Fregenal de la Sierra – Fortress, Festivals and Dehesa

In Fregenal de la Sierra, designated cultural heritage, sacred architecture, museums, festival traditions and the Dehesa landscape come together. The old town is designated as a Bien de Interés Cultural. The Castillo Templario de Fregenal fortress was entrusted to the Templar Order in the 13th century. Inside it, the Plaza de Toros bullring was built; construction began in 1781 and was probably completed between 1794 and 1795.

Culture and History

The Santa María Church is attached to the Castillo Templario de Fregenal and was built at the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th century. The Santa Ana Church has a 16th-century main altarpiece attributed to Antonio de Auñón and designed as a triptych. The Santa Catalina Church contains a 16th-century wooden ceiling in the Mudéjar style; its tie beams are decorated with eight-pointed stars.

The Ermita de San Miguel de los Fresnos also forms part of the town’s historical profile. It is included in the inventory of Extremadura’s historical and cultural heritage; it comprises remains probably associated with a Visigothic monastery called San Benito. The Santuario de Ntra. Sra. de los Remedios features Baroque forms and developed through repeated alterations and extensions from the 16th to the 18th century.

Museums and Special Discoveries

The Centro Europeo del Humanismo Arias Montano, or CEHAM for short, is based in the Convento de San Francisco. It offers courses, seminars, congresses and cultural activities. The affiliated interpretation centre presents Benito Arias Montano with a video, a touchscreen for consulting his original works and an interactive quiz.

Also located in the Convento de San Francisco, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Fregenal displays works acquired annually through the Premio Internacional de Pintura Eugenio Hermoso. The museum has a room for the permanent exhibition, a room for temporary exhibitions, a workshop room, digital information materials and signage in Braille.

El Caserón de las Miniaturas is a permanent exhibition with twenty miniature houses and dioramas at scales of 1:12 and 1:24. The creator leads the tours, explaining the displayed pieces as well as their history and production. This allows you to combine different formats in your day planning: architectural history, art, interactive interpretation and a miniature exhibition explained personally by its creator.

Festivals and Traditions

The tradition of the Danzaores de la Virgen de la Salud is celebrated from 30 August to 8 September as part of the Fiestas en Honor a la Virgen de la Salud and includes an old ritual dance. The group consists of nine male dancers and is led by a leader known as the “guión”.

The Festival Internacional de la Sierra has taken place every summer since 1980 around 15 August, bringing traditional music and dances from around the world to Fregenal de la Sierra. The two festive dates fall in the same late-summer period but focus on different cultural themes.

Nature, Trails and Dehesa

Fregenal de la Sierra lies in a Dehesa with holm oaks, cork oaks, pastureland and some cereal fields; it also includes centuries-old trees. The public SL-BA 150 Camino Huertas de la Rivera hiking trail lies northwest of Fregenal de la Sierra.

The Ruta Ornitológica allows birdwatching throughout the municipality of Fregenal de la Sierra, including its gardens; more than 30 bird species from various families are represented there. Different priorities such as hiking, birdwatching, architectural heritage and festival dates can be weighted separately when planning your trip personally.

Advance reservation at least 24 hours beforehand is required to visit the archaeological site of Nertóbriga; the access road is unpaved and unsuitable for buses.

Jamón de Fregenal

Jamón de Fregenal is associated with its production process, shops and businesses offering tastings, as well as the Dehesa as the natural environment where the animals are raised.

Other Places

Other destinations: Helechosa De Los Montes, Valencia De Las Torres, Acedera, Higuera La Real, La Rabaza, Trujillanos, Puebla De La Calzada, Mirandilla

To the higher-level travel overview: Badajoz.