Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Charca de Las Escarbajas
Close to the narrow gorges of the Duero River lies the tranquil village of Saucelle, also known as the Mirrors of Las Arribes.
This town is renowned for its status as a significant hydroelectric site within the region. It offers visitors the opportunity to appreciate the area's natural beauty from several highly regarded viewpoints.
To the south of the Arribes de Duero Natural Park lies this town with a history spanning millennia. Although there are several sites that demonstrate evidence of human settlements from the Chalcolithic period, it was not until the arrival of the Romans in this territory, which was originally Vetton, that it began to develop. It is thought that the name Saucelle is derived from the Latin salicella, which translates as "place of willows." This tree is of particular significance to the town, as evidenced by its representation in the coat of arms and flag. Another historical event that is represented in its symbols and forms part of the history of the municipality is the Order of Santiago. In the 12th century, the town was ceded by Alfonso IX of León to this religious order dedicated to the protection of pilgrims on their journey and the expulsion of the Muslims.
This period saw the construction of the Romanesque church that preceded the present-day Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción. The surviving elements of the original church include the pointed arch doorway, the corbels with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic representations, the nave and the interior. These elements collectively preserve a magnificent main altarpiece and a Gothic crucifix from the 13th century. Most of the existing structure was constructed because of a reconstruction project undertaken in the mid-16th century. The church houses an ancient carved figure of the "Villarina" or "Santa María del Villar". On the patron saint's festivities of San Lorenzo, which occur on 10 August, a procession of the saint is held from this church.
Nevertheless, the town of Saucelle gained a certain degree of notoriety in the mid-20th century with the construction of the Saucelle Dam. The project represents a remarkable feat of engineering situated on the border between Spain and Portugal. It harnesses the power and hydromorphology of the Duero River to generate electricity. The turbine has a useful head of 62 metres and an output of 240 megawatts. Together with the Aldeadávila and Villarino dams, they constitute the largest hydroelectric complex in Spain to date.
In the town, there are several other noteworthy buildings, including the Casa del Brasilero, an Indian house that was once owned by a former resident of Saucelle. This individual had been successful in Brazil and, as a result, the house was acquired by the Town Hall and subsequently converted into an inn. Moreover, the area boasts several noteworthy bridges that span the streams.
In addition to its noteworthy cultural heritage, the town boasts a rich natural heritage that can be appreciated from various viewpoints, including Picón del Moro, El Salto, Las Janas, El Embalse and El Mirador de los Negritos.