The Church del Santo Sepulcro of Torres del Rio !!!

Posted in Europe, Spain

I like to tell you again about my road warrior trails in my dear Spain. Again, found me some older paper pictures of litle of the beaten path Torres del Rio in Navarra, glad I did find it and will need to show it to the world, I like to do justice to the place and give you an introduction, Therefore, here is my take on the Church del Santo Sepulcro of Torres del Rio !!!  Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The village of Torres del Río is located in the Navarra Comunidad Floral region, in the Merindad de Estella, in the western part of Estella and 70 km from Pamplona ,26 km from Logroño and 146 km from San Sebastian, Torres del Río is located halfway between the towns of Los Arcos and Viana, on the edge of the old pilgrimage route to Santiago, dominating a stop next to the Sansol hill. In 1172 Pope Alejandro III welcomed the monastery of Santa María la Real de Irache and his former abbot Viviano under his protection and confirms the possessions of said monastery, including Torres with all its belongings. Due to the arbitration judgment of Louis XI of France, in the disputes between Enrique IV of Castilla and Juan II of Aragon, the town was annexed to Castile from 1463 to 1753. However, it continued to be governed by the Navarrese fueros and economically continued belonging to Navarra, although it became a Castilian town for almost three centuries. Until the reform of the municipal nomenclature of 1916 the village was simply called Torres. On that date its name was modified to Torres del Río.

The Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro or Church of the Holy Sepulcher is located on the edge of the Camino de Santiago. Halfway on the road that joins Estella with the city of Logroño on the N-11 road, It has an octagonal layout crowned inside with a cross dome that is part of one of the most unique architectural characteristics of this church ; it is not large, but represents a clear example of the Romanesque Navarro style of the 12C. The church is of Templar origin, built between 1160-1170 ;it is known that there was a monastery dependent on Irache in Torres del Río, but a monastic origin of the church cannot be established with certainty. It is currently thought that it could be a construction of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher and that its peculiar architecture evokes the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. It seems quite accepted that the use of this church was mainly funeral. Its upper lantern has been associated with a “lighthouse of the dead.”

Torres del Rio ch Santo Sepulcro front c2009

The main body is that of an octagonal prism divided into into three floors. The first is smooth except in the door segment. The second level has pointed discharge arches and shelters two windows flanking the head. The upper body is the most beautiful, with archivol windows on columns that surround small lattices whose function is to illuminate the interior. This octagonal prism is reinforced and embellished by columns in the vertices that reach its eaves. The entrance door is in the southern panel. The upper turret that reproduces, in small and simplified, the volumes and shapes of the lower body. On the sides corresponding to the cardinal points, a window opens. It also has columns in the edges. The function of this turret or flashlight seems to be double. A fire was kept inside that allowed to be sighted from long distances by the pilgrims. On the other hand, this flame had the symbolic value of purifying fire that evokes the aspiration to resurrection. Such was the function of the so -called lanterns that abounded in medieval European cemeteries ,especially in France. You can see the modillions and the historiated capitals (among which Distenoures, the monsters, etc), Known being “the holy Christ of the knights of the Sepulcre”

The Navarra tourist office on the Church del Santo Sepulcro : https://visitnavarra.info/visitnavarra/en/iglesia-del-santo-sepulcro-de-torres-del-rio/

The town of Torres del Rio on its heritage : https://torresdelrio.es/patrimonio-artistico/

The Estrella-Lizarra tourist office on the church : https://www.estellaturismo.com/en/what-to-see-in-estella/iglesia-del-santo-sepulcro-de-estella-lizarra.php

There you go folks, another wonderful spot in my road warrior trails of my dear Spain, This is architecture, history and a lot more ;the litle gem of Sorlada, worth the detour , me think, Again, hope you enjoy this unique post on the Church del Santo Sepulcro of Torres del Rio !!! as I

And remember, happy travels , good health and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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