Discover Olvega: Romanesque Heritage and Routes

Olvega brings together Romanesque architecture, traces of its mining history and two distinct types of routes. The municipal tourist information office is located in the Centro Social, Calle Doctor Salcedo 36, and provides information for visitors to the town.

Churches and Historic Buildings

The oldest surviving parts of the Iglesia Parroquial Santa María La Mayor—the section of the sacristy and the tower—both date from the late 15th century. The tower’s battlements give it the appearance of a fortress. The altarpiece is considered one of the finest examples of Sorian Romanesque art. The Ermita de los Mártires is the oldest religious building in the town centre and a late Romanesque structure dating from the 13th century.

The Ermita de la Virgen de Olmacedo also dates from the first half of the 13th century; it is the last Romanesque hermitage built in the province of Soria. The Ermita de San Marcos was built in the 12th century as the church or parish church of the vanished settlement of San Juan de Campiserrado. The portal of the Ermita de San Bartolomé also dates from the 12th century. The Casa de los Pereda features a Castilian-style portal, a coat of arms, balconies and a projecting roof. The house is also known as the Casa de los Zaranda and is the birthplace of Carmen Hernández.

Walking and Driving Routes

The Camino Verde starts and ends in Olvega and is about 6.3 kilometres long. It can be used on foot, on horseback and by bicycle; in some sections, it follows the former mining railway, the vía vieja. The Ermita de la Virgen de Olmacedo is two kilometres from Olvega and can be reached on foot via the improved Camino Verde.

Another option is the Ruta Olvega Románica: this moderately difficult driving route, about 12.8 kilometres long, passes five hermitages of Romanesque origin in Olvega. The two routes therefore differ both in mode of travel and in length. The Camino Verde is designated for walkers, horse riders and cyclists; the Ruta Olvega Románica is described as a driving route. This lets you choose the option that suits your planned stay, without assuming a walking or driving time.

Mountain Scenery and Mining History

Olvega lies at the foot of Moncayo, at 2,316 metres the highest mountain in the Iberian System and the province of Soria, and alongside the Sierra del Madero. In the wider region, the Sierra del Moncayo is designated both as an SCI (Site of Community Importance) and as a SPA (Special Protection Area) in the Natura 2000 network.

Mina Petra is a former open-pit mine on the slope of the Sierra del Madero. After it flooded, a lake formed there; its turquoise colour is attributed to the minerals it contains. The area’s former mining activity is also reflected in several other places: the Molino de Almagre is a park named after a mill built there in 1700. Ore from Mina Petra was ground at the mill, and its large millstone has been preserved.

Museum and Traditions

The Museo Antropológico de José Escribano has a collection of more than 7,000 items and showcases 37 traditional occupations. It complements the buildings and traces of mining history with insights into the collection and working life. For a culturally focused stay, you can choose between architecture, local history and the subject of traditional occupations.

Recurring festive traditions include the symbolic burning of a castle, through which Olvega remembers each year the history associated with the Ermita de los Mártires. It takes place on the Saturday closest to 14 March. During the May festival in honour of the Virgen de Olmacedo, the image of the Virgin is brought to Olvega in a procession and returned to the hermitage after the celebrations. The Romería de San Marcos takes place on the Sunday closest to 25 April. Visitors can try Culeca at this celebration, a bread pastry filled with chorizo and egg.

Discover more destinations: Carbonera De Frentes, Cubilla, Santa María De Las Hoyas, Villar Del Río, Los Villares De Soria, Serón de Nágima, Espejón, El Espino

For the regional travel overview: Soria.