Discover Zambrana: Castles, Churches and Festivals

Zambrana, the municipality of castles, is known for its medieval fortified heritage. Traces of this history can be found not only in the present-day town centre, but also in the villages of Ocio and Berganzo, which form part of the municipality.

Culture

At the heart of Zambrana’s present-day town centre stands the Church of Santa Lucía. It was built in the 16th century as a chapel and was extended after being granted parish church status in 1621. Its history therefore connects its original use as a chapel with its later development into a parish church.

One of the notable Romanesque examples is the Crismón de Zambrana. It is one of the rare Romanesque chrismons in the Álava region. Only four examples are believed to exist in the region as a whole, making the chrismon of Zambrana a distinctive feature of the Romanesque heritage.

At the exit from Zambrana towards Portilla stands the Zambrana washhouse. It complements the ecclesiastical and medieval heritage with a building from everyday village life. The direction towards Portilla therefore refers specifically to the location of the washhouse, while Santa Lucía is expressly situated in the centre of the present-day town centre.

Another place within the municipality is Berganzo. The parish church of San Miguel in Berganzo houses a Romanist-style altarpiece. This means that there is also an independent example of ecclesiastical history outside the main town, within the municipality of Zambrana.

History

The Castillo de Portilla fortress was built in the 11th century within the municipality of Zambrana. In Basque, it is called Zabaletako Gaztelua. The Basque name is just as much part of the designation of the site as its classification as an 11th-century structure and its location within the municipality.

The Castillo de Lanos rises on a high rocky ridge. It is located in the village of Ocio, within the municipality of Zambrana in the province of Álava. The recommended walking route to Castillo de Lanos from Ocio is approximately 900 metres long. This distance remains an approximate indication and describes access starting from Ocio.

Events

There are also two firmly established dates in Zambrana’s annual calendar. Zambrana’s village festival is organised every year on the last weekend in July. The Remember de Zambrana takes place every year on the third Saturday in September. The two events therefore fall in different periods of the year and each has a fixed date in the events calendar.

Practical information

Zambrana has a service area for motorhomes next to the municipal pelota court and the mill park. Its location is therefore described by two municipal landmarks within the town.

For the higher-level travel overview: Alava.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Elciego, Laserna, Goiuri-Ondona, Pinedo, Maturana, Apodaka, Moreta.