Madrid in the South, France in the North. The province of Soria, or Soriana, in “Castille y León”, is a region of highlands in arid lands, red, white, gray or black, crossed by herds and their shepherds. On these interior sierras, little frequented by tourists, stand the most beautiful castles in Spain. Along the Duero, these witnesses of the past served as a border between Muslim territories and those recaptured by Christians from the 8th to the 15th century, during the Reconquista. Guided walk to discover an unknown medieval Castile.

Fortresses on Sierras

The Duero river (850 km), which becomes the famous Douro in Portugal, has its source in the Urbion reserve, west of Soria. When it crosses this modest capital in the heart of old Castile, it is already wide and majestic. Soria is the capital of a rural region which seems timeless: Soriana. A region that invites you to daydream with its small roads that run along the Romanesque hermitages and the villages, where pensioners, seated on the benches of squares with pillar houses, sometimes still sell a few wicker baskets to pay for an aperitif: ¡ Salud.

In this Soriana which seems to have come out of a history book, the castles tell us about an essential page from the Iberian past: the Reconquista led by the Christians against the Moors from the 8th to the 15th century. The gigantic walls and the height of the ruinous dungeons tell of battles and fierce sieges. Saracens, Muslims or Moors against Catholics and Christians: the surge had no name to take and resume these high defensive places, between the Caliphate of Cordoba and Charlemagne, the Almoravids and the Cid. Only the Cathar castles or the ramparts of Carcassonne can be compared to them.

Backpackers from the North will start with Yanguas, isolated fortress from the 12th century on the C 115, with its old houses on pillars. Between the visits in full wind and the irresistible shots, it will be necessary to keep a little time for the ruins of Numance, famous for its resistance against the Roman invader, which inspired Cervantes. In the surroundings of Soria, the beautiful village of Aldeaseñor with the palatial tower, in the North, or even walks in the pine forests of the Urbion national reserve, in the West, attract attention. The hiking trails run along the reservoirs at over 1,500 m above sea level.

Soria, guaranteed Hispanity

Here we are in Soria. You have to take the main pedestrian street of the city, calle El Collado, at paseo time, shortly before 1 p.m. or 8 p.m. Couples wander with myriads of strollers: “todo por los niños”, everything for children.

In Soria, the festivals are often a pretext for craft fairs, where you can discover regional products. With a specialty, mutton chops on the grill served at the restaurant table… until late in the evening. This animation raises an enigma: when do the Spanish sleep? During the day, they work, at night, they party, and the children play football, and the nap is used as an excuse to close the shops…

Here, the urban journey is strewn with religious treasures. To the west, the hermitage of the Soledad with a Christ attributed to Juan de Juni, then the Numantine archaeological museum exhibit objects from the province: to be discovered to complete the visit to the ruins of Numance. To the North, the Santo Domingo church and a prodigious Romanesque carved portal. To the south, the Romanesque church of San Juan de Rabanera. Finally, to the east, the Concatedral de San Pedro with its austere baroque and, on the other bank of the Duero, the cloister of the monastery of San Juan de Duero, with curious intertwined arches of Mozarabic influence.

After Soria, the Duero then descends to the South, then turns west to Almazan and its 13th century walls. Towards Burgo de Osma, the hilltop village of Calatañazoris an eagle’s nest on a rock. It was in front of the old Kalaat in Nosur that the Christians won the victory over the Moors of Almanzor, in 1002. Cob houses, Romanesque church, stone cross, wooden galleries: everything here smells of old Castile. The only street in the village goes up to the ruins of the castle. Three large square towers and a few stumps of uncrowded walls, tombs dug in the rock: the Reconquista seems engraved in the stones.

Conquerors and hermits

The next memorable stop is at Berlanga de Duero, from the C 116 bordered by pine forests. The ramparts, which never seem to end, evoke those of Avila. The fortified ruins of the castle of the Marquis de Berlanga are formed by a square enclosure flanked by round towers framing a tower of Homage. Built by the Arabs, the castle of Berlanga was taken by the kings of Castile. Rebuilt in the 15th century, it housed the kings of Spain and the sons of François I. The town of Berlanga also has a small pillared square and a remarkable collegiate church, the interior of which is well worth the door.
Those who have a little more time will make a detour to the Southeast. At first glance, the hermitage of San Baudelio, on SO 152 towards Rello, does not look like much. It is open in summer on Sunday morning. One can discover in this modest Romanesque building the oldest frescoes of the kingdom of Castile.

