Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Revillarruz
This small village municipality in Burgos is located on the banks of the Los Ausines River and has a population of just over 520 inhabitants, divided between the village itself and the districts of Olmosalbos and Humienta.
Although there have been human settlements in the area of the Los Ausines River for a long time, according to historical research it is believed that this village as we know it today was founded in the 9th century after the consolidation of the city of Burgos, from which it is only about ten kilometres away. During the Christian repopulation of the area, mainly families from the north of the country arrived here. However, during the struggle between Christians and the Moors for control of the Peninsula, Revillarruz became a borderland where fighting between the two religions was a constant occurrence. Aside from its medieval history, it also boasts an architectural heritage from Renaissance era, evident in some elements of historic buildings.
Its historical heritage includes religious buildings like the Chapel of the Virgen del Rosario and the Church of San Juan Bautista, located on a high point in the municipality, and which can be seen from kilometres away. It is a Renaissance style temple, however, the lack of documentation on its construction makes it impossible to determine the specific date of construction of the church. Inside, we can find altarpieces of great artistic value. Olmosalbos is home to the Torreón de Gamarra, a watchtower with a well-conserved façade, built during the 16th century and which in the past protected this municipality from enemy attacks. Today the tower is privately owned and fenced off, so it is not possible to visit it.
The municipality and its hamlets, of course, have their patron saint festivals. In late June, Humienta celebrates San Pedro and San Pablo, while Olmosalbos celebrates San Martín on his feast day of 11 November. In the village of Revillarruz, the villagers celebrate their pilgrimage in honour of San Juan Bautista on 24 June.
However, much of the tourist attraction of this area of Burgos has to do with the natural setting in which it is located. In fact, from the town centre of Revillarruz there are several hiking trails that plunge into this natural enclave and allow you to describe the villages of this municipality as well as the typical vegetation and fauna of the area, which, given its proximity to the city of Burgos, make it a place that attracts lovers of rural tourism and nature.