There, in that desolate corner of a Castile that for centuries was the border of Moors and Christians and until relatively modern times, the cause of territorial discussion between two sister communities, Segovia and Soria, a town, Maderuelo, continues to be anchored in its old medieval essence, watching the time pass with languid monotony.
Divided in two by the Linares reservoir, whose attempt to rationalize the waters at some impetuous point of the Riaza River that now form lonely marshes that contrast with those bare hills whose skies fly over, alert eye, the vulture that nests in the vertiginous recesses of the Hoces del Duratón, it is very possible that the origin of the name of Maderuelo, comes from that distant century, in which the Knights Templar, settled in the place and outside the town walls, guarded a fragment of the Vera Cruz, whose trace has been lost in the gaps of a History, possibly already untraceable.
Perhaps for this reason, it is much more attractive, not only for the historian, but also for the curious traveler, getting lost in its narrow streets and being carried away by the irresistible influence of those fragments of medieval art, which today, unfortunately, serve as fillers for the facades of some houses punished by the inclemency of the harsh winters and the incendiary rigors of the torrid summers.
But do not think for that reason, that behind its ruined walls, life, in Maderuelo, has passed by, as the legend says that this Wandering Jew does, condemned to always carry the Ulysses syndrome on his back and never find a port in the one to land.
Because precisely, in a matter of legends, Maderuelo still preserves a wealth that is worth discovering, taking into account that, as the popular assertion says, behind every legend, there is always a hint of reality.
The reality, in this case, is that, apart from the always mysterious and disconcerting knights of the Order of the Temple, important characters in the history of Spain passed through Maderuelo, who to a greater or lesser extent, were forming the web of legends that They make this place a true deposit of what the French libertine poet, François Villon, described as the place where the snows of yesteryear go.
Among these characters, it is worth highlighting the presence of the controversial figure of Don Álvaro de Luna, who was Constable of Castile and executed on the scaffold for a false accusation of treason, of which the legend tells - fed in the eighties of the last century XX by a tabloid press - that he hid that he hid his immense riches in some secret corner of this town, as well as the no less controversial figures of the Marquis of Villena, one of whose members is known to have written numerous occult treatises and was He also attributes a dark reputation as a necromancer.
The presence, in times, of an important Jewish community has not left us indifferent, a detail that always increases popular legends much more, whose imprint is present, in certain symbols, such as the Seal of Solomon, which is observed in the lintels of some houses.
But without a doubt, where the curious traveler will find some interesting things that feed his taste for fantasy and speculation, it is in the two churches, which, located within the town, powerfully attract attention: the main one, dedicated to the figure of Saint Mary. and located in the square, in front of the jurisdictional roll where justice is administered and the church of San Michael, closer to the main gate of the walled enclosure.
Of Romanesque origins, both churches were greatly modified in later times, adapting their primitive structures to the tastes and architectural styles that emerged over the centuries, a detail that regardless of whether it distorts them, nevertheless makes them depositories of a metaphorical historical-artistic time capsule.
The church of Santa María preserves, as interesting original elements, a Romanesque doorway, which is called Puerta del Perdón - like some other churches of its kind, where indulgence was granted to pilgrims who for some reason, generally health, did not They could finish their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela - some elements of Saracen origin, such as certain blinded arcosolios on one of the sides of its nave and its apse or head.
Inside, the traveler will find certain curiosities, such as its magnificent but not very well preserved Baroque altarpiece, where you can appreciate an interesting representation of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist, a spectacular representation of the Holy Supper -work in grisaille, from the 16th century , attributed to the artist Gabriel de Sosa- where the position of the apostles' fingers, make up signs and letters, whose interpretation has not yet been revealed and above all, the mummified figure of an unknown young woman, who was supposed, by the richness of his attire, of the nobility of the place.
The church of San Miguel, on the other hand, basically serves as a place where the locals deposit the objects and gadgets of their traditional medieval festivals, such as the figures of the giants, among which stands out, a mocking demon -which recalls the traditions about the 'little devils' that are released in the nearby town of Sepúlveda on the night of August 24, the feast of Saint Bartholomew- and the Gothic image of the Virgin of the Barefoot, which belonged to the disappeared hermitage of Saint Roque, located, like the Vera Cruz, on the outskirts of the town and converted into the Patron Saint of Maderuelo, replacing it.
Furthermore, it is worth mentioning the settlement in the town, at the end of the seventies of the last century, of a couple of French artists, whose pieces attract the attention, often passing as originals, whose house is located -attention , hungry travelers- very close to the main gate of the wall, where restaurants such as Los Templarios (The Templars) or the Posada del Medievo (Medieval Inn) are located, places whose charm lies in the excellence of their food and also in being located next to the old walls and towers, with outdoor terrace possibilities, that complement the experience.
I hope that this new walk through Maderuelo, its legends, its art, its mystery and its restoration has been pleasant enough for your taste, to put it on the list of priorities if you ever decide to travel through this area of old Castile. .
NOTICE: Both the text and the accompanying photographs are my exclusive intellectual property and therefore are subject to my Copyright.
Eating in Maderuelo: