Candelario
The village of Candelario is stepped on the slope of the mountain of the same name, making for an inevitably complex street network, with the main streets running in the direction of the slope and the secondary streets and alleyways running perpendicular to them. This gives the village its unique feel and aesthetic; consequently, strolling through its urban centre is tiring, but always relaxing and pleasant.
This special aesthetic and the fact of being one of the best preserved centres in the province earned the village the title of Historic-Artistic Site in 1975. Its narrow and cobbled streets are crossed by the village's well-known irrigation system, comprising channels of crystalline water collected from the snows of its mountain range. The alleyways twist and turn, presenting endless delights for the visitor who explores them.
Practical information
923 41 30 11
[email protected]
http://www.candelario.es
Audio guíaAudio guide
“I trace these lines , reader, with ease and comfort, in a place of my Castille bordering Extremadura, one of those destinations to go to, stay and return to, not to go, pass by and continue. In one of those places that are like backwaters of space, time and thought, that invite us to see more than to speak.
Allow me, friends, to borrow these line written by one of our greatest intellectuals by way of a greeting: Miguel de Unamuno, who Candelario and its people very well. To present my village to you, how better to describe it than, as Don Miguel said, that it is somewhere you come to and end up wanting to stay?
You may be thinking, and quite rightly, that it is normal for us to consider what is our own as what is most beautiful. I confess that my words are nuanced by my affection, which colours everything, making even the vulgar seem more attractive. But perhaps for this very reason, I invite you to take pleasure in my village and its people, and for each of you to decide for yourself.
People call us 'Coritos,' which, depending on how you look at it, can mean various things. One of them, from none other than the Royal Academy of Language, means naked, uncovered. And, when you think about, perhaps this qualifier does suit this town and its people rather well.
You will see its soul, without dissimulation or concealment, because we pride ourselves on showing what we are with frankness and without hidden agendas.
You will find our gaze, without shadows, ghosts or veils that hide what nests in our heart.
You will admire the whole of nature, open as a channel to you in all its splendour for whoever wants to become one with it, as we ourselves are, and we carry it deep within us.
Naked and clean is the water, saint and sign of our very essence, always alive in its eternal flow, the most genuine and beautiful metaphor of life.
You learn to live by living, as I was taught by the same teacher from whom I borrowed the first words of this invitation that I extend to you. Come, from wherever you hear this invitation, to enjoy this haven of space, time and thought that nestles in this corner of our land, to make it yours. Come, my friend, and live with us. To be a 'corito' yourself. Nothing less!”
