Architecture The most beautiful building in the world is... english
Madrid A perfect day in the mountains: haute cuisine between bunkers and caves
Born in the 13th century to serve the nearby
Monastery of Santa María la Real
, today the town of San Martín de Valdeiglesias is a prosperous town with around
8,000 inhabitants
located at the western end of the Community of Madrid, where it borders on the Castilian provinces of
Ávila and Toledo
.
For its part, the aforementioned monastery located next to the nearby and well-known San Juan reservoir, is undergoing a slow and laborious restoration after decades submerged in abandonment and ruin.
The Coracera castle is the emblem of this town.
Well visible from afar, its robust façade rises above the farmhouse.
It was built in the 15th century by Don
Álvaro de Luna,
trusted by King Juan II, father of Enrique IV and his sister, the all-powerful Isabel la Católica.
Not surprisingly, the building functioned as the monarch's chamber during her proclamation as Queen of Castile in the nearby
town of El Tiemblo in Avila
.
It is also said that it was decided to build the castle in the year 1434, since that was the date on which the
constable of Castilla
bought the town and manor of San Martín de Valdeiglesias for 30,000 maravedíes from the monks of the monastery, owners of most of the land in the area during that time.
Coracera castle facade.
In fact, when Álvaro de Luna was executed in Valladolid, the monument passed into the hands of a chronicler of the
Catholic Monarchs,
Gonzalo Chacón, after which its use and enjoyment fell to the ducal house of the Infantado and, over time, to different owners.
It was not until 2003 that the San Martín de Valdeiglesias City Council took charge of it, the entity responsible for 50% of the property together with the lawyer José Fernando Cornejo Pablos, owner of the other half.
Together, they constituted the
Castillo de la Coracera Foundation,
which holds its ownership.
Today, the castle is an unavoidable visit in the town due to its rich history and its privileged location,
in the heart of the town.
In fact, it is also known as the castle of Valdeiglesias as well as by its own name, Coracera.
We must not forget that it was even the headquarters of Napoleon's French troops during the
War of Independence
.
And that in the 20th century the corpse of one of the many owners that it had then appeared in one of the rooms.
Since then, there are those who affirm that his
ghost
of him wanders through them.
Figures of the Enchanted Forest.
Close to the castle is
the Enchanted Forest,
another of the essentials of the Madrid town.
It is a well-kept botanical garden that integrates more than
500 plant species
.
More than this, it stands out because more than three hundred sculptures have been created inside it from plants.
All this makes it one of the most spectacular European examples of the so-called
topiary art
, which defines the creation of sculptures from living plants.
In this Enchanted Forest, children and adults will live a few
hours of fantasy
walking among an unthinkable multitude of animals, musicians and dancers, elves,
fairies and dragons, kings, dinosaurs,
ships, trains, stagecoaches, motorbikes and other original plant creatures.
Facade of the town hall.
Bordering the San Juan reservoir, at other times of the year it would be obligatory to go to the so-called Madrid beach to take a bath and sunbathe on the shores of this enclave
in the Sierra Oeste
of the community.
Even so, there is always some adventurer who does not hesitate to enter its waters in the middle of winter months to
practice kayaking,
wakeboarding
(a kind of
snowboarding
in the water attached to a motor boat) or
paddle-surfing,
some of the water activities most frequented in these parts.
You can also sail, paraglide or mark a hiking route in its surroundings.
On the other hand, now in San Martín de Valdeiglesias it is time for wine tourism.
Not surprisingly, the town is
the capital of a region that produces wines
with denomination of origin.
So it will always be a good idea to treat yourself to a gastronomic tribute watered by the wines of the region.
Without forgetting a bunch of destinations located in the surroundings and perfect to complete the getaway: the betón de los
Toros de Guisando
sculptural complex , in the municipality of
El Tiemblo, already in Ávila,
as we mentioned before, and the chestnut groves of this same town , as well as Casillas and Rozas from Puerto Real.
Wakeboarding session in the San Juan reservoir.
RECOMMENDATIONS
TO GET. A natural enclave on the route of the marshes
From the center of Madrid, the best alternative to reach this municipality in the Sierra Oeste is by taking the M-501 via the so-called swamp route.
GASTRO. Culinary tribute with local products
Anyone who wants to enjoy a good lunch or dinner with local products can do so at the 7 Capillas restaurant.
TO SLEEP. One night in an old family farm
A good place to stay is the Hacienda de Coracera, a unique restored building with more than 250 years of history behind it.
INFORMATION. Proposals to enjoy the town
The San Martín de Valdeiglesias Town Hall Tourist Office, located in the castle, offers a thousand options to enjoy the town.
You can follow
El Mundo Viajes
on
,
and
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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