Malpartida de la Serena can be explored through a range of cultural themes: the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, Castillo del Equivocao, an annual pilgrimage and a cultural programme in mid-August. Those planning a trip around architectural history, archaeology or regional traditions will find several distinct highlights here.
The parish church: 16th-century architectural features
The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is a 16th-century building made of rubble masonry and dressed stone. It is protected as a Bien de Interés Patrimonial; restoration work has been completed. Its nave is single-aisled, the chancel has a rib vault, and the gallery rests on four granite columns. “Single-aisled” means that the nave has no side aisles. This makes it possible to distinguish several architectural elements: the main space, the chancel vault and the gallery supported by granite columns.
Castillo del Equivocao and local history
Castillo del Equivocao is listed as a Roman recinto-torre (enclosed tower) in the Carta ArqueolĂłgica de Extremadura. Its Cyclopean walls are made of roughly worked blocks, laid without mortar and wedged with small stones. The two buildings therefore feature different types of construction: the church is characterised by rubble masonry, dressed stone and the layout of its interior; at the Castillo, the walls are defined by large, roughly worked blocks laid without mortar and wedged into place.
The town’s history also offers specific points of reference in time and in the people involved. Malpartida de la Serena was founded around 1256 by GarcĂa de Barrantes, a knight of the Order of Alcántara. A funerary stele for Lucila Norba is interpreted as a reminder of earlier Roman settlement and now serves as the lintel of a house. The stele thus links a possible interpretation of its origins with its later reuse.
Pilgrimage and cultural week
The annual San Isidro pilgrimage leads to the Dehesa de Malpartida, where there is a chapel. During the pilgrimage, participants sing folk and religious songs; prizes are also awarded for the best decorated floats. The Semana Cultural takes a different approach: it has been held in mid-August since 1995 and includes theatre as well as exhibitions of painting, sculpture, crafts and photography. The programme also features regional dances, music, flamenco, oral traditions and local history. The pilgrimage combines religious and folk elements with a route to the chapel, while the cultural week brings together a wide-ranging arts and culture programme. If you would like to plan your trip around the Semana Cultural, it is worth checking the dates for the relevant year.
Regional cuisine and landscape
The culinary traditions of the San Isidro RomerĂa include pork chops, Spanish omelette, stuffed eggs and paella campera. Another annual tradition is the Matanzas, when preserved pork products such as ham, chorizo, lomo and salchichĂłn are made. Pitarra wine comes from the vineyards in the surrounding fields and is sought after by both locals and visitors who know its quality. These examples range from festive dishes to preserved products and wine, illustrating different aspects of the region’s food culture.
The landscape is also part of the picture: the municipality of Malpartida de la Serena extends across a landscape characterised by dehesas and cereal cultivation, typical of the comarca. Its rural character and culinary traditions thus complement the town’s architectural and cultural attractions.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Santa Marta, Los Santos De Maimona, Magacela, La Parra, Trujillanos, Higuera La Real, Alange, La Rabaza
For the overview of the wider region: Badajoz.
