Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Las Estacas
Las Estacas is a village and parish that belongs to the council of Belmonte de Miranda in the province of Asturias. Located in the Camín Real de la Mesa region, the village is approximately 10 km away from the municipal capital, at the foot of Collado del Muro and Pico Corona, close to the Las Dorniellas stream. The parish comprises several villages, including Las Estacas, Valbona, Carricéu, and Acicorvu.
Historically, Las Estacas served as an old braña vaqueira (cowherd's hut), and although its exact origins are unclear, its history is linked to the municipality of Belmonte. Particularly during the Middle Ages, between the 14th and 15th centuries, these lands were under the dominion of the nobility, and the local economy was primarily based on agriculture.
The prosperity and agricultural productivity of the area led to the emergence of several villages strategically located in flat areas near the course of the Pigüeda River. These settlements focused on agricultural production and lacked defensive structures.
During this period of territorial organisation, a new social class known as the vaqueiros de alzada emerged. This group was engaged in seasonal livestock farming and played a crucial role as a servile workforce who looked after the herds owned by the nobility.
The main monuments in Las Estacas include the Church of Saint Cosmas. While the exact origin of the church is unknown, an inscription on the façade suggests significant renovations took place in 1851. The church features a single-nave design with a rectangular floor plan, a gabled roof, and masonry construction. The exterior is divided into two levels by a frieze that surrounds the church. There are oculi and windows that serve as a source of light inside the church, and the façade is crowned with a belfry with a double bell. Currently, the church is in a precarious state of conservation.