Bordalba: History, Springs and Traditions

Bordalba brings together historic buildings, springs and local cultural traditions. When planning your trip, you can consider whether you are more interested in the history of the castle and church, the landscape and walking activities, or community celebrations and culinary customs. These topics also differ in form: from buildings to a walking activity to workshops, whose formats may vary from one edition to another.

Castle, Church and Architectural Forms

The Castillo de Bordalba is protected as a BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural) and classified as a military archaeological zone. The Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción is Gothic and dates from the 13th century. Together, they represent two different aspects: the military-archaeological classification of the Castillo and the dating and architectural style of the church. If you are interested in architectural history, each offers a distinct point of reference for Bordalba’s history.

In Bordalba, the bell tower has a square floor plan and an oval top. These features put the emphasis elsewhere than the castle’s historic classification or the church’s date: here, the focus is on the geometry of a building. Architectural interest thus ranges from classification and construction dates to specific forms.

Springs and Walking Activity

There are many natural springs and spring sites in the Bordalba area. One specifically named spring is the Fuente Vieja: it consists of a natural spring beneath a Roman arch, a washhouse and a small picnic park. Water and built features come together at this site, while the other spring sites broaden the picture of the area as a whole.

The Andada Otoñal visits springs, tree groves and other special places in Bordalba. This distinguishes the walking activity from the Fuente Vieja as a single named spring: it takes in various local destinations. If you would like to include the Andada Otoñal in your travel plans, check the dates in advance.

Traditions and Cultural Program

The Romería to the Virgen de los Santos is a local tradition with a clear sequence of events: the Virgin is taken to her hermitage, a Mass is celebrated there, and then a communal meal is held for the whole village. The event combines the journey to the hermitage and the Mass with a shared meal. Unlike the exhibitions and workshops of the Semana Cultural, the Romería centers on the religious occasion and the meal for the village.

The Semana Cultural includes exhibitions of paintings, old photographs, tapestries, handicrafts and bobbin lace. There are also hands-on workshops in cosmetics, soap-making, bobbin lace, pixel art and jewelry; their formats may vary from one edition to another. Bobbin lace features in both areas, while pixel art and jewelry are listed as workshop topics. This lets you distinguish between exhibitions and practical, hands-on activities.

Easter Sweets and Food Competitions

An annual competition is dedicated to traditional Easter sweets. Examples include torrijas, buñuelos, cañas, pestiños, pasteles and flans; the region’s traditional lemonade is also included. Food competitions are also held as part of the Semana Cultural. They have evolved from a competition for the traditional tortilla de patata to competitions for tapas and pinchos. The culinary themes are therefore distinct: Easter sweets and lemonade at the annual competition, and an evolution from tortilla de patata to tapas and pinchos in the cultural program.

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