The Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rosario stands at the highest point of Mompia and is a prominent cultural landmark in the village. Alongside this building, municipal routes and several watercourses are practical topics to consider when planning a trip. Two perspectives can be distinguished: the building history surrounding the chapel, and the landscape with waterways that each have their own points of reference.
Hermitage and cultural heritage
The present-day hermitage was completed in 1824 and built entirely of ashlar stone. Ashlar stones are regularly dressed, block-shaped stones; the term refers here to a specific building technique used for the structure. An inscription on the lintel of the southern entrance names the devotion to the Virgen del Rosario for Prezanes, Bezana and Mompia. The year of construction, building technique and inscription each highlight a different aspect: chronology, architecture and religious significance each form a distinct part of the chapel’s history.
Mompia is also home to examples of late 19th-century Montañesque architecture. Together with the hermitage’s construction date, they offer two distinct points in time for a cultural heritage stay: a specific building with a year attached to it, and a regional architectural tradition represented by several examples.
The cultural heritage route presented in a 2025 municipal brochure explores the villages of Bezana and Mompia, showcases their historical and cultural heritage, and includes a visit to the Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rosario. Before travelling, check whether guided tours are currently available. Another municipal route passes the cemetery via Alto del Lloreo and continues towards Mompia and Prezanes. The differences are useful when planning: the cultural heritage route combines village history with a visit to the chapel, while the cemetery and the direction towards Mompia and Prezanes are key landmarks on the Alto del Lloreo route.
Routes and watercourses
The watercourses each follow their own course. The Arroyo de Palancate flows through the Mies de Salga and disappears into a swallow hole at Sotambra. The Riachuelo de Palancate, by contrast, rises at Monte del Cuco, crosses the meadows of Mompia and ends at Sotambra in Prezanes. Despite their similar names, these courses should be distinguished: the Arroyo de Palancate is associated with Mies de Salga and the swallow hole, while the Riachuelo is defined by its source, its passage through the meadows and its endpoint. A swallow hole is a place where a watercourse disappears underground.
The Arroyo Reculín follows a different course: it rises in Mompia and then flows through Bezana to Prezanes and Soto de la Marina. The sequence of places can be traced from the watercourse’s source. Together with the two Palancate watercourses, this gives three distinct geographical reference points: a route through Mies de Salga to a swallow hole, a course from Monte del Cuco through the meadows to Prezanes, and a watercourse running from Mompia through Bezana towards Prezanes and Soto de la Marina.
Discover more destinations: Soto De La Marina, Maoño, Sancibrían.
Return to the main travel overview: Santa Cruz De Bezana.
