SANTIAGO ROUTES IN ARAGON: THE FRENCH ROUTE.
It is the oldest. There is a main route with many branches. Its development conditioned the growth of Aragón, and it is lined with beautiful landscapes and ancient and lovely Medieval monuments.
The oldest entrance to Aragon through the Pyrenees was the Roman road that crossed the Palo pass and went down Echo Valley, where the Carolingian monastery of San Pedro de Siresa was built. The important Romanesque church has been conserved; it was the spiritual centre of the primitive Realm. That road, as well as the parallel one through Anso Valley, goes through beautiful spots such as Zurita or la Selva de Oza and picturesque villages like Anso and Echo.
When the Muslim dominion allowed it, the route nowadays considered as the "traditional" one was favoured, because it was the most used, better preserved and well-known. From the more accessible pass of Somport, it goes down Aragon Valley, repopulated around the year 1075 with the creation of Canfranc, Villanua, Castiello and Jaca, and continues towards the west following the course of the river. In Somport the ruins of the Pilgrims Hospital of Santa Cristina, very important at its time, can still be traced, and those of the castle of Candanchu, next to the modern skiing resort with the same name. Canfranc's railway station is Modernist and of exceptional beauty. In the town of Canfranc we find the first of the Romanesque bridges of the route that is still standing. The linear lay-out of its streets reveals its origin related to the Santiago route. Villanua, at the foot of Collarada peak, conserves its singular ensemble of megalithic monuments from the Bronze Age and interesting caves that can be visited. The construction of the Realm of Aragon was directed from Jaca. The original capital conserves the magnificence of its Medieval past: the Cathedral, first great Romanesque work in the Peninsula (1076), which marked a style of its own, spread later trough the Santiago route, houses an interesting Medieval Art Museum; the clock tower, surviving trace of the Royal Alcazar (citadel); the Benedictine Monastery, which conserves the sarcophagus of Doña Sancha; San Miguel bridge, outside the city; and the Citadel, from the Renaissance, like the Town Hall; the old quarter of the city, full of shops, typical bars and confectioner's shops; and all the facilities provided by a thriving and modern tourist city.
Very close to the city stand some beautiful Romanesque hermitages, the only remains of the Monasteries of San Adrian de Sasabe, in Borau, and Nuestra Señora de Iguacel, in the Garcipollera Valley. Close as well we find the Romanesque monastery of San Juan de la Peña, built under a big rock. Its origin is Mozarabic and it is related by the legends to the Holy Grail and the foundation of the Realm of Aragon.
Visiting it is essential. Its two churches, the Royal Vault and the original cloister, covered by a rock and conserving beautiful capitals, are outstanding. Next to the monastery, you can visit the slender church of Santa Maria, in Santa Cruz de la Seros, as well as the Lombard church of San Caprasio. Once you have passed Santa Cilia de Jaca and the crossroads of Puente La Reina de Jaca, the traditional route splits up into two branches. Following the two banks of the river, both go through picturesque villages: Berdun, interesting historic spot on the top of a hill; Ruesta, with its lofty castle; and Tiermas, of Roman origin and conserving remains of its walls; as well as Martes, Mianos, Artiedas, Sigues, Esco or Undues de Lerda, all of them with peculiar and beautiful examples of Pyrenean popular architecture, together with Yesa reservoir, which allows to pratise water sports. From here, the route gets into Navarra, one branch through Yesa and the other one through Sanguesa, and connects with the route that goes down from Roncesvalles in the Navarrese town of Puente La Reina. From Puente La Reina of Jaca you can also arrive in Huesca going next to La Peña reservoir, at the foot of the imposing Mallos (large sandstone conglomerates in curious shapes) of Riglos or of Aguero, and through Ayerbe, with its Medieval towers, close to the magnificent Romanesque castle of Loarre, the best preserved of its time in the whole of Spain. Or you can go down to the Ebro Valley going through the Cinco Villas and visiting peculiar villages with Romanesque churches and some castles such as Biel, Luesia, Sos del Rey Catolico, Uncastillo or Ejea de los Caballeros.
Once this main route was established, the ones that crossed the Pyrenees and got to Huesca were developed. The one that enters through Portalet goes down the pretty Tena Valley to Sabiñanigo, next to the Romanesque-Mozarabic churches of Gavin, Olivan, Susin, Busa and Larrede, from which you get either to Jaca or to Huesca. Bielsa tunnel gives access to the best preserved Pyrenean landscapes, the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido. It is accessible from L'Ainsa, a town that conserves its Medieval lay-out, with a castle, streets, squares and a Romanesque church with a solid tower. From here you can choose to approach the Sanctuary of Torreciudad and Barbastro going through Naval and el Grado, or follow the amazing route that crosses the Natural Park of the Sierra and Canyons of Guara, of unusual beauty, visiting two Lombard-Romanesque monuments, Obarra monastery and the Collegiate church of Roda de Isabena, a very interesting Medieval town. Next to Graus, Barasona reservoir offers multiple possibilities for the tourist. In Barbastro the splendid Renaissance cathedral, the museum and many buildings from the same period recommend a walk through the city. The whole area is famous because of its wines with denominacion de origen (officially certified typical local product) of Somontano.
Santiago Routes in Aragon.
SANTIAGO ROUTES IN ARAGON MAP - French Route - Catalan Route - Valencian Route
Tourist Routes in Aragon
Ample your information on Aragon
If you want to extend your information on Aragon you can begin crossing another interesting route is the Mudejar, Patrimony of the Humanity, also you can extend your cultural knowledge on Aragon examining its municipal and institutional heraldry without forgetting, of course, some of its emblematics figures as Saint George Pattern of Aragon also book of Aragon.
Also Aragon enjoys a diverse and varied Nature where passing by plants, animals or landscapes we can arrive at a fantastic bestiario that lives in its monuments.
The information will not be complete without a stroll by its three provinces: Zaragoza, Teruel and Huesca and his shines, with shutdown in some of its spectacular landscapes like Ordesa, the Moncayo or by opposition the Ebro.
Also you can dedicarte to the intangible ones: from the legend compilation that also does to universal Aragon you can persecute the presence of del Santo Grial in Aragon.
Huesca |
Teruel |
Zaragoza |
Aragon |
Maps |
Fauna |
Flora |
Geology |
Fungi |
Tourism |
Mudejar |
Goya |
Alphabetical Index |
Thematic
INTRODUCTION - THE FRENCH ROUTE - THE CATALAN ROUTE -THE VALENCIAN ROUTE.
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