El Club · Berlanga de Duero

The Escalote River Canyon is a natural site in Berlanga de Duero, in the province of Soria, where the river fits into a narrow valley of limestone rock and models a landscape of strong geological interest. It is a narrow stretch of river, with slopes and cliffs that explain the shape of a sickle or canyon that gives its name to the resource, in an environment linked to the upper and middle course of the Escalote in Soria. The most striking thing for the visitor is the combination of rocky relief, riparian vegetation and the flow of water in a very secluded space, which offers a different image from the open countryside around Berlanga. The place is of interest both for its scenic value and for the contrast between the limestone, the riverbed and the presence of the gallery forest, especially noticeable on foot and at the viewpoints or accesses near the section of the canyon. Its relevance is associated with the protection and enhancement of one of the most recognizable natural landscapes of the municipality. In addition, the Escalote river is a tributary of the Duero and flows through the province of Soria, so this canyon is part of the natural fluvial heritage of the region and of the landscape identity of Berlanga de Duero. In local informative sources it also appears as an outstanding resource within the natural canyons of Soria.

The Castle of Berlanga de Duero is a stately fortress located in Berlanga de Duero, in the province of Soria, on a hill overlooking the town and its surroundings. It is a defensive complex of great heritage value, identified as a castle and fortress, linked to the medieval history of the town and its strategic role in the defense of the Duero Valley. Official sources place its origin in a Muslim fortification of the tenth century, today without preserved remains, and point to the existence of walls possibly from the twelfth century. The current enclosure is organized in two parts: an inner core of the fifteenth century promoted by the Tovar family, and an outer enclosure of the sixteenth century, and artillery character, with thick walls and cylindrical towers. The typology and chronology show an evolution from medieval military architecture to Renaissance defense solutions. Among its most outstanding elements is the Torre del Homenaje of the interior enclosure, the main piece of the stately castle, as well as the trapezoidal layout of the exterior complex adapted to the terrain. There are also preserved wall and cubes that reinforce the defensive reading of the monument. The complex was part of the historical system of protection of Berlanga de Duero and was linked to the stately power of the Tovar family.

The Interpretation Center of San Baudelio is an interpretation museum dedicated to explaining the Mozarabic hermitage of San Baudelio de Casillas de Berlanga, one of the references of medieval Romanesque architecture in the region. It is located in Berlanga de Duero (Soria), in the old municipal slaughterhouse rehabilitated as an exhibition space, according to regional and municipal tourist information. Its content is focused on offering visitors a didactic reading of the original monument, with explanatory panels, audiovisual and model, as well as resources on the history, architecture and paintings of the chapel. The musealization allows to understand the artistic and religious context of San Baudelio before going to the temple, which is the real heritage landmark to which it serves as a prelude. The hermitage that inspires the center was built around the 11th century, and is considered a key work of Mozarabic art with the presence of early Romanesque elements. The center, therefore, is not a medieval monument in itself, but a contemporary cultural facility designed to interpret this historical heritage and its environment in the Land of Berlanga. Due to its location in Berlanga de Duero, the resource is integrated into the heritage circuit of the town, near the castle and the palace of the Marquises of Berlanga, and fulfills a complementary function of information and cultural mediation for the visit to San Baudelio and the medieval heritage of the municipality.

The Collegiate Church of Santa María del Mercado is a collegiate church in Berlanga de Duero, in the province of Soria, located in the historic center of the town, in the area of the Plaza de San Andrés. It is one of the main heritage monuments of the municipality and has been declared a Historic-Artistic Monument since 1931, with the equivalent protection of a Property of Cultural Interest. Its construction corresponds to the sixteenth century, between 1526 and 1530, and responds to a time of religious reorganization of the town, when several medieval parishes were unified into a single collegiate church. The work is attributed to the master stonemason Juan de Rasines and is part of a transitional aesthetic between the late Gothic and Renaissance, with Gothic-Renaissance or late Gothic features. Architecturally it stands out for its large scale and the typology of a hall church, with three naves of great height and transept, supported by cylindrical columns. The spaciousness and luminosity of the interior are one of its best known features, along with the richness of its vaults and side chapels. In its interior the High Altar stands out, presided by the late Romanesque carving of Our Lady of the Market, dated in the 12th century. Also mentioned as singular elements are some altarpieces and noble tombs, especially those linked to the side chapels, which reflect the religious and stately importance of the collegiate church in the history of Berlanga de Duero.