To enter the old town of Monteagudo de las Vicarías you still have to go through one of the gates in its wall. Of the three it had, only this one remains: a pointed and crenellated arch that leads to the Calle Mayor and leads to the square where the castle and the church are located. The route preserves the logical layout of a town that needed to be protected, with the houses inside the enclosure and a fortress guarding what could come from outside.
This town in Soria, located next to the old border between Castile and Aragon, occupies the top of a flat-topped hill. This position allowed control of the Nágima River corridor, which connects the Ebro valley with the plateau. Today it serves to contemplate the landscape that for centuries was useful to monitor a land disputed between kingdoms.
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It is not surprising that Monteagudo has been part of the most beautiful towns in Spain since 2020, although its beauty also continues outside the medieval enclosure. In the surroundings, a reservoir born from the need to irrigate the fields has become a resting place for migratory birds. The getaway, therefore, combines both scenarios and a visit can be organized that begins following the walls and ends near the water.
What to see in Monteagudo de las Vicarías
The Puerta de la Villa, also known as Puerta del Arco, is the starting point of any visit to the town. Crossing it, Calle Mayor takes you on a walk to the two buildings that explain much of the local history. The castle and the church share a square, proximity and former patrons, so the noble families who lived in one also left their mark, still visible, in the other. The exterior route asks to stop at the doors, the shields and the relationship between the towers and the square.
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The castle-palace has a pentagonal plan and its current structure dates back to the 15th century. Its towers were built with different shapes, with one especially unique: the keep, which is octagonal on the outside and hexagonal on the inside. Additionally, during the 16th century, the interior rooms were transformed to incorporate the comforts and architecture of a Renaissance residence, including a courtyard with a porticoed gallery. Therefore, the fortress was also a house.
Next to it stands the church of Nuestra Señora de la Muela, of Gothic construction. Before entering, it is advisable to look at the upper part of its façade because, under the roof, runs a gallery of blind brick arches, linked to the influence of the Aragonese Mudejar. A passage ran through its interior that connected the castle with the choir, from where the lords of Monteagudo attended religious services. It is a detail that tells us about the extent to which both buildings were part of the same daily life.
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Where to eat delicious and cheap in Monteagudo de las Vicarías
Although there are not many hospitality options in the town, it does offer a very peculiar surprise when it comes to sitting at the table: Saminhaan is a restaurant, pastry shop and tea room that combines traditional Moroccan and Castilian cuisine. Its proposal allows you to give the getaway a gastronomic twist that goes beyond the barbecue that every tourist expects to find in a town in Soria.
The Castilian menu includes garlic soup, bean stew with chorizo, blood sausage and bacon, lamb shoulder and baked suckling pig. For dessert, classics such as torrijas and fried milk appear. Another option is the Social Bar, on Aragón Street, as a simpler alternative. It is much more than a place to have a drink; It is the heart of the town's social life, a meeting point for friends and neighbors. It offers a simple but delicious menu, where you can enjoy local dishes in the company of local families.
Saminhaan
What to do around Monteagudo de las Vicarías
The reservoir allows the stone of the fortified enclosure to be replaced by a landscape of water and swamp vegetation. Its history is linked to the efforts of the neighbors to have irrigation. In 1878 they teamed up to promote a reservoir that would take advantage of the waters of the Regajo. The project went through economic difficulties and periods of low rainfall; Decades later, the contribution of the Nágima River contributed to improving its functioning. Now it has become a stop for bird watching, but before it was a work intended to support the town's agriculture.
In addition to its function as a transit and resting place for migratory birds, it is a nesting area. March and September are the months especially linked to these movements. So the visit should include binoculars and time to observe. Of course, taking into account that the species present and the appearance of the wetland change depending on the season and water conditions.
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To follow the thread of the border, another stop is the remains of the Raya castle or Torre de Martín González. Its origin dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries, linked to Alfonso VIII, and its mission was to guard the valleys of the Nágima and Jalón. Here the border history is exemplified by a particularly curious fact: next to the fortress is the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Torre, whose nave is distributed between the districts of Pozuel and Monteagudo. Specifically, the division passes through the baptismal font.
Cover photo | Soria Tourism
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