Murillo de Gállego, a village in Zaragoza that, however, and given its privileged location next to the Mallos, falls within the so-called Hoya de Huesca.

A picturesque village, of houses that huddle on the slope of a steep mound, on top of which, like an imposing and impassive hawk, an impressive construction that, given its spectacular size and volume, makes the town seem definitely small: Church of San Salvador.

True to some other constructions in the area, a simple glance is enough to discern that in the constructive patterns, the medieval stonemasons skillfully developed the idea of fortress-churches, characteristic of times of hard, costly reconquest.

Pejoratively speaking, and seen like that, even in the distance he remembers that impregnable fortress of Aquila immortalized by the Seventh Art in films like Lady Hawk, mixing, already the magic inherent to the Middle Ages, with secrets, passions and spells without comparison.

As a spell, for example, is having the opportunity to enter this temple of colossal proportions, and be captivated by the enchantment of its crypt that, together with the headboard is part of what remains of that original Romanesque temple, consecrated, apparently , in 1110, when Murillo de Gállego was part of the so-called Kingdom of Mallos.

With reference to this mysterious kingdom, there is a curious legend that, assuring that it was ruled by a queen -certain chronicles affirm that her name was Bertha- is a significant fact, since it coincides with similar traditions that are located in certain places of the Camino Jacobeo, such as the area where the octagonal church of Santa María de Eunate (Navarra) is located and even in Compostela, where there is a similar one, related to the discovery and transfer of the remains of the Apostle, although here the name of the queen in question, it was Lupa

Curious phonetic form, which may be linked to the French root loup, lug, wolf.

Returning to the theme of the crypt of this church of San Salvador-significant is, in the same way, the number of churches in the area under the advocation, it should be added that it is one of the few places that, although repainted, still retain much of of the original painting that decorated its capitals.

By the traces that are observed under the layer of blue paint of the walls, one can sense, as well, the mystery that surrounds the paintings -of Romanesque period, in all likelihood- that are hidden below, and whose interest can be quite more than relevant.

Given its privileged situation, in the vicinity of relevant cities and of great historical and cultural interest, such as Ejea de los Caballeros, Uncastillo, Luna, Ayerbe and its proximity to this impressive fortress, which is the castle of Loarre, Murillo de Gállego is frequently visited by that social phenomenon, emulator of the fast-paced stories of Jack Kerouac, who are the bikers.

NOTICE: Originally published in my blog ROMÁNICA, ENIGMAS DEL ROMÁNICO ESPAÑOL, although updated and with unpublished photographs. Both this and the text are my exclusive intellectual property. The original entry, where you can check the authorship of juancar347, can be found at the following address: https://juancar347-romanica.blogspot.com/2010/05/murillo-de-gallego-iglesia-de-san.html

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