Vegaquemada: Church and Río Porma

Vegaquemada offers several points of interest to help you plan your trip: its architectural history, celebrations on 15 August and the Río Porma, with a route that crosses the river several times. The Casa de Juntas and historic features in the village of La Mata de la Riba are also among the municipality’s highlights. When choosing a hotel, you might consider whether to plan your stay around the celebrations, architectural history or river landscape.

The church and traces of history

The present-day Church of Our Lady of the Assumption was built between 1952 and 1954. It stands on the same site as an 11th-century Romanesque church, which was demolished in 1952. To understand the chronology, it is worth distinguishing the building from its furnishings: the present structure dates from the mid-20th century, while the sculptures kept inside are from earlier centuries. A sculpture of the patron saint dates from the 16th century, and one of Christ on the cross from the 18th century. The church is known as the “Cathedral of the Porma” and has stained-glass windows by L. García Zurdo.

The Casa de Juntas, also known as the Merindad, also dates from the 16th century. It offers another historic building to complement the area’s religious architecture. It was built in the same century as the sculpture of the patron saint, while the present-day church was constructed much later.

Patron saint celebrations on 15 August

The celebrations in honour of Our Lady of the Assumption traditionally take place on 15 August. After Mass, a vermouth dance is held at the Polideportivo during the celebrations. On the last weekend, the Junta Vecinal invites the village to a lamb roast. So, as well as the fixed feast day, there is another point of reference at the end of the celebrations. If you plan to time your trip to coincide with the festivities, check the dates in that year’s event programme in advance.

The Río Porma and getting around the municipality

The municipality of Vegaquemada lies along the middle reaches of the Río Porma, downstream from Boñar. The municipality can be reached via the C-626 cross-route from La Robla through Boñar to Cistierna, as well as via the P-1, which runs lengthwise. It follows the Río Porma from Puente Villarente to San Isidro. The two roads offer different geographical reference points: the C-626 is the cross-route, while the P-1 follows the river.

The Vegaquemada / Candanedo / Vegaquemada route starts and ends in Vegaquemada. It crosses the Río Porma several times via two wooden footbridges and a small wooden pontoon. The river crossings are therefore a specific part of the route. Peña Tobal is a modest-height tuff hill that has symbolic ties to the village.

Further historic features in La Mata de la Riba

In the village of La Mata de la Riba, a Romanesque apse has been incorporated into the present-day church. The church dates from the 17th century and is dedicated to Saints Justus and Pastor. The village’s ethnographic features also include a horse-shoeing stand and three former water supply outlets. The apse connects an older structure with the later church, while the horse-shoeing stand and water supply outlets offer other points of historical interest in the village.

The Vegaquemada fishing reserve

The Vegaquemada fishing reserve is a 7.41-kilometre stretch of the Río Porma. Its upper boundary is at the Puente de La Mata de la Riba, and its lower boundary is at the Presa de la Central de Lugán. If fishing is part of your stay, please check the applicable regulations before fishing.

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Go to the main travel overview: León.