Mogarraz, A Beautiful Town In The Sierra De Francia
In the province of Salamanca, in the heart of the Sierra de Francia, stands the beautiful town of Mogarraz. It is part of the exclusive and honorable group of “the most beautiful towns in Spain”, and of course this distinction is not wrong at all. We invite you to take a walk through Mogarraz . Join us!
Natural mogarraz
The Sierra de Francia surrounds Mogarraz in a totally magical way. This system of more than 600 km² and that does not know of geographical or political limits is the natural setting of this beautiful town, along with 31 other municipalities.
As if all this were not enough, this town is located within a protected natural area known as the Parque de las Batuecas, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. We can highlight there the mountains and the mountain well marked by the Alagón river.
La Peña de Francia is the highest peak in this entire natural complex and in the park, shared by 15 municipalities, among which is Mogarraz.
Taking a walk through the natural part of this town is synonymous with finding species of flora and fauna of all kinds : oak and chestnut forests, cork oak forests, Mediterranean pine forests and holm oaks that are home to storks, pigeons, blackbirds, partridges and turtledoves. , among others.
Medieval Mogarraz
But Mogarraz is not only nature and life in the open air, it is also culture and history. In its 9 km² of extension we can find a medieval urban structure, with irregular and narrow streets that earned it the title of Asset of Cultural Interest.
The history of this place is related to the project to repopulate the Sierra de Francia with Frenchmen, Gascons and Roussillon devised by the Leonese kings during the Middle Ages. Mogarraz was part of the Miranda del Castañar alfoz, after being created in 1213 by King Alfonso IX of León. Later, in 1833, it was annexed to the province of Salamanca.
The civil and military architecture has been preserved in perfect condition due to its natural isolation. Traditional houses have half-timbered facades and stonework filled with symbols carved in stone. Houses in which the typical balconies of this area cannot be absent.
What to see in Mogarraz
Mogarraz has numerous points of interest. Among the sites that you cannot miss is the church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, with its Baroque altar, its Latin cross plan and its bell tower. Precisely the bell tower, dating from the seventeenth century, is the most characteristic element of Mogarraz, a construction of military architecture that in the past was used as a defense.
You should also stop at the Plaza Mayor (oval in shape and where the bullfighting festivities took place), at the Humilladero fountain and at the Ethnographic Museum “Casa de las Artesanías”, which exhibits objects made of leather and gold, costumes and embroidery.
When you are walking through the old town of the town, stop your gaze on the lintels of some houses, carved granite engravings that speak with epigrams about the faith and indicate the year of construction. You will also be able to visualize the urban layout with Arab and Jewish influence.
Traditions in Mogarraz
In Mogarraz a very popular and old tradition is maintained, that of the San Antón pig. An animal that is released through the streets and that for months is fed by the neighbors. The owner of the portal where the pig lies down at sunset is in charge of giving it shelter at night.
On January 17, the day of San Antón, it is raffled among those who buy a number and whoever gets lucky must put another pig on June 13, when he is baptized by the village priest. And everything starts again.
Mogarraz is undoubtedly a place full of stories and traditions. .. you cannot miss this gem.
