Hoznayo: Heritage, River Landscape and the San Lucas Tradition

Hoznayo offers several starting points for planning a themed hotel stay: architectural and art history, the landscape along the Aguanaz, and the San Lucas tradition. At the Palacio de los Acebedos and the Iglesia de la Asunción, the focus is on architectural styles and sacred art; Fuente del Francés adds a spring area, the river and a natural bridge to the local history. The San Lucas fair expands on these themes with a historic festival and market tradition. This allows you to decide whether to include heritage, landscape or local history in your travel plans.

Palaces, Church and Art

The Palacio de los Acebedos is designated a Bien de Interés Cultural. Fernando de Acebedo commissioned it in the first half of the 17th century. Its two-storey central section is flanked at either end by two towers. The palace also includes a family burial chapel dedicated to Saint John. The central section, towers and chapel reveal different aspects of the building: its clearly defined form and its family and religious function.

The Iglesia de la Asunción dates from the 16th century. Its main altarpiece is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, while its side aisles feature Baroque sculpture. Another point of reference in time is the baptismal font in Hoznayo’s parish church: it is a fine Romanesque work from the 12th century. The dates place the church building and baptismal font in contrast, while the altarpiece and Baroque sculpture add specific artistic details.

The Portalada de Carasa-Arredondo dates from around 1680 and is distinguished by its architecture and heraldry. It is considered one of the most remarkable examples of stonemasonry in Entrambasaguas. Another heraldic reference can be found at the Casa y capilla de los Condes de Torrehermosa: the building displays a coat of arms on its exterior, recalling the founder’s arms. At the Portalada, architecture and stonemasonry accompany the heraldry, while the coat of arms on the Casa y capilla is associated with its founder.

Fuente del Francés and the Aguanaz

Fuente del Francés is a spring area of great scenic beauty and lush vegetation. It is located in Hoznayo on the old road to Villaverde de Pontones. The Aguanaz runs through the area, and the natural bridge at Fuente del Francés is located along the river. Both its position on the old road and its connection to the river’s course are specific landmarks in the area.

The Molino del Trancar mill was part of the Fuente del Francés complex; it was one of two mills in the complex. The history of the Balneario de la Fuente del Francés can also be placed in time: it began operating in the late 1870s. In 1891, four springs with a temperature of 23 °C were reported to be flowing there. The spring area and its landscape are thus accompanied by the recorded history of the spa and the mills.

San Lucas Fair and Tradition

The Ferias y Fiestas de San Lucas de Hoznayo have official Fiesta de Interés Turístico de Cantabria status. The designation was granted by an order published on 31 January 2025. This official status has a different time frame from the fair’s long history.

The San Lucas fair dates back to 1521; it was held under a privilege granted by the Junta de Ávila. The historic fair included a market for agricultural and craft products. A historical source places it by the palaces known as Oznayo, at a location called Término. Taken together, its origins, privilege, market tradition and recorded location provide several specific points of reference for distinguishing the history of the San Lucas fair from its current official tourism designation.

For the broader travel overview: Entrambasaguas.