Chañe: Traditions, Churches and Pine Forests

Chañe can be discovered through its traditional customs, archaeological remains and the pine forests of Tierra de Pinares. If you are looking for a hotel in Chañe, you can plan your trip around the topics that interest you most: traditional resin crafts, church architecture, local festivals or nature.

Pegueras and the former resin craft

Pegueras are among Chañe’s characteristic structures. These circular or slightly oval constructions are made of firebricks, have false domes and are coated with clay on the outside. Resin from the remains of resin extraction was burned inside them together with pine needle litter and sand. This produced pez, which was used, among other things, to seal wine barrels.

Every year, usually at Easter, the Ayuntamiento de Chañe stages the lighting of a peguera to explain this former craft for educational purposes. The date may vary. In this way, the structure, the production process and a recurring demonstration are linked: the pegueras are not only a feature of local history, but also illustrate how materials were used in resin processing.

Festivals and recurring customs

The festivities in honor of San Roque last four or five days and include the Campeonato de Motocross Nocturno each year. They begin with a speech and a firecracker on the night before the 15th; the specific festival dates may vary. If your trip depends on these celebrations, check the dates in advance.

Easter also has its own customs. During Rodar el Huevo y la Rosquilla, children roll a traditional rosquilla de palo on Easter Monday and a decorated hard-boiled egg on Easter Tuesday. The two days are part of the same tradition, but each centers on a different object.

La Minerva is a very old procession held inside the church. It takes place on the third Sunday of every month from September to June. In Chañe, Corpus Christi is celebrated on Thursday and the following Sunday. Religious customs therefore fall on recurring monthly and festival dates.

For El Mayo, local residents who have turned eighteen erect a tall pine tree in a prominent location in Chañe on the night between April 30 and May 1. As part of the San Juan tradition, residents gather “las flores de San Juan” in the pine forest on the afternoon before the festival and make crosses from them. Both customs involve pines from the surrounding area, but have their own dates and practices.

Archaeological remains and buildings

Chañe is designated a “Municipio de protección arqueológica” and has 22 recorded archaeological sites. The remains span the Lower Paleolithic and the Megalithic period, the Bronze Age, and Celtic, Celtiberian, Roman and Visigothic times. The long succession of different periods makes the area’s archaeological history a distinct focus alongside its living traditions.

The parish church of San Benito Abad has three naves, separated by simple and compound columns. A dome on pendentives rises above the crossing; the church also has a high choir and a portico. The main altarpiece dates from the 18th century. For those interested in architecture, this offers several distinct features, from the layout of the church interior to the age of the altarpiece.

The Ermita del Santo Cristo de la Agonía houses a life-size crucified Christ. The chapel has two identical doors arranged symmetrically on the main façade. Built of stone, the Ermita de San Antonio is about 500 meters from Chañe, on the Cañada Arrieros.

Pine forest and visitor information

Chañe is part of the Tierra de Pinares natural region. Stone pines and maritime pines form a belt of woodland around the municipality, home to numerous birds and other animals. Various types of mushrooms also grow in the pine forests, including níscalos. Searching for them in autumn involves long walks; rules on gathering them may vary.

The La Pesquera waterfall is located near Chañe, on the Río Cega. Chañe’s tourism office provides visitors with information about the municipality and tourist brochures. Transport options listed for Chañe include an on-demand bus service and a discretionary transport service at Calle Real 11. Check the availability of the services you need before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Valle De Tabladillo, Castillejo De Mesleón, Tanarro, Zarzuela del Pinar, Torre Val De San Pedro, Valseca, Tolocirio, Mata de Quintanar.

Go to the main travel overview: Segovia.