Discover Lanaja: Architecture, Heritage and Wine
Accommodation in Lanaja
Lanaja brings together sacred architecture, a historic ice house, a hermitage and the BĂşnker de Lanaja. There are also guided wine experiences and regional links to a route offering panoramic views and late Baroque wall paintings. If you are looking for hotels in Lanaja, you can choose your destination based on the focus of your trip: architecture and history, wine or landscape.
Church architecture and historic food storage
The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción has two naves; the northern one is considerably older. Five pointed archivolts, accompanied by slender columns, run around the Gothic portal. Archivolts are moulded bands that follow the shape of a portal; here, the five arches create a clearly defined sequence in the entrance architecture.
The Pozo de Hielo in Lanaja is a cylindrical cistern six metres in diameter and more than eleven metres high, covered by a masonry dome. The storage structure is therefore considerably taller than it is wide. Ice collected in winter was stored there for use in summer: the building’s form and purpose bring its seasonal connection to life.
Hermitage and underground structure
The Santa Bárbara Hermitage is on the road to Poleñino, about one kilometre from Lanaja, and is almost destroyed. The building, partly integrated into the rock, dates from the 19th century and features folk paintings and niches. Its location, design and condition are all relevant here: the distance is noted alongside the clear qualification regarding its state of preservation.
The Caño lies north of Lanaja and is an underground structure about 400 metres long. It cannot currently be visited. This is important information for planning if you would like to include the structure in your exploration of local attractions.
Defensive structure and local tradition
The BĂşnker de Lanaja is a reinforced-concrete machine-gun emplacement that also served as a fort and observation post in the LĂnea Lennin defence system. Its field of view covers 180 degrees. A section of the connecting trench has been reconstructed to illustrate the position’s defence strategy. Both the construction and its role within the defence system are central to this site.
The Dance of Lanaja involves men and women taking part together, processions through the streets and dances in the square, including the eagerly anticipated ribbon dance. This tradition is quite different from the architectural heritage: here, the focus is on community participation, processions and dancing in the square.
Landscape and regional highlights
In the wider region, the Cartuja de las Fuentes is a few kilometres from Lanaja. It features more than 1,000 square metres of late Baroque wall paintings. A route to San Caprasio starts in Lanaja and offers panoramic views on both sides of Los Monegros. These regional highlights have different points of focus: the Cartuja is notable for its expansive paintings, while the route offers views of the landscape.
Vineyards and winery
The Viñedos del Desierto programme is currently available as a bookable experience and includes a guided walk through vineyards sheltered by the Sierra de Lanaja. The Bodega El Vino del Desierto in Lanaja also currently offers a bookable tour. It follows the grapes’ journey from reception through processing and the barrel cellar to bottling and the tasting room. The two tours have different focuses: one takes you through the vineyards, while the other follows the stages of grape processing.
Discover more destinations: Abizanda, Viacamp Y Litera, Puértolas, Oncins, Torres De Alcanadre, Peralta De La Sal, Torla, Benabarre.
For the main travel overview: Huesca.
