Art and culture in Guara Somontano
Somontano, a land of passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, is home to great treasures in art and culture.
Megalithic monuments and rock art
The ancestral human presence is perceived in Guara in megalithic monuments such as the Dolmen of the Losa Mora in Rodellar and the remains of rock art. The surroundings of the Vero River, declared a World Heritage Site with more than 50 painted shelters, includes representations of all styles: Palaeolithic art (such as the cave of the Fuente del Trucho), Levantine art (such as the shelters of Mallata, Chimiachas or Arpan) and Schematic art whose manifestations are not limited to the Vero area but can be found throughout the territory. often in conjunction with paintings of other styles.
Roman footprint
The Roman footprint is palpable in the very name of Radiquero, Rad Icarium, place of roots or the references to Barbotum, an ancient Roman nucleus, which until recently was located in Barbastro, a theory currently questioned in favor of Monte Cillas. Other vestiges of the time are the Roman bridge of Estadilla, the Berbegal road and the remains of villas and mosaics that have been found and are still being investigated.
Romanesque
From the Romanesque period, most notable monuments include the church of San Fructuoso de Bierge with its splendid murals, Santa María la Blanca in Berbegal and Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Peralta de Alcofea.
Gothic
The Gothic is beautifully represented by the church of the Assumption in Castejón del Puente and the late Gothic style collegiate church of Santa María de Abiego.
Modern Era
And in the modern era the Torreciudad complex and the Monument to the 20th century by Abiego.
Barbastro Cathedral
A separate chapter for its beauty and majesty deserves the cathedral of Barbastro halfway between the Gothic and Renaissance with its vault that looks like a starry sky and its altarpiece of the main altar, one of whose authors is Damian Forment.
Town and Collegiate Church of Álquezar
Last but not least, we find Alquezar, declared one of the world's beautiful villages. Its imposing Collegiate Church on the edge of a breathtaking cliff was founded in the ninth century by the Arab leader Khalaf ibn Rasid ibn Asad to stop the advance of Christian troops. Later, after the conquest of the fortress by Sancho Ramírez, a Romanesque church was built, maintaining the towers and walls. At the foot of the Collegiate church there is the beautiful medieval town of Alquezar, with its characteristic crescent shape.
