This is the Route of the Watchtowers in Soria, between fortresses and rural architecture

medinaceli y Berlanga de Duero They are two of the most attractive towns and with the most artistic and historical heritage in the entire region. Soria province.

It is therefore a good idea to organize a getaway through this province with the desire to visit both places.

If we look for the fastest route in our navigator, it will recommend an itinerary that passes through Almazán.

But after the experience of our trip, we are going to propose a alternative route on secondary roads.

This will allow us to discover small towns full of interest, with muslim watchtowers and some rural Romanesque jewels, while we travel through the lonely landscape of Soria.

And, furthermore, we will know rello, a completely walled town that dominates the surroundings overlooking the cliffs carved by the Escalote River, and that alone is worth the trip.

The Escalote and Bordecorex valleys many centuries ago they were the most direct path between the basins of the ebro and the Duero.

What to see on the Route of the Watchtowers through the province of Soria

This route is dotted with fortresses and watchtowers for its strategic value, and following it is a journey that unites the attractive landscape with the adventure of history and the discovery of small and large artistic treasures.

medinaceli It perfectly dominates one end of this route.

We must not forget that in the 10th century, almanzor He turned this population into one of the most important in the entire caliphate.

The other end of this route is clearly defined by the Caliphal fortress of Gormaz, On the banks of Duero, and which at that time was the largest military construction in all of Europe.

It was the outpost of Muslim power in the Peninsula, and was raised at the same time as the Castilian count Fernan Gonzalez founded Sepúlveda, In Segovia province.

Our route begins in medinaceli, and as soon as we start it we enter a lonely world, and it is surprising to think that a few minutes ago we could have been driving on the A-II highway.

From here we can stop in different towns, all with very few inhabitants but with important monuments.

El landscape It alternates dry crop fields with extensive holm oak forests and wide bare hills.

Before starting the trip, you should know that, outside of Berlanga de Duero, there is little chance of finding somewhere to eat along the entire route except in summer.

It is advisable to bring some provisions to spend a few hours traveling without having to speed up to find a restaurant.

Yelo, the hamlet of the dovecotes

Our first stop could be Yelo.

What we will see when we arrive, even before the hamlet, are five strange dovecotes that rise on a cliff above the Bordecorex river.

We probably have the image of dovecotes with a circular plan, but in this case they are made of square plan.

At one time they must have been highly decorated, with sgraffito walls, since remains can still be seen.

On one of them the phrase “Long live Jesus. Long live Mary Most Holy”, which tells us that these dovecotes were property of church.

These dovecotes are one of the most significant examples of the popular architecture of this region.

Mezquetillas, from Muslim fortress to 12th century Christian church

If the Yelo dovecotes They are unique, church of Mezquetillas it is no less so.

The name of the town already tells us of a Muslim origin, probably a fortified point in an area that was important to have well controlled.

In this construction they merge Muslim and Christian construction characteristics, and everything seems to indicate that it is a caliphal fortress which was reused to raise the church at the end of the 12th century.

Three of the walls, which are about two meters thick, are from the Muslim period and are built with ashlars placed with charcoal, that is, from the outside it appears that the blocks are placed vertically.

Baroque church of Baraona

Here the dominant building is the great church, that is of Baroque, unlike what is usual in many other towns in the area, which preserve Romanesque temples.

A tradition speaks of the presence of witches in Baraona.

It should be noted that the name of the town appears in many places such as Barahona.

Rello, town with castle and wall

rello It is the most notable town on this tour.

Its peculiarity is based on its location, overlooking a cut carved by the Escalote River, which runs at your feet and, above all, because it is the only town in Soria that completely preserves its belt of walls.

Like many other towns in the area, some houses in Rello are abandoned and sunken, but it seems that there is a certain process of rehabilitation of buildings, either for second homes or to set up rural tourism businesses.

The truth is that rello It is a wonder that well deserves to be known.

If we enter by car through the main entrance, we will soon have to park to be able to discover its corners on foot.

The first thing we will see, after passing through the entrance arch, is the castle, which only preserves the exterior walls. And then a small square where the iron roll, and the town bar.

You have to walk calmly through its streets, look for the other gate in the wall and the church.

From different parts you can see the lonely surrounding landscape.

La Riba de Escalote, Romanesque church

La Riba de Escalote It is a small town where we can stop to visit the church of san miguel.

It preserves few Romanesque traces, only the doorway and the lower half of the apse,

Caltojar, Romanesque church and urban art

Very different is the Caltojar church, the largest of the entire route. It is said that its dimensions are more typical of the urban Romanesque than the rural one.

In fact, inside it is surprising to see that it has three naves supported by pillars. But the whole has been modified over the centuries.

From the outside, the most interesting thing is the central apse and the southern doorway. The northern gate is blocked up.

When walking the streets of Caltojar It is surprising to find numerous samples of urban art with facades painted with reproductions of paintings by Picasso.

The story dates back to 1981, when the town made this peculiar tribute to the painter from Malaga. As of 2014 the paintings are being restored or repainted.

In the surroundings there are three muslim watchtowers.

Bordecorex Watchtower

A detour takes us to Bordecorex.

On the way we passed a watchtower, perhaps the easiest to access of the entire way; It is restored and you can climb to the top.

De Bordecorex It is said that it was here where he died almanzor, for the wounds caused in the mythical Battle of Calatañazor.

Then, according to tradition, he was buried near Medinaceli.

From church of San Martín The apse stands out, a beautiful example of modest but charming art due to its shapes and proportions.

From Bordecorex You have to go back to Caltojar and now there are only a few kilometers to Berlanga de Duero.

On the way, shortly before arriving, we will see the detour to the left that leads to the fabulous hermitage of San Baudelio de Berlanga.