Castellanos De Villiquera can be explored through its historic routes and buildings, as well as its large-scale murals. The town lies on Stage 22 of the VĂa de la Plata between Salamanca and El Cubo de Tierra del Vino. The Roman road route through the municipality runs mostly along the path called Calzada Vieja on historic maps and corresponds exactly to Itinerary 1. Also worth noting are the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista, with its layered building history, and VIART, a route of large-scale murals on building façades. This offers several thematic ways to approach a cultural trip: pilgrimage routes, religious architecture and scenes from local life.
Historic routes and pilgrimage connections
Stage 22 of the VĂa de la Plata places Castellanos De Villiquera between Salamanca and El Cubo de Tierra del Vino. The Roman road route through the municipality has other specific names: it runs mostly along the path called Calzada Vieja on historic maps and corresponds to Itinerary 1. Modern pilgrims also use Calle de la Calzada in Castellanos de Villiquera. The stage, historic road route and street name therefore offer different points of reference without being conflated into a single set of directions.
The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista
The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista was built in the 16th and 17th centuries on the remains of a Romanesque temple. This sequence distinguishes the building history of the present church from that of its older predecessor. A sundial dating from 1704 is located on the bell tower—a precisely dated detail within the later building history. Decorative elements have also been preserved on the walls. Traces of the former temple also include masons’ marks, as well as a base and a capital from the columns of its exterior portico.
Those interested in architectural history can consider several kinds of details here: the period when the church was built, the Romanesque remains and the surviving elements in the masonry. The sundial adds a specific year to this perspective. The Iglesia can thus be explored not only through a single period, but through traces of different building phases and craftsmanship.
A Romanesque sandstone detail
A Romanesque sandstone voussoir is set into the exterior wall of an outbuilding beside a portico. The stone is decorated with two rosettes: one has five petals and the other six. It also features a central knob and circular borders. The technical term “voussoir” refers to a wedge-shaped stone used in an arch. The precise description of the ornament makes this piece a distinct architectural subject alongside the church’s building phases.
VIART: Murals depicting the town and everyday life
VIART is a route of large-scale murals on building façades in Castellanos de Villiquera. The subjects range from agricultural activities and local traditions to sport, native flora and fauna, and the Camino de Santiago route through Castellanos de Villiquera and its outlying settlements. The focus is therefore not on a single building’s history, but on a variety of scenes from the surrounding area and community life. Those wishing to choose a cultural focus can compare the thematic range of the murals with the concentrated architectural history of the Iglesia.
The Lavadero Tradicional is part of VIART. It is a covered public washhouse that local residents used for years to wash clothes by hand. Large murals depicting this traditional use adorn its exterior walls. Here, a specific place of communal work meets an artistic portrayal of its former function. The washhouse adds a glimpse of everyday activities to the themes of agriculture, traditions and the pilgrimage route.
A report dated June 21, 2018, describes a Mass followed by a procession in honor of San Juan; it states that the celebrations are held annually.
Discover more destinations: La Mata De Ledesma, Sotoserrano, La Vellés, Cabeza del Caballo, San Pedro De Rozados, Morille, Monsagro, San Felices De Los Gallegos.
For the broader travel overview: Salamanca.
