Whenever I go to Almazán, I have the curious feeling that the Duero, who has kissed its walled banks from time immemorial, stops its path for a moment, becoming a restless pond, and not by chance, at the edge of the church of San Miguel.

The church of San Miguel, for your information, is not only the most important monument of Almazán, but also, one of the most interesting churches of a Historic-Artistic Heritage that achieves, in an individual and verbigracia way, that this ancient village, which He attended, among many others, the differences between King Pedro I the Cruel and his bastard brother, Enrique de Trastámara - remember the historical phrase, of that well-known French mercenary, Bertrand Du Guesclin, who allied with that of Trastámara, said that From: I do not take away or put a king, do I only serve my lord? - Do not vegetate into oblivion, now that it is hopelessly separated by the new highway that links Soria with Navarra.

For centuries, Almazan was an important Muslim stronghold on this side of the so-called Douro border, which separated the northern Christian kingdoms, from the Caliphate of Cordoba that, as we know, dominated virtually the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, since the invasion of Tarik in 711.

From that time, in which the Muslims called it Al-Mahsan, the fortified one, it is true that there are not many elements left, except for part of its walls, the Blacksmiths Gate, the Market Gate and the Villa Gate.

Having finally been conquered and repopulated in 1128 by Alfonso I the Battler - remember that curious king, in whose will he bequeathed his entire kingdom to the Military Orders and especially to the Templars? - is it not difficult to present, in part of its historical buildings and among the remains of their modified churches, traces of this transcendental cavalry, which always marched to the forefront of the Christian armies, displayed their banners in the name of God.

Of beautiful invoice and of meritorious rural architecture that immediately attracts the visitor's attention for its beauty, the Plaza Mayor de Almazán is a poem to symmetry and although perhaps more austere than other main squares, it does not cease to carry a careful sense of balance and the proportion, worthy of the 'commandments' of the best medieval architectural traditions.

In the Plaza Mayor, which is accessed, among others, by the splendid arch that supports the clock tower, and is called, Puerta de la Villa, the church of San Miguel is located - as has been said, a splendid Romanesque jewel of the twelfth century - the City Hall and the lavish palace of one of the most powerful and unique families in the history of Spain: the Hurtado de Mendoza.

From that time, in which faith and the reconquest was leaving numerous traces in the form of churches and hermitages, they still survive, apart from the church of San Miguel, the church of San Vicente - currently, converted into an exhibition center - the church of San Pedro -in whose primitive ashlars and although very reformed, still retains interesting stonework marks- the church of Santa María de Calatañazor and at the top of the town, the church of Our Lady of the Bell Tower, in one of whose ashlars , the hint finder can still find - if allowed by the vehicles that park next to its main entrance, a beautiful cross kick immersed in a circle, which could very well be taken - apart from as a consecration sign - as a sign of belonging to one of those military orders that accompanied Alfonso I the Battler in his Reconquest adventure: the Order of the Temple.

Apart from the traditional food, where the delicious Sorian torreznos, the pickled partridges or, in season time, the crabs in their sauce, apart from excellent meats and sausages, next to the Puerta de la Villa, stand out the establishments Traditional, whose shop windows offer a varied and exquisite exhibition of Soriana pastry, which is worth knowing and tasting.

A few meters from it, from the Puerta de la Villa, the Hermitage of Jesus is also mentionable, a curious 17th-century building and octagonal plan, which maintained the architecture whose form reminded the characteristics of the Sepulcher of the Lord -Sepulchrum Domine- of Jerusalem , places that used to house, generally, images of Virgins and Christs with the reputation of very miraculous.

From the lower part of the city, the tourist or the visitor, also has the opportunity to take a pleasant walk along the banks of the Duero - remember this name, as it is the denomination of origin of exquisite wines, capable of satisfying by far to the most demanding palate - from where you can see a beautiful perspective of the town and part of those august walls, which formerly surrounded it.

In short: it could be said of Almazán, which is a beautiful town whose life passes peacefully between the memory of the great walled city that was in times and where to enjoy a peaceful tranquility, a rich hodgepodge of history and art and above all, of a genuine and varied cuisine.

NOTICE: Both the text and the accompanying photographs are my exclusive intellectual property.

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[Martial, latin poet]

Ars vtinam more Animvm qve effingere. Posses pulchrior in ter. Ris nvlla tabella foret.

Arte Ojala pudieras representar. el carácter y el espíritu. No habría sobre la tierra. Imagen más bella

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