Puntos de Interés
Culture
Chapel of la Virgen de Otero
About 2 km from the town of Alba de Tormes, on the top of a hill near the left bank of the Tormes River we find the chapel of Nuestra Señora de El Otero
This simple chapel is made of slate and brick, and the first evidence of its existence dates back from the early 17th century in a written document that cited the construction as an annex to the parish of San Andres de Alba, a small village with few inhabitants.
Later, it became the parish church of Martín Valero, a town that disappeared during the Peninsular War as a result of the great looting and destruction that took place in the famous Battle of Arapiles. At that time, it became part of the district of Palomares, which today is uninhabited. Currently the chapel pertains to the parish of San Pedro de Alba.
It hosts a popular celebration on the first Monday of September, Watermelon Day, with a pilgrimage, dances, sweets and, of course, watermelon. Most of the time it remains closed, but the spot boasts fantastic views over the fertile lowland plain of the Tormes River.