Pina De Ebro: Monastic Culture, Ebro Routes and La Retuerta

In Pina De Ebro, the church and cloister of the former Franciscan monastery are classified as a “Bien Catalogado del Patrimonio Cultural Aragonés” (Listed Property of Aragonese Cultural Heritage). The Franciscan monastery of San Salvador was founded and completed under the patronage of the Counts of Sástago between 1530 and 1539. The complex combines a Mudéjar architectural foundation with Renaissance elements in the cloister and Baroque extensions to the church.

Culture

The Church of Santa María la Mayor was originally built as part of the Franciscan monastery and is the only parish church in the municipality of Pina de Ebro. The Torre Vieja belonged to the former parish church of Pina de Ebro, which was built in 1563, and was restored at the end of the 20th century. The large square of Pina de Ebro occupies the site where the former castle of the Counts of Sástago stood.

Routes

The GR-99, the nature trail along the Ebro, runs through the municipality of Pina de Ebro. The Camino Ignaciano crosses the Ebro bridge to Pina de Ebro and then continues to the church square near the river. The Camino Jacobeo del Ebro shares much of its route with the GR-99 and has clear, up-to-date signage. For planning purposes, the different routes can be regarded as separate thematic lines. This makes it possible to distinguish conceptually between the nature trail and the pilgrimage routes without combining them into a single route.

Landscape and Nature

The Ermita de San Gregorio stands on a promontory overlooking the Huerta, the Ebro Valley and Los Monegros. It is located outside the centre of Pina de Ebro, about three kilometres from the town in the direction of Los Monegros. Around 9 May, a pilgrimage to the Ermita de San Gregorio takes place in honour of Saint Gregory.

La Retuerta is a juniper-pine forest that grows like an island in a sea of deforested land in the centre of the Ebro Depression and is considered one of the last examples of juniper woodland in Aragón. More than 5,000 invertebrate species have been recorded in La Retuerta. Black kites, short-toed snake eagles, crested larks and the lark known in Spanish as “terrera marismeña” can be observed there.

Traditions

The Dance of Pina de Ebro was revived in 1984 and has been performed ever since. Traditionally, it is associated with the veneration of Saint Blaise; its origins may date back to the 16th century.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Pina de Ebro, travel dates, the desired category and the applicable cancellation conditions can be compared separately. This keeps the accommodation decision open, while culture, routes, landscape and local traditions provide the thematic framework for planning your own trip.

Further destinations: Mequinenza, Alhama De Aragón, Cariñena, Brea De Aragón, Fuencalderas, Villalba de Perejil, La Almunia De Doña Godina, Villarroya de la Sierra

To the higher-level travel overview: Saragossa.