|
|
Towers of Manrique
and Navamuel
(Reinosa) |
|
The southern districts of
Cantabria are a borderland where the traditional features
of the regions of Cantabria link with northern Castile.
Four well-defined valleys constitute this area: Campóo,
Valderredible, Valdeolea and Valdeprado. Campóo valley
is reached crossing Las Hoces, an interesting area
drained by the river Besaya, which is parallel to the
remains of the Roman road which linked the Roman Pisoraca
with Julióbriga and the ports of Suances (Portus
Blendium) and Santander (Portus Victoriae). The visit
starts in Reinosa, a town 850 m above the
sea level capital of the district of Campóo. In España
square, the centre of the town, one can enjoy the oldest
buildings of the place. They are the early-medieval large
fortified towers of Manrique and
Navamuel and Navamuel and
Calderón, which during the Middle Ages, were part of
the northern border of the village protecting the rear
with a string of moats and ramparts, already gone. In the
square and in the street around it, the old Camino Real
(Royal Road), the 18th century buildings such as the
house of Pano or Mioño are outstanding. Finally, it is
worth mentioning the Town Hall
beside the towers. Nearby, the church
of San Sebastián, the best example of Baroque
architecture in the area and one of the best in
Cantabria, can be found. Towards the Camino Real and
passing along Carlos III bridge, Puente street can be
reached, where a series of 18th and 19th century
buildings are remarkable, and among them, the Casona
or house of La Niña de Oro. In
the green area two regionalist buildings can be remarked,
Txiqui Enea, which represents Basque regionalism, built
by Smith Ibarra, and the Chalet Julióbriga, a
clear example of montañés regionalism.
There are several possible routes from Reinosa. One of
them is to take the road to the skiing station in Alto
Campóo, reaching, after passing through Fontibre, the
spring of the river Ebro, and taking a turn to the right,
the castle of Argüeso,
located high in a hill and at present being renovated. It
essentially consists of two towers joined by a central
body surrounded by a rampart. Taking the road to Campóo
station, few kilometres away, there is another turn
towards Proaño, where the medieval tower
of Proaño can be found.
|
|
|
|