VillacastÃn
Villacastín is a Spanish town in the province of Segovia in the autonomous community of Castile -Leon. It is recognized as National Treasure ( Bien de Interès Cultural ) in the category Conjunto histórico - artístico.
Location
Villacastín lies at an altitude of about 1100 meters above sea level. inst directly on the A6 about 38 km ( driving distance ) southwest of Segovia.
Demographics
In the 19th century the population was always well over two thousand people.
Economy
Villacastín in earlier centuries was the artisan and mercantile center of a large number of individual farms and small villages in its agrarian hinterland.
History
The Romans used a nearby source and built it into one cattle trough. Visigoth and Arab- Berber conquerors later looted and destroyed the few cities and towns of the area. The Christian population retreated to the north (Asturias, Galicia), from where they gradually returned back to their old home. In the year 939 came the Caliph of Cordoba Abd ar -Rahman III. again at the forefront of an army in the area and they devastated. Then there was a tense silence and only after the Almansor advances towards the end of the 10th century, of which the area was, however, apparently not affected, put the re-colonization ( repoblación ) by the Christians again. The first documentary mention of Villacastín, it rivaled in the high and late Middle Ages with Segovia and in 1450 annexed the now defunct neighboring Navalpino from the year 1096. Construction of the massive church was in 1529; the year of their completion is unknown. In 1627 Villacastín received city rights, but the heyday of Spain at that time was almost over.
Attractions
- Several houses with stone coats of arms attest to the historical significance of the place. In addition, there are fountains, small hermit churches (eg Virgen del Carrascal ) etc..
- However, the most important monument of the village is formed in the first half of the 16th century church of San Sebastián. Sometimes born in Villacastín and later active in the construction of the Escorial Hieronymitenmönch Antonio de Villacastín is suspected as the architect of the building, but this was at the start of construction ( 1529), only 17 years old. Still surprised the strict and less-structured façade of the church which is in marked contrast to the more structured choir and nave and is quite akin to the rather strict Herrera style in some ways - as the year of the end of construction is unknown, would therefore - in knowledge and acquisition of realized at the Escorial building principles - certainly also a later completion, the façade conceivable. The plan was, incidentally, a two -tower facade, but only the south tower has been executed. The three-nave interior of the church features tall Gothic clustered columns, that fan out in about 15 meters to stellar vaults that cover all three ships alike and reach peak levels of just over 20 meters. The huge altarpiece dates from the late 16th century; its installation was not originally intended. Several smaller altars, a pulpit carved and painted stucco and a schräggeripptes Romanesque font from a previous building are also among the treasures of the church facilities.
Francis altar
Stuck pulpit
Romanesque font
- Several coats of arms in front of a hidden cross of the Order of Santiago or a wayside cross, that - according to tradition - should adopt the Santiago Knights in the south, remember the centuries, but ultimately victorious battles against the Moors in the time of the Reconquista.
Ditto
Crossroads