Fregenal de la Sierra, from the Templar castle to the Iberian ham of Extremadura

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White village of Fregenal de la Sierra south of Badajoz

Two may be the highlights of the southwest area of ​​the province of Badajoz, the beautiful landscapes of the Extremadura pasture and of course the Iberian ham gastronomy.

But for these lands of southern Extremadura there are also towns that preserve important vestiges of history.

One of them is Fregenal de la Sierra, which I had the opportunity to visit recently, and where I discovered one of the most curious castles I've seen before.

Church of Santa María on the wall of the castle of Fregenal

Fregenal It is included in the Route of the White Villages of Extremadura, and also in theRoute of the Iberian Ham Dehesa de Extremadura, logical in these lands that mostly live off the Iberian pig breeding.

What to see and do in Fregenal de la Sierra

Below I detail what are the most interesting places to see in Fregenal de la Sierra, as well as what can you do during your visit

Templar Castle of Fregenal

I place you: you are in the main town square, which is not called a square but Constitution walk, and the main building, with a huge white facade, is actually the exterior of the castle.

Bullring inside the Templar castle of Fregenal

It's about the church of Santa Maria, which shares a wall with a castle that you recognize on the outside only when you see one of the towers, especially that of the Tribute.

But in reality you are facing a fortification that goes back to the time of the Reconquestwhen the king Alfonso X he granted it legally to the Temple Order in 1283.

Soon, around 1308, he was recovered by the king who handed it over to the Order of Malta.

And after a time of abandonment initiated from the sixteenth century, comes its curious remodeling at the end of the eighteenth century.

It was in 1781 when in the interior space of the outside Templar castle of Fregenal it was built ... a bullring, which you can now see, and in which bullfighting shows continue.

In 1914, in another space that was free inside the fortification, the market known as Supply Square, for which part of a wall was demolished, and in which every Tuesday and Friday morning the commercial activity takes place.

Mudejar interior courtyard in a house of Fregenal in Badajoz

Palatial houses in Fregenal

On your walk through this beautiful white town of Fregenal, which with the north of the province of Huelva, you will find numerous other vestiges of its history, and the splendor that it reached during the 16th century.

It is severalmanor houses which, together with churches and convents, were built at that time.

In fact, in the Fregenal de la Sierra tourist office they give you a brochure with a Route of the manor houses, which are concentrated in the northwestern part of the town.

So, you can see the Palace of the Marquise de Ferrara, which inside had its own mill.

Or the family house Sánchez Arjona, historically one of the most prosperous of the town, from the 18th century.

Fountain of La Fontanilla in Fregenal de la Sierra in Badajoz

And the facade of the House of the Marquis of Riocabado, from the 17th century, with its amazing balcony running 30 meters in length.

Another prominent spot in Fregenal de la Sierra it is the source known as La Fontanilla, from the 16th century, with its royal shield in the center.

Church of Santa Ana in Fregenal

From an artistic point of view, I advise you to enter inside the church of Santa Ana, where you will see its imposing 16th century main altarpiece.

To the right of the altarpiece is the Chapel of Bravo Murillo, where said 16th-century politician is buried, one of the illustrious characters born in Fregenal.

In this regard you may not know that in Fregenal the first remote phone call in Spain.

Altarpiece of the church of Santa Ana in Fregenal in Badajoz

It was Rodrigo Sánchez Arjona who in 1880, after installing a cable to use the new invention, phoned from Fregenal to Seville, and later, to Cádiz.

Convent of San Francisco in Fregenal

During your walk you should also approach the building of the San Francisco convent, from 1563, recently restored, and which houses various cultural entities.

Also highlight in Fregenal its typical Dance Party, which every September 8 is celebrated on the occasion of the Virgin of Health, and from which I had the opportunity to see a sample.

What to eat in Fregenal de la Sierra

Finally, from the gastronomic point of view, I am going to give you the advice that in your visit do not stop tasting in the Nito Bar, Next to the tourist office, the typical local cuisine based on pork products.

Iberian ham from the Dehesa de Extremadura in Fregenal

In addition to the Iberian ham option, order your most popular dish, thecamper (only 7 euros).

And if you're passionate about cheese, don't forget to try the guy sweaty, for my taste, a delight with a very special flavor.

Pictures of Fregenal de la Sierra

Here you have more Photos of Fregenal de la Sierra, in Badajoz, with images of its corners and monuments.






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Video: FREGENAL DE LA SIERRA BADAJOZ (March 2024).