Castrillo Del Val: Monastery, Churches and the Camino de Santiago

In Castrillo del Val, monastic history and diverse church architecture meet routes associated with the Camino de Santiago, as well as nature and geology. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between these highlights: the buildings tell stories of different eras, while the Arlanzón and the fossil sites reveal other sides of the municipality.

Monastic history and buildings

The Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña is located in the village of Castrillo del Val. Its Romanesque remains include the tower and the Martyrs' Cloister, both from the 12th century. The monastery church, by contrast, dates from the 16th century; the Capilla del Cid adjoins it. As a result, the monastery complex brings together architectural elements from different centuries, from the Romanesque remains to the later church.

The traditions surrounding the monastery are also part of its history. According to the Cantar, it is associated with Jimena and was the former burial place of El Cid and his wife. Their remains were transferred to Burgos Cathedral in the 20th century. Visitors interested in the links between architectural history and literary tradition will encounter both themes in one place.

Two churches, two floor plans

The Church of Santa Eugenia is Neoclassical and has a basilica-style floor plan. Its interior is divided into three sections supported by transverse arches. The tower can also be described precisely: it is square and consists of three sections separated by cornices. It was built in the early 17th century.

The Church of San Juan Bautista has a different floor plan: this 16th-century Renaissance church is shaped like a Latin cross. Its location also differs from that of Santa Eugenia: San Juan Bautista stands outside the town center on Alto Castillejo. The comparison thus shows two architectural solutions and a specific difference in location, without reducing the churches to the same building style.

The Camino de Santiago and the Camino del Cid

In Castilla y León, the Camino de Santiago passes through the municipality and the town center of Castrillo del Val. This is a precise local reference to the pilgrimage route: both the municipality and the town center lie along its route.

The Camino del Cid follows a different route. Its road route runs from Burgos via Cardeñajimeno to the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña. The two routes therefore have distinct connections to the area: for the Camino de Santiago, the town center is specified; for the Camino del Cid, the route runs from Burgos via Cardeñajimeno to the monastery.

The Arlanzón and the landscape

The stretch of the Arlanzón near Castrillo del Val is home to protected otters and European mink and lies within the LIC de las riberas del Arlanzón protected area. Cardeñajimeno and Castrillo del Val are also relevant to the river landscape: the riverbanks there are in very good condition, and the riverside forest is well preserved. These details give the natural environment a specific connection to the river and its banks.

In the undergrowth of Monte de Castrillo grow kermes oak, gorse, wild madder plants, blackthorn and hawthorn. Scattered Pyrenean oaks, known in Spanish as Quejigos, also grow there. This list describes the undergrowth as a mixture of shrubs and occasional trees, rather than portraying Monte de Castrillo simply as a general woodland landscape.

Caves and geological finds

A footpath leads to the Cuevas de Castrillo del Val. One of the caves formed in a collapse doline. This gives the caves a specific geological context without treating the different cave formations as identical.

Another geological feature is the DU034 fossil site near Castrillo del Val. Snail fossils dating from the middle to late Miocene were found there. The site is classified as primarily palaeontological, and secondarily mineralogical and stratigraphic-geological. Thus, fossils are the main focus at DU034, while the other two categories add to its geological classification.

Discover more destinations: Royuela De Río Franco, Isar, La Revilla, La Cueva De Roa, Peñacoba, Belorado, Rublacedo De Abajo, Poza De La Sal.

For the broader travel overview: Burgos.