Discover Villaturiel: Churches, Marialba and Riverside Paths

Villaturiel is home to the Church of Nuestra Señora de las Candelas, a Renaissance building dating from the 16th century. Also located in the town is the Ermita de San Pedro de Alcántara, a 16th-century building combining Renaissance and Baroque elements. The local festivities include Las Candelas.

Culture and History

In Marialba de la Ribera, within the municipality of Villaturiel, stands the parish church of San Juan Evangelista, a 17th-century building made of brick and masonry. The Iglesia Martirial de Marialba is an early Christian basilica that may date from the 3rd or 4th century AD. The archaeological remains of Marialba de la Ribera are currently in the process of being converted into a museum.

In Roderos, within the municipality of Villaturiel, you will find the Museo de las antiguas Escuelas. Those wishing to classify the sites according to their cultural focus can distinguish between religious buildings, archaeological remains and a museum.

Marne adds another historic site to this sequence with the 16th-century parish church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. The main chapel, or presbytery, has a Mudéjar coffered ceiling; the church's altarpiece is dated 1711.

The cultural sites represent different ways of engaging with Villaturiel: religious architecture, archaeological remains, museum interpretation and pilgrimage history. The building dates, construction methods, furnishings and state of preservation vary; the possible dating of the basilica contrasts with the clearly stated dates of the churches. These differences make it possible to organise the sites according to architectural history, archaeology, furnishings or pilgrimage connections, without reducing them to a single focus.

Further places to discover include Valderrueda, Lugueros, Las Herrerías, Quintanilla de Losada, Santiago Millas, Balboa, Riego De Ambrós and Corullón.

Nature and Water

Marne has a popular trout-fishing area with naturally occurring species of high ecological value. The Río Bernesga runs through the municipality of Villaturiel. Those wishing to give different emphasis to nature, waterways and culture can consider these topics as separate focuses when planning their trip.

Nature and activity provide a distinct accent. Rivers, riverside areas and the connection between the walking and cycling paths can be considered separately from the historic sites. When planning their days, travellers can therefore distinguish between architectural history, archaeology, waterscapes and activity-oriented paths; each of the places and themes described retains its own character.

Getting Around

Marne is connected to Puente Villarente by a walking and cycling path. At Puente Villarente, a pedestrian footbridge was built for pilgrims, providing access to the river and panoramic views of the bridge. The bridge at Puente Villarente is considered to be a Roman bridge over the Río Porma and originally had twenty arches.

A 16th-century pilgrims' hospice has been preserved in Puente Villarente. The parish church of San Pelayo preserves a statue of the patron saint from the 16th century with Flemish influences.

The riverside area on the Río Porma near Puente Villarente has toilets, barbecue facilities, benches and tables.

For the overarching travel overview: León.