Navas Del Madroño: Chimneys, History and Traditions

Navas Del Madroño reveals different sides of a travel destination: distinctive chimneys, the history of the Misiones Pedagógicas, sacred art, landscapes and festivals throughout the year. Visitors can use these themes to guide their choice of destination and decide whether architecture, cultural history, nature or a particular event date should be the focus.

Chimneys and architectural history

Navas Del Madroño is known as the “Pueblo de las Chimeneas” (“Village of Chimneys”) for the characteristic chimneys of its vernacular architecture. The chimneys give the town its own architectural identity; the nickname refers directly to this feature. For another perspective on local architecture, visit the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la O, which was rebuilt between 1737 and 1740 by Alonso González and Teodosio Magallanes.

The church has a Baroque high altar carved by Juan Grande de Vegas in 1754. He came from Garrovillas. Another distinctive feature is the image of Nuestra Señora de la O: it is one of the few Marian images to depict the Virgin pregnant, with the child visible in her womb. The building’s history, the altar and the image’s subject offer three different ways to explore the town’s sacred art.

The Ermita de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is also part of the local architectural history. It is about seven kilometres from the town centre, in the Sierra de Santo Domingo. The 16th-century building is made of masonry and rubble stone.

Local history and traces of the past

The Centro de Interpretación Escuelas Viajeras presents the local history of Navas Del Madroño, as well as the cultural, educational and historical story of the Misiones Pedagógicas of the Second Spanish Republic, which operated as Escuelas Viajeras from 1931 to 1936. The exhibition traces a historical path from the Second Republic through the dictatorship to the disappearance of this educational and cultural project. It therefore focuses both on local history and on the development and eventual end of the Misiones Pedagógicas.

Another historical point of interest is El Barrial, a landscape area close to Navas Del Madroño. Archaeological remains dating from the Neolithic to the Early Middle Ages have been found there. El Barrial is 518 metres above sea level. The wide timespan represented by these finds sets this landscape apart from the town’s buildings and works of art: here, the focus is on traces of earlier periods rather than a single structure.

Another prominent building in the town is the 17th-century Casa Consistorial, or town hall. Its broad portico has eight semicircular granite arches. The Fuente de la Nacivera is one of the town’s most popular fountains and is connected with its history. It consists of a spout and a granite basin; from there, the water flows to the washhouse. The town hall and the fountain illustrate two different aspects of local architectural history: a public portico and a fountain associated with a washhouse.

Landscape and nature

Because of its difficult access, the Rivera de Araya is a refuge for endangered species such as the black stork. The Embalse de Vegas Altas offers a different focus: it is a wetland designated as a ZEPA (Special Protection Area for Birds), where aquatic fauna of international importance is concentrated according to the Ramsar criteria. These two descriptions highlight different aspects of nature—the refuge for endangered species and the importance of a wetland for aquatic fauna.

Festivals, seasons and local cuisine

Las Candelas on 2 February combines religious observances with traditional dances. These include “El Cordón,” in which the dancers wear traditional dress. On Easter Sunday, the Romería de Santo Domingo de Guzmán procession goes to the hermitage; a traditional horse race also takes place on the town’s streets. The two dates have different emphases: Las Candelas focuses on religious customs and dance, while the Romería centres on the pilgrimage and horse race.

The Feria Agroalimentaria de la Morcilla Ventera takes place around the first half of May. The programme includes tastings, live cooking and sampling centred on Morcilla Ventera, considered a standout product of Navas Del Madroño’s cuisine. The Jornadas de la Trashumancia takes place in early October and includes gastronomic activities, as well as events, routes and workshops related to pastoral farming.

The town’s culinary and cultural offerings can therefore appeal to different travel interests: Morcilla Ventera is at the heart of local cuisine and the fair, while the Jornadas puts pastoral farming in the spotlight. Together with the historic buildings, the interpretation centre and the landscape, these provide a choice of clearly distinct themes to guide your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Palomero, Collado, Navaconcejo, Torreorgaz, Madrigalejo, Pescueza, Zarza de Montánchez, Valverde De La Vera.

For the main travel overview: Cáceres.