At the foot of Moncayo and beside the Sierra del Madero, Olvega lies in a landscape that brings together religious architectural history and traces of mining. For information about the town, visit the municipal tourist information office at the Centro Social, Calle Doctor Salcedo 36. Points of interest include several hermitages, historic buildings and routes that vary by mode of travel and length.
Sacred architecture from different periods
The Iglesia Parroquial Santa María La Mayor reveals several historical layers: its oldest surviving parts, a section of the sacristy and the tower, date from the late 15th century. The crenellated crown gives the tower the appearance of a fortress. The altarpiece is also noteworthy: it is considered one of the finest examples of Sorian Romanism.
The Ermita de los Mártires is the oldest religious building in the town centre and a late Romanesque structure dating from the 13th century. Another Romanesque hermitage, the Ermita de la Virgen de Olmacedo, was built in the first half of the 13th century. It is considered the last hermitage of this style built in the province of Soria. The two buildings therefore have distinct historical classifications, which are clearly reflected in their sacred architecture.
The Ermita de la Virgen de Olmacedo is two kilometres from Olvega and can be reached on foot via the improved Camino Verde. When planning your visit, distinguish this distance from the total length of the route: the Camino Verde is about 6.3 kilometres long and begins and ends in Olvega.
Landscape, routes and mining history
Moncayo rises to 2,316 metres and is the highest mountain in the Iberian System and in the province of Soria. In the wider region, the Sierra del Moncayo is designated as a LIC (Site of Community Importance) and a ZEPA (Special Protection Area for Birds) within the Natura 2000 network. This large-scale protected-area designation complements Olvega’s immediate setting at the foot of Moncayo and beside the Sierra del Madero.
Mina Petra was an open-pit mine on the slope of the Sierra del Madero. After it flooded, a lake formed there; its turquoise colour is attributed to the minerals. The mining history can also be seen along the Camino Verde: some sections follow the former mining railway, the vía vieja.
Two different routes
The Camino Verde can be travelled on foot, on horseback and by bicycle. By contrast, the Ruta Olvega Románica is a moderately difficult driving route of about 12.8 kilometres. It passes five hermitages of Romanesque origin in Olvega. The approximate lengths and the stated modes of travel help distinguish the two options: the Camino Verde is a route for several types of travel, while the Ruta Olvega Románica is specifically described as a driving route.
Further historical traces complete this picture. The portal of the Ermita de San Bartolomé dates from the 12th century. The Ermita de San Marcos was built in the same century as the church, or parish church, of the now-vanished settlement of San Juan de Campiserrado. The Castillazo, also called the Torre de Campiserrado, is a medieval military and defensive structure; the tower’s foundations and those of the defensive wall surrounding it remain.
Local history and traditional festivities
The Molino de Almagre is a park whose name comes from a mill built in 1700. Ore extracted from Mina Petra was ground there, and the large millstone has been preserved. The Casa de los Pereda, also known as the Casa de los Zaranda, features a Castilian portal, a coat of arms, balconies and a projecting roof. The house is also the birthplace of Carmen Hernández.
The Museo Antropológico de José Escribano holds a collection of more than 7,000 objects and presents 37 traditional occupations. These figures offer two different insights into the museum’s holdings: the size of the collection and the number of occupations represented.
The annual calendar is also linked to religious traditions. Every year, Olvega commemorates the story associated with the Ermita de los Mártires by symbolically burning a castle on the Saturday closest to 14 March. At the May festival in honour of the Virgen de Olmacedo, the image of the Virgin is carried in procession to Olvega and returned to the hermitage after the celebrations. The Romería de San Marcos takes place on the Sunday closest to 25 April; visitors can sample Culeca, a bread pastry filled with chorizo and egg.
Discover more destinations: Almajano, Valdelinares, Buitrago, Garray, Espejón, Rejas de San Esteban, Retortillo De Soria, Ciudad de Osma.
For the broader travel overview: Soria.
