Salillas lies on the slope of a small rise above the Guatizalema River. Visitors can choose between different points of interest: Renaissance architecture, traces of a former castle and an ice house with a practical historical function. Recurring festive customs are also part of the picture. You can decide whether buildings and their construction, or traditions tied to specific dates on the calendar, should shape your stay.
Renaissance Buildings and Older Traces
The parish church of Santa Ana is a Renaissance building made of ashlar stone, dating from the mid-16th century. Ashlar stones are dressed blocks of stone; here, the name thus also refers to the material used to build the church. The Palacio de los Marqueses de Montemuzo stands along one side of the central square. Its Renaissance façade bears the 16th-century coat of arms of the Pomar family. At the same time, the palace stands on the remains of an earlier castle, of which a tower survives. Those interested in historic architecture can compare different aspects: the church’s construction period and stone material on the one hand, and the palace’s façade, coat of arms and traces of the earlier castle on the other.
The Ice House and Its Construction
The Pozo de Hielo, Salillas’s ice house, was used to store winter ice and snow so both could be used during the summer months. Its purpose links the structure to the seasonal cycle of winter storage and summer use. The vault is supported by a central brick arch and three perpendicular arches made of ashlar stone. The Pozo de Hielo may be of Moorish origin, dating from the 15th century. It is located at the entrance to the village, beside the A-1216 road. Nearby, on a hill along the access road to the town centre, is a group of small bodegas carved into the rock. Here, a historic storage purpose and a precisely described arch structure are combined with a specific location.
Ermita de San Felipe
The Ermita de San Felipe lies about 500 metres north of Salillas. Its extensive painted decoration covers the entire vault. This gives it a different architectural focus from the Pozo de Hielo: at the hermitage, the focus is on the vault’s all-over decoration, while at the ice house it is on the supporting arches and former use. The approximate distance and compass direction help you locate the hermitage in relation to Salillas.
Festivals and Recurring Customs
At Easter, the Mayo is erected in the square in Salillas; it is taken down again at the start of the Santa Ana festivities. The smaller festival in honour of San Felipe Neri takes place on 26 May, and the main festival in honour of Santa Ana on 26 July. Bonfires are lit in honour of San Fabián, San Blas and San Sebastián; Santa Águeda is also celebrated.
If you would like to plan your trip around a festival, distinguish between the Mayo tradition associated with Easter and the dated festivals in May and July. The Mayo is taken down at the start of the Santa Ana festivities. These festivals therefore offer different seasonal highlights from a visit focused on architectural history and the different types of construction.
Discover more destinations: Castigaleu, Gabarret, Botaya, Aguascaldas, Villanova, El Pueyo De Araguás, Arro, Torrente.
For the broader travel guide: Huesca.
