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Culture
Peñalba del Duero
Peñalba del Duero is an uninhabited village located in the municipality of Villabáñez, in the province of Valladolid. The location is situated between the Cortados de Peñalba and the river Duero, between the municipalities of Villavaquerín, Sardoncillo and Traspinedo.
The name Peñalba is derived from the Latin word pinna albam, meaning mountain or white rock. This refers to the whitish limestone material that forms the moorland surrounding the old town.
The precise origins of this locality are unclear. However, it is known that this ancient hamlet was of great importance during the Middle Ages, when it had a walled enclosure and a considerable armed garrison.
The town's strategic location on the right bank of the Duero River has been a significant factor in its development. A natural border that separated Christian and Muslim troops. Peñalba was consolidated during the Middle Ages as a key point on the Royal Route of Aragon, also known as the Path of the Aragonese, which linked the kingdoms of León and Castile.
This municipality subsequently evolved into a villa, becoming a dependent church under the jurisdiction of the bishopric of Palencia. During the 14th century, it served as the ancestral home of the abbot of Valladolid.
By the end of the 19th century, the hamlet of Villabáñez had become a populated area. However, the population declined significantly during the 20th century.
The only remaining structure is the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, built in the 16th century. The church is constructed of masonry and comprises a single nave, a presbytery covered with a ribbed vault and a quadrangular apse.
The church is accessed via a tower at the foot of the building, which features a semicircular arch with voussoirs and a keystone relief of Saint Peter. Unfortunately, no religious imagery has been preserved inside the church, and those that once decorated the church are no longer in existence.
The municipality also boasts the remains of an ancient medieval bridge, dating from the 12th century, which crossed the Duero river. The latter was destroyed during the War of Independence by the Napoleonic army and has never been rebuilt. It was replaced by a boat transport service to cross the Duero riverbed.