Olmedillas between the Sierra de Pela and Sierra Ministra

Olmedillas is situated as a border settlement between the Sierra de Pela and Sierra Ministra. At the entrance to the village are the Cuevas del Harzal, also known as “Guarzal”; they contain prehistoric remains. The Cueva Harzal de Olmedillas is one of the Eneolithic cave sites in the north of the province of Guadalajara. The Cueva Harzal in Olmedillas is one of the Eneolithic cave sites dating from 2800 to 2200 BC. At the same time, it is one of the few excavated sites in the north of the province of Guadalajara with an Andalusian chronology.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Olmedillas, the travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions represent different selection criteria. You can consider these details separately and thus distinguish the accommodation question from the cultural sites and the cycling route.

Culture and history

The parish church of Olmedillas is dedicated to the Purísima Concepción and displays Romanesque influences. The parish archive preserves a papal bull from 1608 that granted indulgences to the Vera-Cruz Brotherhood. In Olmedillas, 28 October was observed in 1977 as the feast day of San Simón and San Judas.

The villagescape includes traditional architecture with large houses built from ashlar stones and large door lintels. A special detail can be found at the house at C/Estrecha 26: the sgraffito there dates from 1921 and features globular motifs described as water droplets.

The Cuevas Fortificadas de Olmedillas belong to the category of medieval castles and fortifications with military and residential functions. In addition, Olmedillas has the remains of a possible Muslim defensive tower; the area belonged to a border zone known as the Marca Media.

The caves are also connected with film history: the Cuevas del Harzal, also known as “Guarzal”, served as a natural setting for the 1971 film “Las Troyanas”. For planning your own day, cultural and historical discoveries and the cycling section can be considered as separate focal points alongside each other.

The themes can be clearly distinguished when determining the focus of a trip: culture and local history bring together named buildings, traditions, fortification remains and cave finds, whereas the cycling section provides a linear sequence of approach, departure from the village and onward travel. This creates two different ways of viewing Olmedillas without mixing the historical information with the route progression.

Other places to research yourself: Majaelrayo, Puebla De Valles, Sacedón, Arroyo de las Fraguas, Uceda, Torija, Ablanque, Albalate De Zorita.

Cycling

The official mountain biking and cycle tourism route “Ruta 0 – Circular Pedanías” approaches Olmedillas from the SO-P-4263; after the junction, a road leads left into the village. The route leaves Olmedillas at the cemetery and reaches the GU-128 again southwards towards Alboreca. From Olmedillas, it continues along the GU-128 to the pedanía of Alcuneza.

For the overview of the wider trip: Guadalajara.