- Joined
- Mar 8, 2018
- Messages
- 459
- Reactions
- 467
Caracena (Soria - Spain) is one of those places that call the end of the world. There is no road beyond Caracena.
History seems to have stopped in the Middle Ages, so productive for this province of Soria, and since then it has been abandoned to its fate, from which it tries to escape agonizingly, due above all to the onslaught of the current emigration.
This beautiful place is located in a karstic environment (limestone soil), in stony and mountainous terrain, in the foothills of the Sierra de Pela, with carrascas, chaparros and junipers. In contrast, to the north there is a meadow of pastures and a meadow in which vegetables were cultivated for their own use. This plain is fertilised by the river Caracena (or Adante), which takes its name from the most important place. Cereals are grown in the rest of the municipality.
To enter this place, the Caracena river is left to the left of the road, and the stone bridge, called Cantos, of sober Romanesque architecture. Nearby, you can see a tower belonging to the wall, built in the twelfth century to protect the entire population but of which there are hardly any remains.
The path through this place is always uphill, as it is on the slope of one of the mountains of this rugged landscape. And the first thing we find is the Romanesque church of Santa María (Asunción, according to Madoz), from the 12th century. With a single nave, it has two access portals (to the north and south) and a square tower.
Next we arrive at the Plaza Mayor, and in its centre, the imposing roll or pillory, of baroque style (date 1738 written on it), which represented the jurisdictional power of the lord, and where the malefactors were executed. The other symbol of jurisdiction in the town was the prison.
The strategic enclave of Caracena, between the strongholds of San Esteban de Gormaz and Atienza, conditioned its history for many years, being one of the main border marks between Muslims and Christians. It was repopulated by the Christians in the 11th century, and at the beginning of the 12th century it became a prosperous community of Villa and Tierra. It came to have more than 20 villages in its jurisdiction. At the end of the 14th century it was handed over to the Tovar family, who kept it in their hands until the war of succession at the end of the 15th century.
The two Romanesque churches and the castle are still preserved from their strength in medieval times. In the 16th century it took over from the capital of the region to Tiermes when the latter was depopulated. In 1607 the manor was elevated to the rank of marquisate in the person of Luis Carrillo de Toledo, Count of Pinto, viceroy of the Kingdom of Valencia at the time of the expulsion of the Moors. In the following years it passed through the hands of different families, holding their holders the most important positions of the Hispanic Monarchy: viceroys, Governors, Captains General, Ambassadors, presidents and advisors.
To the left, we can still see the ruins of what was a hospital that sheltered poor passers-by. And in front of it, an inn where you can regain strength on the way back, after having finished our tour.
At the end of this street, on the right hand side, we will find the church of San Pedro (early 12th century), a jewel of Soria's Romanesque that has been declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument (1935). It has a nave and a square tower. The most outstanding feature is the porticoed gallery on the south side, with seven arches resting on capitals with scenes of life.
After following the path that ascends, we will arrive at the castle. The one we see is a 15th century construction on another Romanesque site. Of masonry, it has a double defensive enclosure (the exterior with cylindrical towers or cubes), and Torre del Homenaje (Homage Tower). The most important personalities of each period passed through it.
On the outskirts of the village is the hermitage of Nuestra Señora del Monte, which is visited every third Sunday in June in a pilgrimage.
At present, Caracena has very few neighbours on the census (hence the fact that it has been transferred to August).
Legends: From the Arab period, the memory of its people keeps the legend of the origin of the name and how it was conquered by the Christians. It is said that the Christians conquered the place from the Muslims, while they were having dinner. Hence, one of the captives exclaimed: "Cara cena nos costó! And from there, the name of Caracena. It may not be more than that, a legend, but there remains the popular explanation for lack of a more rigorous one.
