Los Cerricos – Church, History and Mountain Landscapes
Accommodation in Los Cerricos
Los Cerricos between the town centre and mountain landscapes
Los Cerricos brings together a town centre that developed around the Iglesia de San Bartolomé, archaeological traces and a setting among the mountains. Almond trees and grain fields shape the landscape around the town. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Los Cerricos, you can decide whether to focus on buildings and local history or on landscapes and historic routes. These themes give the trip different points of emphasis.
Iglesia de San Bartolomé and the town centre
The Iglesia de San Bartolomé dates from the 19th century; the town centre grew up around the building. The church is therefore both a structure and a point of reference for the development of the town centre. Its red-brick tower is crenellated and attached to the nave. Crenellations are the successive raised sections along the upper edge of a tower. The attached tower and nave are distinct architectural elements, while the red brick and crenellated top define the tower’s appearance. Those interested in architecture can observe these features separately from the age of the church building.
CastellĂłn de OlĂas and El Villar
Another historical point of reference is CastellĂłn de OlĂas, a walled structure from the Argaric period. The church dates to the 19th century, while CastellĂłn belongs to the Argaric period: the different dates alone indicate two historical horizons. The buildings offer a contrast between religious architecture and a walled structure from another era.
El Villar is a hamlet with numerous archaeological sites and traces of a flourishing past. The high rocks there also have a historical connection: they once served as a refuge and settlement. Thus, alongside the archaeological sites, the former use of the rocks is also part of the hamlet’s history. El Villar offers its own cultural and historical focus, distinct from the individual buildings in the town centre.
Mountain landscapes and historic routes
Los Cerricos lies among the mountains, with almond trees and grain fields interspersed across the surrounding landscape. This provides another perspective beyond the buildings and archaeological traces: the landscape setting of the destination.
More specific landscape references include descriptions of drovers’ roads. A route description from 2005 recounts a challenging climb of about 760 metres in elevation to a pass, where the route ends. Another description from 2005 traces a drovers’ road eastwards towards the Sierra del Saliente and along the boundary between Oria and Chirivel. The descriptions mention different points of reference: the elevation gain and endpoint for one route, and the direction and municipal boundary for the other. If you are planning a trip today, check the waymarking and trail surface in advance.
A documented procession
On 24 June 2022, the image of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados del Buen Retiro del Saliente Coronada was brought from the Santuario Diocesano del Saliente to Los Cerricos. Pilgrims were able to accompany the procession on foot. This specific occasion adds a religious event to the town’s history, offering another cultural perspective alongside the church and archaeological traces.
Discover more destinations: Albox, Marchena, Costacabana, SerĂłn, Tabernas, Purchena, Felix, AlmerĂa
For the broader travel overview: Almeria.
