most modest doorways.

 

[amancio]

cool, I am actually invited to a Viking theme wedding in Covarrubias in June, I did not know any of this! My wife is going to kill me when I sport the first yellow arrow, haha!

 

[peregrina2000]

A little more poking around based on some of Alan's helpful comments led me to the website of the Camino San Olav in Spain. http://www.caminodesanolav.es/es/burgos/

It's a 54 km route from Covarrubias to Burgos. So, for anyone interested in taking a detour from Burgos to Santo Domingo de Silos, and then walking back into Burgos, you can follow the Lana from Santo Domingo to Covarrubias, and then pick up the Camino San Olav back into Burgos. This allows you to visit the visigothic church Alan has described on another thread.

For the Norwegians amongst us, this seems like it should be a mandatory detour!

 

[peregrina2000]

Quite a contrast -- the Colegiata de San Cosme y Damian, pictured in Alan's first post in this thread, compared to the Chapel of San Olav, http://www.capilladesanolav.com/es/c/?idsec=381. Same town, different centuries.

I've read that this is the first church constructed in Spain in the 21st century, let's hope things improve from here. I have to say it looks like a shelter of some sort more than a place for prayer and contemplation. Frankly, and intending no disrespect, this construction looks like some of the modern-purpose built albergues I've seen along the way -- the one in Bandeira comes to mind.

 

[Castilian]

I've read that this is the first church constructed in Spain in the 21st century

I don't know if it's really relevant but, anyway, they say it's the first hermitage.

let's hope things improve from here.

Awful churches aren't unknown in Spain (see www.jotdown.es/2015/03/las-treinta-y-tres-iglesias-mas-espeluznantes-de-madrid for examples just in the Autonomous Community of Madrid) but they aren't an obstacle for nice ones. So far, XXIth century doesn't look too promising regarding nice churches but I (want to) guess at the end of the century there'll be some nice ones among all the awful ones.

I have to say it looks like a shelter of some sort more than a place for prayer and contemplation.

They want it to be a multipurpose building. For more info www.caminodesanolav.es/es/contenido/?iddoc=21 where you find detailed info about the church (some of it may surprise you)