Sipán: Church, Bridge and River Landscape

Sipán combines architectural history with a distinctive river landscape. The settlement is located on a saso west of the Guatizalema River, in an area with a deep valley channel. Its elevated position offers a striking view of the river’s right bank. The irregular terrain also shapes the village, which appears winding and broken in places. For your trip planning, this offers a choice of different highlights: buildings, landscape, a walking route and local festival dates.

Church and Bridge: Two Buildings Compared

The parish church of Santa María Magdalena dates from the late 16th century. The ashlar building reuses some older elements and has later additions. Its interior has a single nave, side chapels and a star vault; the Ermita de Santa Lucía also has a single nave. This makes it possible to distinguish the shared basic layout of the two religious buildings from the parish church’s additional interior features. The square church tower is also built of ashlar. Cornices divide it into three sections, making the tower’s shape a distinct architectural feature alongside the interior design.

The medieval bridge of Sipán crosses the Guatizalema and dates from the 13th century. Built of ashlar, it has a single pointed arch with a span of 9.50 metres, resting on sandstone. While the church is notable for its interior, tower and later additions, the bridge’s construction centres on this single arch. You can reach the bridge via a path that starts at kilometre 8 of the A-1227. Check local conditions before your visit.

Landscape, Waterworks and Walking Route

A weir and flour and oil mills are located very close to Sipán. These structures add waterworks and mills to the themes of the church and bridge. If you are planning a walk, the Sipán–Loscertales–Coscullano route starts in Sipán. It is 4.3 kilometres long, with a stated walking time of one hour and ten minutes. The distance and walking time give you a concrete basis for planning how long to spend on foot. Check local conditions before setting out.

Festivals and Pilgrimages

Sipán’s main festival takes place on 22 July in honour of Santa Magdalena. The traditional calendar also includes two pilgrimages in the area around Sipán, attended by the village together with the other settlements: on 1 May to the Virgen del Viñedo and on 9 May to the Ermita de San Cosme y San Damián. These dates mark different occasions: the main festival is dedicated to Santa Magdalena, while the pilgrimages each lead to a different destination.

Getting There from Huesca

From Huesca, first take the N-240 towards Barbastro. At kilometre 7, turn left for Loporzano; at kilometre 8, continue towards Bandaliés on the A-1227. Check the current road signs before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Morillo De Liena, Plan, La Puebla De Castro, Plasencia del Monte, Fraga, Novales, Sangarrén, Borau

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