Villamoñico: Romanesque Church and Archaeological Traces

Villamoñico brings together an originally Romanesque church and traces of medieval settlements and a castle. The surrounding area also features rock-cut sites and abandoned settlements; a section of the Mardancho Route runs near the stream. This brings building history, archaeological sites and a route through the landscape together as distinct themes.

La Asunción Church and Architectural Heritage

La Asunción Church in Villamoñico was originally Romanesque. The central window of its former Romanesque bell gable wall survives. A carved corbel depicts a turtle. Villamoñico is also one of the villages in southern Cantabria where interesting examples of vernacular architecture can be found. The church’s Romanesque details provide a tangible reference point for this regional architectural heritage.

A bell gable is a gable wall with openings for bells; a corbel projects from a wall and can serve as a support. The two details operate on different scales: the window points to an earlier architectural form, while the turtle reflects the figurative carving of a single stone.

Abandoned Settlements, Castle and Rock-Cut Sites

Southeast of Villamoñico, on the road to Berzosilla, lies the medieval abandoned settlement of San Pedro. A rock-cut necropolis with about twenty anthropomorphic graves can be visited nearby. Anthropomorphic means having a human form; this characteristic complements the approximate number of graves with a description of their shape. The term “abandoned settlement” refers to a settlement site that has been deserted. Another medieval abandoned settlement, Villagarcía, lies south of Villamoñico on the La Lora plateau; ruins of houses and livestock enclosures are visible there. At San Pedro, the focus is on rock-cut graves, while at Villagarcía it is on the visible remains of former residential and livestock buildings.

Villamoñico Castle dates from the early Middle Ages. Its walled enclosure includes remains of a ditch on the west side; inside is a necropolis of slab graves. The remains of the ditch on the west side and the necropolis refer to two different parts of the site: its fortifications and its burial ground. The church and castle thus represent two distinct historical and architectural focal points in the village.

There are two different rock-cut sites on La Mesa mountain. The rock-cut dwelling known as La Media Fanega lies northeast of Villamoñico. Los Ventanos are dwellings carved into the rock on La Mesa, between Villamoñico and Villanueva de la Nía. Los Ventanos were probably used as hermitages during the period of repopulation.

Route and Accommodation

A short section of the Mardancho Route follows the road towards Villamoñico, then continues along an almost level path near the Mardancho stream. The route thus distinguishes a section on the road from the path that follows the stream. Villamoñico can be reached via the CA-751 road.

Posada Peñasalve in Villamoñico is a fully restored country house with an area of 650 square metres. Elements of stone and wood have been preserved while retaining the traditional local architecture. If you are considering Posada Peñasalve for your trip, check its current availability.

Discover more destinations: La Lomba, Campoo De Yuso, Castro-Urdiales, Vioño, Pumareña, La Pared, Bárcena de Ebro, Secadura

For the main travel overview: Cantabria.