The murals of animals, cows, mules, camels, as well as a very curious elephant, have kept all their freshness. It is an original architecture, with vaults and galleries, dating from the 11th century Mozarabic art. A time when Catholics and Muslims fought fiercely over the land, around the only source of drinking water. The hermit Baudelio took refuge there to Christianize the region. Part of the frescoes of San Baudelio was sold in 1922 and transported to the Cloisters of New York, the Boston Museum and the Prado of Madrid.

Then, through the colored sierras, it is advisable to push upRello, a fortified village on the way to becoming fashionable. Let’s take the opportunity to taste a cuisine that is still authentic, in this increasingly touristy Spain. For example, a delicious garlic rabbit whose fragrant cooking often smells the small restaurants of these labyrinthine alleys.

Along the Duero

Back to the Duero by the sierras animated by corrals, shelters for sheep, covered with thatch fixed with stones, like Gallic habitats. The silhouette of the ramparts of Gormaz dominates a rocky hill on the flat country. On this strategic site, the Arabs built a powerful fortress in the 10th century. The 10 m high walls, flanked by 24 towers, open onto a magnificent horseshoe door which gives access to the interior fortified castle. The Arabs, victorious in 975 over the kings of León and Navarre, had to return the fortress to the Christians, twenty-seven years later. Alphonse VI gave it to the Cid as a reward for his services, with the hand of his royal cousin, Chimene.

North of the Duero, El Burgo de Osma, with its arcaded streets, sees its important cathedral reflected in the Rio Avion, a tributary of the river: you can admire the quintessence of Spanish architecture from the 13th to the 18th century, with a must-see diocesan museum and cloister. The numerous badges, notably on the facade of the Santa Catalina University, bear witness to Christian victories. Only walls and a few towers remain from Osma Castle, located south of the city.
10 km to the west, San Esteban de Gormazwas a great center of Mudejar communities. The city is dominated by the ruins of its old Arab castle with towers still imposing. But the French destroyed the ramparts during the Napoleonic wars … The porches of the churches of San Miguel and del Rivero are remarkable and richly sculpted works by Arab masters. With its precious stone bridge over the Duero, the city was the subject of furious battles between the troops of the Berber chief Soleyman and those of the Castilian count Sancho Garcia, in the 10th century.

A 15 km detour to the north leads to the hill where a square tower of Homage triumphs, crowned with machicolations: the castle of Ucero was a dependency of the bishopric of Osma. It was used at the time as a prison for priests. The site is close to the canyon of the Rio Lobos, with red rock walls and century-old junipers: a natural wonder, to be discovered on foot or by car, avoiding Sunday, because this nature reserve is now frequented.

The castles of the south

The defensive places of Duero, south of Soriana, are just as exciting to visit. So many roads to take from North to South, because the crossways are rare in this country carved out of faults and valleys.
From Burgo de Osma and the Duero, the route ends at the Caraceña cul-de-sac. This exceptional geographical site, at the foot of the Sierra de Pela, is distinguished by its beautiful Romanesque church and a wild castle that can be visited on foot. The San Pedro church has a portal and a Romanesque gallery where seven arches are supported by twisted columns. The capitals, worn by the wind, are carved with biblical, geometric and plant themes. The path then climbs to the walls and to the keep of the 12th century castle, built on a rocky spur. The remains of this austere stronghold evoke the memory of its owner in the 15th century, Alfonso Carrillo de Acuna. In front of the canyon with eroded walls, this lonely place still echoes old clamors.

Thirds, a few eagle flights beats, is unfortunately only accessible by taking the car, from North to South. The site is worth especially for its history which goes back to the Bronze Age with a Celtiberian archaeological deposit. The Romanesque capitals of the Nuestra Señora church are reminiscent of those of Caraceña. The Tiermes museum exhibits frescoes from the 1st and 2nd centuries.

The return to France can be made by the beautiful city of Ayllon, in the neighboring province of Segovia, to go up by Aranda de Duero and the main road from Madrid to Burgos. The Santa Maria church, founded by the Catholic kings, and the small castle of Peñaranda de Duero, in the square keep, near the most beautiful Gothic pillory in Spain and the Palace of Avellaneda, will complete this medieval journey.

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