Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Villadepera
The municipality and town of Villadepera, situated at the northern end of the Arribes de Duero Natural Park, takes its etymological origin from the words villa (from the Latin villare, country house) and pera (from the Latin petra, stone). This latter term alludes to the rocky material that abounds in the area.
Despite its origin, the town's coat of arms contains a pear tree in reference to the suffix 'pera', while the other half of the official coat of arms emphasises Villadepera's privileged location by depicting the Arribes del Duero, the Roman road and the natural spring that converge here.
The inhabitants of Villadepera, colloquially known as jareños, have been engaged in agricultural pursuits, including livestock farming, for generations. In recent years, they have also become involved in rural tourism.
It's thought that Villadepera emerged as a Roman settlement due to its strategic location for river traffic of malachite and cassiterite, minerals from which copper and tin are obtained, respectively. These minerals are found between the Calzada Romana Mirandesa and Fuente Beber.
Nevertheless, the foundation of Villadepera can be attributed to the Christian repopulation process carried out by the Kingdom of León in the 12th and 13th centuries. The first inhabitants constructed robust dwellings, stables, and outbuildings, as well as curtains, using the granite stone of the surrounding area. This practice is like that observed in other villages in the Sayago region, which suggests that Villadepera has retained its original character over time.
The parish church, dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, is a prominent feature of the village and is honoured during the August festivities of Asunción de la Virgen. It has stood in the main square since the end of the 16th century, with its imposing quadrangular tower. The expansive portico of the church leads to a reverent chamber, where the principal altarpiece, adorned with gold leaf, is prominently displayed, bathed in light. The Calvary, which depicts an angel with the Child and the Virgin of the Assumption, is divided into three sections, with the figures depicted from top to bottom. The adjacent galleries contain a variety of carvings of saints, though none is of such significance as the Virgin of the Rosary, who is offered and taken out in procession every first Sunday of October. The municipal religious architectural ensemble is completed by two chapels: Santo Cristo and San Roque. The latter building houses the Museum of Sacred Art of Villadepera, which displays artefacts recovered from the successive repairs carried out on the church and two other hermitages that are now in ruins. The two saints are San Zoilo and Santa María Salomé.
In addition to the Fuente Beber, which was constructed using the materials of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in the likeness of the ancient Etruscan rectangular houses, there is a construction located just over a kilometre away from Villadepera that contrasts completely with the traditional style of the region: the Requejo Bridge, also popularly known as Puente Pino (Pine Bridge). The iron viaduct, which connects Villadepera with Pino de Oro across the Duero River, is named after its last great promoter, Federico Requejo, the Director General of Public Works of Sayago origin. The structure was designed in 1897 by the celebrated engineer José Eugenio Ribera Dutaste, although its construction was postponed until 1914. The Requejo Bridge, spanning 120 metres and reaching a height of 90 metres, facilitated the integration of the regions of Sayago and Aliste, previously isolated from each other by land.