Las Fraguas: Sanctuary, History and Holiday Apartment

Las Fraguas leads into a landscape where pilgrimage, medieval art and the traces of a vanished settlement lie closely together. From the surroundings of the present-day Sanctuary of the Virgen de Inodejo, a sweeping view across the landscape opens up. The Ermita de la Virgen de Inodejo is located in the Sierra de Inodejo, approximately 3 km from Las Fraguas.

Landscape

Approximately 3 km east of Las Fraguas and around 500 m north-northeast of the sanctuary lies the vanished settlement of Inodejo, also known as Hinodejo. The different approximate distances help put the spatial relationship between Las Fraguas, the ermita and the former settlement site into context. For planning purposes, the figures can be considered separately: the roughly three kilometres describe the connection to Las Fraguas, while the approximately 500 m refer to the area closer to the sanctuary.

Culture

The present-day Sanctuary of the Virgen de Inodejo was built in 1600. Inside stands a devotional statue preserved as a wooden sculpture dating from the 13th century. Its form transitions from Romanesque to Gothic; the polychrome finish consists of tempera painting and gold. This art-historical collection is complemented by polychrome wooden altarpieces with panel paintings.

The religious organisation also extends beyond the individual locality: the Concordia of the Virgen de Inodejo comprises 31 villages. Thus, the sanctuary brings together architectural history, visual art and a pilgrimage tradition extending beyond Las Fraguas, without these aspects being limited to a single moment of a visit.

Pilgrimage

During the pilgrimage to the Virgen de Inodejo, many participants arrive on foot, attend Mass and then spend time sharing a meal on the meadow. The sequence of journey, religious service and shared meal presents the pilgrimage as a communal event with different stages. The patron-saint festivities announced for 20 and 21 August 2022 in Las Fraguas were dedicated to San Martín.

At the former settlement of Inodejo, the livestock watering fountain was restored in 1976 by the inhabitants of Las Fraguas. The fountain also provides plenty of water during the summer. Alongside the sanctuary, it therefore represents another tangible testimony in the vicinity of the former settlement; its historical connection and its present-day water flow should be considered separately.

This gives rise to three focal points for different interests: the pilgrimage combines walking, Mass and a shared meal; the art encompasses sculpture and altarpieces; and the landscape is revealed in the expansive view and the fountain. These aspects remain clearly distinguishable.

Getting There

The Sanctuary of the Virgen de Inodejo can be reached from Las Fraguas via a paved road. Anyone choosing a holiday apartment in Las Fraguas can compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the accommodation listings in particular. The information about the pilgrimage, art and routes can be read independently of the accommodation offer in question.

For the overarching travel overview: Golmayo.