Page 241 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

AR A GÓN  239

Inside the curtain walls lies a
complex founded in the 11th
century on the site of what
had originally been a Roman
settlement. It was later
remodelled under Sancho I
(Sancho Ramírez) of Aragón,
who established a religious
community here, placing the
complex under the rule of
the Order of St Augustine.
Within the castle walls is a
Romanesque church with
carved capitals, a chequered The formidable Castillo de Loarre looming above the surrounding area
frieze and alabaster windows.
Sentry paths, iron ladders sculptor, Damià Forment. e Santuario de
and flights of steps ramble pre­ On the altar piece, a series of Torreciudad
cariously around the castle’s Crucifixion scenes in relief are
towers, dungeons and keep. highlighted by illumination. Huesca. Tel 974 30 40 25. @ to El
Opposite the cathedral is Grado from Barbastro. Open daily.
7 ∑ torreciudad.org
the Renaissance town hall
(ayuntamiento). Inside hangs
La Campana de Huesca, a gory This shrine was built to honour
19th­century painting depicting the devotion of the founder of
the town’s most memorable the Catholic lay order of Opus
event: the beheading of a Dei – San Jose María Escrivá
group of troublesome nobles de Balaguer – to the Virgin. It
in the 12th century by order occupies a promontory with
of King Ramiro II. The massacre picturesque views over the
occurred in the former Palacio waters of the Embalse de El
de los Reyes de Aragón, later Grado at Torreciudad. The huge
the university and now the church is made of angular red
superb Museo de Huesca, brick in a stark, modern design.
Altarpiece by Damià Forment, in containing archaeological Inside, the elaborate modern
Huesca Cathedral finds and a collection of art. altarpiece of alabaster,
sheltering a glittering Roman­
q Huesca E Museo de Huesca esque Virgin, is in contrast to
Plaza de la Universidad 1. Tel 974 22 the bleak, functional nave.
Huesca. * 52,000. £ @ n Plaza 05 86. Open 10am–2pm, 5–8pm
López Allué, 974 29 21 70. ( Tue, Tue–Sat, 10am–2pm Sun & pub hols.
Thu & Sat. _ San Vicente (22 Jan), Closed 1 & 6 Jan, 24, 25 & 31 Dec. 7 Environs
San Lorenzo (9–15 Aug). The town of Barbastro, 30 km
∑ huescaturismo.com (18 miles) to the south, has an
arcaded plaza mayor and a
Founded in the 1st century BC, w Alquézar 16th­cen tury cathedral with
the independent state of Osca Huesca. * 300. n Calle Arrabal s/n, an altar by Damià Forment.
(present­day Huesca) had 974 31 89 40. _ San Sebastián
a senate and an advanced (20 Jan), San Ipolito (12 Aug). 8
education system. From the
8th century, the area grew into This Moorish village attracts
a Moorish stronghold. In 1096 much attention because of its
it was captured by Peter of spectacular setting. Its main
Aragón and was the region’s monument, the stately
capital until 1118, when the 16th­century collegiate church,
title passed to Zaragoza. dominates a hill jutting above
Huesca is now the provincial the strange rock formations of
capital. The pleasant old town the canyon of the Río Vero.
has a Gothic cathedral. The In side, the church’s cloisters
eroded west front is surmount­ have capitals carved with
ed by an unusual wooden biblical scenes. Next to it is
gallery in Mudéjar style. Above the chapel built after Sancho I
the nave is slender­ribbed star recaptured Alquézar from the
vaulting studded with golden Moors. Nearby are the ruined
bosses. There is an alabaster walls of the original alcazár, The ruins of Alquézar Castle, rising
altar piece by the master which gives the village its name. above the village

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