Fermoselle (Zamora) (0)

Did you know that... Fermoselle

It is a beautiful town in the province of Zamora that stands on a rock, in a privileged enclave with a topography of rocks, faults and cliffs, surrounded by the rivers Tormes and Duero that meet in the place of Las Dos Aguas or Ambasaguas. Fermoselle, the Duero's balcony, the capital of the Zamorano's Arribes, a town on the border with Portugal, was inhabited since remote times, Bronze and Iron Age, as shown by the findings in the archaeological excavations made in 1988. The Vetons settled in Fermoselle. Perhaps it was the Ocellum Durii in its Roman era, then came the Visigoths, Jews and Arabs and in the eleventh century was reconquered by the King of Leon.

A little more history

At the beginning of the 13th century, according to documents, Fermoselle was already mentioned as a town, and the bishops of Zamora as its lords. In that same century King Alfonso IX granted the town of Fermoselle a charter with explicit rules by which the neighbourhood of this frontier town was to be governed, while expressing his gratitude for the services rendered to the crown. Centuries later, in the 16th century, it was Felipe II who granted Fermoselle a Royal Privilege. The lordship of the bishops over the town lasted until after the failure of the revolt of the Communities of Castilla, 1520-1522, the town was again in the hands of the crown. In 1654, during the War of Restoration of Portugal, it was conquered by the Portuguese. When the current provinces were created in the 19th century, Fermoselle became part of the province of Zamora.

What to see in Fermoselle?

Fermoselle, declared a historic-artistic site in 1974, has a rich architectural heritage scattered among its narrow and steep streets that blend in with the granite rock where they sit. A true underground city made up of its innumerable and touristy wineries competes in notoriety with the incredible panoramic views that the dizzying viewpoints of Los Arribes, El Castillo, Torrejón, Terraplén, Las Peñas, Los Barrancos or Las Escaleras, offer us. The latter is located on the outskirts of the urban centre and can be reached by a small hiking route that starts at the Santa Cruz hermitage. The years of history of Fermoselle have also left their mark on the town for the pride of the people of Fermoselle and the enjoyment of the visitor. The church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, whose origins date back to the 13th century, was built in the Romanesque style, although it has undergone numerous reforms. The remains of the castle of Doña Urraca located very possibly where once there was a castro and now there is a magnificent viewpoint from which you can see the Arribes, the river and Portugal.

To discover

Also worthy of note are the hermitages, the thirteenth century La Soledad hermitage, which houses a carving of a sedative Virgin from the same century; the Cristo del Pino hermitage on the outskirts of the village, possibly from the eleventh century although little or nothing remains of its origin; and the San Albín hermitage, named after a converted Moorish martyr also known as La Merced and believed to have been built before the tenth century. The former convent of San Francisco, dating from the 18th century, now houses the The Arribes Natural Park House, where visitors are given all the information they need to make their visit to the park, if possible, more enriching and enjoyable. The surroundings of Fermoselle are also a delight for nature and hiking lovers, with places such as Ambasaguas, where the Tormes flows into the Duero, the bridge of La Cicutina over the Tormes, the Way of the Ordia, the Way of the Pena, and for the more experienced hikers the legendary cave of Buraco del Diablo in the Lamb area. The visit to Fermoselle is not complete without enjoying its rich and varied gastronomy paired with a good wine from the town of D.O. Arribes.

Festivities

Fermoselle celebrates its patron saint's festivities in honour of San Agustín during the second fortnight of August; on Whit Monday the people of Fermoselle go on a pilgrimage to the hermitage of Santa Cruz, where they enjoy a festive day in the countryside and a rest; and as tradition dictates, on Tuesday after Easter they go to the hermitage of San Albín and in the afternoon they eat hornazo and hard-boiled eggs.

Traditions

The castle of Fermoselle is considered, traditionally, like the last communal bastion in Castilla and Leon since in him one of the leaders of the revolt, the archbishop Acuna, took refuge and became strong, at the beginning of the War of the Communities. There he was captured by the troops of the king and taken to Simancas where he was locked up, after the defeat suffered by these in Villalar. For having taken in a fugitive from the king, the castle and the wall were demolished and the town ceased to be a lordship of the Zamorano bishops.

Curiosities

In Fermoselle the typical and native grape variety called Juan Garcia is grown in a high percentage. It is one of the main varieties that make up the wines of the Arribes Denomination of Origin. Its usual habitat is the slopes and terraces of the Duero River and its tributaries. It is a grape that does not have a high alcohol content or high acidity.

The Legend

Have you seen a stork in Fermoselle? No? Well, the explanation is found in a story that has been passed on by word of mouth throughout the ages. It is said that one Good Friday long ago, when these little animals nested on the towers of the village, everything was ready for the big procession, the mantle for the descent, the bells about to start with their sad ringing, The priest ready to lead the procession and the people waiting for the exciting moment of the descent of the Cross of Christ of Santa Colomba, suddenly all paled, time seemed to stop, the mantle that had been placed with so much care on the Cross was not there, everyone looked at each other, everyone searched, but such precious fabric did not appear. The priest, in his indignation, asked that whoever had taken the mantle never return to the village. What was not everyone's surprise when the sky was immediately filled with storks who were taking the road to exile and never returning. And can you not guess where the mantle of Christ was found? Well, yes, it appeared hanging from the nest in the church tower.