Puntos de Interés
Municipality
Quintanilla de la Viñas
Quintanilla de la Viñas is a small hamlet that today has 18 inhabitants and belongs to the Council of Mambrillas de Lara, in the heart of the province of Burgos. This peaceful municipality is located in a privileged natural setting, in an area bordering the Sierra de la Demanda mountains, not only important as a natural environment, but also home to a vast archaeological and historical heritage, as demonstrated by the different archaeological sites in this area, which have proven that the area was inhabited from time immemorial. Not only have remains been found belonging to prehistoric eras that suggest that the inhabitants of the Atapuerca cave also walked on this land, but fossils have also been found belonging to dinosaurs that measured up to 20 m in height.
The main attraction of Quintanilla de las Viñas, apart from its peaceful natural surroundings, is the Shrine of Santa María, a small temple built on the remains of a Visigothic chapel of which only the chevet and transept remain. Although the original temple is no longer standing, this shrine is considered one of the most important jewels of Visigothic architecture in Europe. The rest of the architecture is dominated by typical stone houses, usually in masonry. Since its creation, the development of the village has been linked to agricultural work, which led to the decline of this sector in the mid-20th century, causing a marked depopulation of the area and the emigration of many inhabitants to the big cities.
The municipality of Quintanilla de las Viñas celebrates its patron saint festivals in early August in honour of San Justo and San Pastor, as well as a festival in honour of Nuestra Señora de las Viñas on 11 September.
