The 5.5 km circular Ruta Embalse de El Villar hike begins at Plaza de la Constitución in Manjirón. Another option is the approximately 3 km El Hospitalillo–Manjirón stage of the Senda del Genaro, which is estimated to take about one hour. In addition to these hikes, the parish church of Santiago Apóstol, the Museo de la Piedra and the “Las Aguas” mural are among the highlights that shape a stay in Manjirón.
Hiking and Scenery
The Ruta Embalse de El Villar is part of the Caminos Carpetania trail network and is rated as easy. From its starting point at Plaza de la Constitución, it crosses dehesa landscapes characterized by rockrose shrubs before reaching the Puentes Viejas Reservoir. Natural rock viewpoints offer views there. The route is considered suitable for all age groups.
The El Hospitalillo–Manjirón stage passes through a dehesa along the “De las Eras a Valondo” drovers’ road. It is approximately 3 km long, rated easy and takes about one hour. Along the way are stone walls, meadows and old holm oak groves. Compared with the 5.5 km circular hike, this stage is shorter and has an approximate walking time.
Water shapes the landscape and nature of Manjirón. Local habitats include holm oak groves, juniper dehesas, stone pines, Pyrenean oaks, ash groves, meadows, scrubland and numerous riparian woodlands, which are home to diverse fauna. The Encina de las Cercadillas is located near the town center. It has been listed as a “Singular Tree of the Community of Madrid” since 2017.
Architectural History and Local Life
The parish church of Santiago Apóstol was built over Mudéjar remains; its present structure dates from the 15th to 16th centuries. Its rectangular floor plan comprises a single nave, and the portal is a pointed Mudéjar arch. The older architectural remains and the later structure give the church a clearly described historical sequence.
The washhouse on Avenida del Villar, built in 1939 and restored, houses the Museo de la Piedra. The museum also serves as a venue for temporary exhibitions and is accessible to people with reduced mobility. Another site is the Antiguo Lavadero, a stop on the route from Manjirón to the El Villar Reservoir. Women used to wash their clothes there; the site also served as a meeting place. The Lavadero thus also represents an earlier social function of the place.
The restored Potro de herrar is located near the Museo de la Piedra. The structure consists of monolithic granite pieces as well as additional wrought-iron and wooden elements, and is protected by a roof. The Fuente Vieja, meanwhile, is an old stone-lined well on Calle de la Fragua, near the Manjirón stream.
Tower and Water-Themed Art
The Torre de Mirabel is military architecture from the 16th to 17th centuries and is classified as a cylindrical tower, or atalaya. It was declared a historic-artistic monument in 1983. Based on its features, it is considered a watchtower and refuge for alguaciles, with some defensive capabilities.
The “Las Aguas” mural by Pablo Zabala is located at Cjón. del Clavel 3 and is part of the “Paredes que Hablan” project. It depicts still and moving water. Its subject encompasses the relationship between humans and the control of nature, as well as the controlled flow of water at the Presa del Villar.
Discover more destinations: Serrada De La Fuente, Rozas De Puerto Real, Leganés, Pozuelo De Alarcón, Miraflores De La Sierra, Guadarrama, Loeches, El Molar.
For the broader travel overview: Madrid.
