Rivabellosa: History of Routes and Architecture

Rivabellosa can be explored through its history of routes and architecture. An important crossroads connected the Llanada Alavesa with the Meseta. In the Middle Ages, Ribabellosa was an important stopping point for pilgrims on their way to Santiago. The route led from San Adrián into Álava and onward to Burgos. Later, the Camino Real de Postas ran through Ribabellosa, connecting the royal court with the French border. The pilgrimage route and the postal road thus represent different periods in the town’s history: pilgrimage traffic in the Middle Ages and the later connection between the royal court and the French border. The Ermita de San Juan y Santa Magdalena is also part of this story. It stands on a hill overlooking Rivabellosa and welcomes pilgrims arriving in the town along the Way of St. James.

Buildings and the year 1463

In 1463, Ribabellosa hosted the assembly at which the Hermandad de Álava adopted the “Cuaderno de Ordenanzas de Hermandades” (Book of Brotherhood Ordinances). The assembly is considered a key event in the process of Álava’s integration. The Juntas Generales de Álava also met at the Palacio Saenz de Santamaria in 1463. The palace dates from the 18th century and is a Baroque building. Its features include a tower, a gallery with round-arched arcades and a coat of arms.

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario was built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Its construction period provides a contrast in time with the Palacio Saenz de Santamaria. Rivabellosa therefore offers the opportunity to see different building periods side by side: the church from the transition between the 16th and 17th centuries, and the 18th-century Baroque palace with its clearly identifiable architectural features. The dates of the assembly and the buildings also offer different points of reference for the town’s history: political events, religious architecture and a later palace construction.

The Bridge and the History of Science

Another building with a recorded date is the Puente de Ribabellosa. The present-day bridge dates from 1863, is 46 metres long, crosses the Bayas River and leads from the town towards the Castilian territories. This river crossing and its connection towards Castile complement the town’s historical and architectural themes.

Warren De La Rue is also connected with Rivabellosa’s history. On the occasion of the solar eclipse of 18 July 1860, he set up an observatory near Ribabellosa and photographed solar prominences there. In his honour, a cylindrical equatorial sundial was installed in the Plaza Mayor in August 2011. The two dates mark different aspects of this history: 1860, the astronomical observations near Ribabellosa, and 2011, the installation of the sundial in the main square. For travellers interested in the history of science, this connection adds a distinct point of interest alongside the pilgrimage routes and buildings.

Festivals and Getting There

In Rivabellosa, the festival in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on 7 October. The thanksgiving festival takes place on the last Sunday in August. If your trip coincides with either of these dates, check the programme for that year in advance.

Alavabus route 15A connects Miranda, Rivabellosa and Armiñón. Check the timetable before travelling if you plan to use this service. Together with the festival dates, the bus route provides a practical reference for planning your trip; the history of routes, the buildings and the sundial also give your stay a cultural focus.

Discover more destinations: Izarra, Campezo / Kanpezu, Eskuernaga, Bujanda, Lalastra, Moreta, Alaiza, Aprikano

For the main travel overview: Alava.