Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Corporario
The town of Corporario, derived from the Latin corporalis, meaning pertaining to the body, may be interpreted as a reference to a necropolis. It is situated at the entrance to Aldeadávila to the east, both towns belonging to the same municipal district.
However, from its foundation, despite being an annexed village of Aldeadávila and the Masueco roundabout, Corporario was a constituent of the council and town of Ledesma, enjoying a certain degree of autonomy until 1972, when, due to a lack of economic means, it was incorporated into Aldeadávila de la Ribera.
As is the case with most settlements in the region, Corporario was established as a result of the repopulation of the area following the Reconquest of Las Arribes from the Muslim influence by the troops of the Kingdom of León. It is postulated that the initial settlers may have been Riojans from the village of Corporales, who brought with them a reverence for the Blessed Saint Marina and constructed a chapel in her honour in 1209, which has since been demolished. However, the earliest documented reference to Corporario is from 1265, when it was referred to as Darios. This was in the context of a loan from the Church of Salamanca for the construction of a church in the lands of Ledesma.
The Church of San Juan Bautista represents the most representative place in the village. It is an outstanding example of Romanesque architecture in Las Arribes. The church was constructed in the 13th century using granite masonry and subsequently joined to its bell tower in the 18th century following a period of remodelling. It houses a collection of objects that date back to the presence of other cultures on this bank of the Duero. These include a Roman stele that was added to the walls of the church and several remains of Visigothic tombs. The interior of the building features a baptismal font, carved from a single piece by the first inhabitants of Corporario, as well as carvings of San Juan Bautista and San Blas. Furthermore, the village boasts traditional washing places from the 18th century, such as the one supplied by the Fuente Buena. These facilities were not only used for washing clothes, but also served as social meeting points for the local women, where they shared news and advice.
The villagers entrusted themselves to San Juan Bautista after a miracle was said to have occurred during a storm that ended in the burning of the church. The only item that survived the fire was the carving of the saint. Nevertheless, the patron saint of Corporario is San Blas, whose festivities are celebrated on the days around 3 February with a mass and procession in his honour. However, the orchestras, vaquillas and cabezudos (big-headed bulls) do not fail to attend their annual meet up.