Stage 10: Valverde de Júcar - Buenache de Alarcón

Hontecillas

Hontecillas is a municipality in the region of La Manchuela, on the banks of the river Júcar, 51 kilometres from the provincial capital.

The town of Hontecillas, formerly known as Fuentecillas, due to the large number of fountains in the municipality, has its origins in prehistoric times, as can be seen from the remains of various prehistoric sites and settlements found in the area. But it was not until the repopulation of the province of Cuenca by Christian troops, and the conquest of Alarcón in 1184 under Alfonso VIII that the site was established. Later, in the 14th century, Hontecillas would become part of the Lordship of Alarcón, the municipality being represented by Don Juan Manuel, nephew of Alfonso X.

The municipality boasts some interesting architecture, including the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora la Virgen del Romeral. This is a church of Romanesque origin that has undergone various modifications, including Renaissance additions and enlargements.

Made of masonry, the only surviving remains are the central nave, the apse and the wall of the Romanesque belfry, which was later modified by adding a Renaissance look, so that it now consists of two sections crowned with a triangular top, balls and pinnacles.

You can visit the shrine of La Concepción, a small temple located on Calle de San Pedro, which has recently been restored; the Parque del Lavadero, where you can find the Roman Fountain of Hontecillas, the Fuente del Pilar and the Rollo Jurisdiccional located at the entrance to the town and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Town Hall Square).

As for local festivals, they are celebrated in honour of the Virgen del Romeral during the second week of August, with the main procession on the 15th.

Valverde de Júcar

The municipality of Valverde de Júcar in Cuenca is located in a border enclave between the regions of Manchuela, Serranía Media and La Mancha Alta.

A number of different vestiges of Celtiberian settlements and funerary constructions have also been found in the area. There are also later remains of various Hispano-Roman civil works such as the hill of San Marcos, the possible location of an ancient Roman fort with a watchtower, and the Cano Bridge.

But Valverde de Júcar's golden age dates back to the Middle Ages, with the repopulation and the capture of Alarcón by Christian troops in 1184. The town belonged to the Council of Alarcón until 1325, when the territory was granted to Fernán Martínez de Cevallos as a reward for his military merits, becoming the first Lord of Valverde.

The church is composed of three naves supported by barrel vaults, housing the funeral crypt of the Ruiz de Alarcón family, located to the right of the High Altar, which despite its deteriorated state still preserves its characteristic frescoes with grotesque forms and allegories of death.

Another remarkable monument is the house-palace built in the 17th century by the Ruiz de Alarcón family as a family residence. Rectangular in plan and two storeys high, it is decorated with corbels on the cornices and under the balconies and has a gate on masonry columns.

The oldest building in the village is the Madre de Dios shrine, in the popular Romanesque style, rebuilt in the 17th century. It has a rectangular floor plan and still has a wooden coffered ceiling and a plaster altar inside, although it is currently used as a carpentry warehouse.

The Plaza Mayor, with its polygonal ground plan, and the Plaza de la Verdura, named after the old weekly vegetable market, are not to be missed.

On the outskirts of the town centre, the municipal cemetery stands out, dating from the 18th century, with a neoclassical entrance gate, built in ashlar masonry with a pediment topped by a cross. Inside, the chapel-mausoleum dedicated to the Ladies of Urionagoena stands out, as well as the great variety of sculptures in the tombs and pantheons.

Another must-visit is the Cano Bridge, a Hispano-Roman viaduct that joins the two banks of the river Gritos, as well as the shrine of San Cristóbal, from the 1970s, or the monument to the Man of the Sea.

The most important local festival is known as the Moors and Christians and celebrated between 5 and 10 January in honour of the Santo Niño or Holy Child and is declared a festival of regional tourist interest.