Encinas de Abajo – Tormes Landscape and Roman Traces

The municipality of Encinas de Abajo covers 20.86 km², is practically flat, and the Río Tormes runs along its western side.

Nature

The municipality contains the “Campos de Alba” Special Protection Area for birds (ES0000359), part of the Natura 2000 network. The “Riberas del río Tormes y afluentes” Special Area of Conservation (ES4150085) also belongs to the Natura 2000 network. Along the banks of the Río Tormes within the LIC zone, remnants of habitat types 92A0 “Riparian galleries of Salix alba and Populus alba” and 91E0* “Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior” can be observed.

Culture and History

The parish church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán stands in the centre of Encinas de Abajo on a square free of buildings and features a simple architectural design. Juan Redero and Pilar Martín contributed 35,000 pesetas towards the construction of the parish church; it was built between 1899 and 1902.

The Cilloruelo archaeological site lies beside the settlement of the same name in the southwest of the municipality of Encinas de Abajo, is dated to the Lower Palaeolithic, and covers 0.60 ha. The El Sotillo archaeological site lies in the north of the municipality of Encinas de Abajo, covers 2.00 ha, and is definitively classified as a rural settlement of the Villae type from the Roman High Empire and Late Antiquity. The La Vega Roman villa lies within the municipalities of Villoria and Encinas de Abajo and has been designated a BIC due to its importance and excellent state of preservation.

Tradition

The traditional annual celebration in honour of Santo Domingo de Guzmán includes a Eucharistic service in the parish church of Encinas de Abajo and a procession through the town’s main streets.

Other Locality Pages

For further research, you can also find Babilafuente, El Cabaco, Pastores, Gallegos De Argañán, Matilla De Los Caños Del Río, Las Uces, San Esteban De La Sierra and Molinillo.

Paths

The information on routes, historical connections, and lengths allows for an objective comparison of the paths. The Vereda de Encinas a Huerta enters the municipality of Encinas de Abajo from the east along the N-501, passes through the centre of Encinas, and then continues northwards. The DSA-110 provincial road, formerly the CM-416, connects Encinas de Abajo with Alba de Tormes, runs east of the Cilloruelo settlement, and then continues to the N-501.

The Vereda de Encinas de Abajo historically connected Salamanca with Encinas de Abajo; its route lay near the present-day N-501. Today, the Calzada de Encinas de Abajo can only be reached via roads and parallel paths. After the Caminito de los Novios, the Ruta a Encinas de Abajo begins and leads to Encinas de Abajo. The Ruta a Encinas de Abajo is approximately 5 kilometres long and follows a largely flat route without inclines.

For the overarching travel overview: Salamanca.