Talking about barbecues and castles in Castilla y León seems to define a common reality in which it is the largest autonomous community in Spain. Nine provinces and more than 90,000 square meters make the Castilian-Leonese community the largest and with the most provinces in the entire country and, also, one of the ones with the most history.
A temptation that surprises us twice in Cuellara town of medieval origin with almost 10,000 inhabitants, in the province of Segovia and which is, on its own merits, one of the most charming towns in all of Spain.
Declared a historical site, the town of Cuéllar is a favorite destination to spend a weekend surrounded by history and architecturedotted with good food, and in a privileged location.
separated by just 50 and 60 kilometers from Segovia and ValladolidCuéllar has the virtue of being a crossroads in the heart of the Tierra de Pinares region, which also enabled its success and flourishing from the Middle Ages onwards, being a key stone during the Reconquista.
We cannot leave the panoramic view of Cuéllar without admiring its medieval castle, the great attribute of this town. In a magnificent state of conservation and perfectly visitableCuéllar Castle is a journey through time where, in addition, we can see how the construction evolved from its most defensive walls to the change into a palatial residence, under the rule of the Dukes of Alburquerque.
For this reason, the Cuéllar castle not only houses Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance detailsbut also a unique construction where the fortified details coexist with the impressive balconies at the top.
In addition to that, Cuéllar also boasts of his triple walled enclosure, of which there are abundant examples of the wall canvas, as well as some of its entrances, such as the Puerta de San Basilio. The success of the town also translates into abundant religious architecture, both churches and convents, finding numerous examples of what is called Cuellarano Mudejarwith certain architectural particularities in the churches, as reflected in the apses of some buildings.
Something that can be easily observed in the Church of San Esteban or the Church of Santa María de la Cuesta, two of the best examples of the town's buildings. The same reality that is also consolidated with the details of noble houses such as the House of the Rojas, as well as other emblems such as the House of the Velázquez del Puerco or that of the Velázquez and Ruiz de Herrera.
An authentic display of history, which, in addition, in Cuéllar is also enriched by its running of the bulls, the oldest in Spain, and which are celebrated in the last week of August. Although with historical interruptions, the meaning of the Cuéllar bull runs date back to the first third of the 13th centuryso we would be talking about bulls that – although not as we know them – would have 800 years of history.
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