Paterna del Campo: History, Nature and Routes in the Condado

In Paterna del Campo, the Iglesia de San Bartolomé was built on the site of an earlier mosque after the conquest of Paterna by Alfonso X. Its Puerta del Perdón preserves visible Mudéjar brickwork and features pointed arches. In the Colina Verde district, a reconstructed Roman aqueduct carried water from the Fuente del Alpízar to Itálica.

Other destinations: Veredas, Almonaster La Real, Calañas, Fuenteheridos, Minas De Riotinto, Almonte, La Nava and Campofrío.

Culture and History

The Fuente de los Frailes near Tejada la Nueva includes the remains of Roman baths connected to a spring of the same name. The Ermita de San Isidro dates from 1955 and is considered an example of the region’s vernacular religious architecture; a popular Romería takes place in its surroundings in May.

The Castillo del Alpízar is an ancient fortress with an 11th-century Almohad portal, a square floor plan, a central parade ground and four towers. It is not possible to visit the interior; only the exterior can be viewed.

La Fontanilla is an artificial spring dating from the 11th century in the Almohad style and can be visited freely; visits during daylight hours are recommended. It includes an irrigation system of Persian origin called a qanát, which channels water from an underground well.

Holy Week in Paterna del Campo is considered one of the oldest and most established celebrations in the Condado. The Capilla de la Santísima Vera Cruz de Abajo dates from 1980, while its façade is decorated with intricate tiles. The Santísima Cruz de Abajo inside is made of cedarwood, gilded with fine gold and polychromed; the sculptor José Oliva Castilla created it in 1956.

The habitat of the caves and rock shelters of Las Lapas de San Salvador dates back to prehistoric times. The old lime kilns in the Sierra de Paterna del Campo are associated with the production of quicklime and mortar, which formed part of a thousand-year-old craft tradition spread throughout the Mediterranean region.

Festivals and Religious Traditions

The Romería de San Isidro Labrador takes place in the Aldea de Tujena on the Sunday closest to 15 May. During the Romería del Rocío, the brotherhood from Paterna sets out on the Thursday before Whit Monday and spends the night in El Cortijillo.

During the Corpus Christi celebration in Paterna, an 18th-century silver monstrance is carried in the procession. The Festividad del Carmen is celebrated on 16 July; its procession dates back to the presence of the Carmelites in Paterna in the 18th century. Handmade paper flowers are used during the Santa Cruz de la Victoria celebration, made throughout the year by older local women.

Nature

The Paraje de El Chorrito wetland is characterised by freshwater springs, dense vegetation and striking scenic beauty. It is crossed by the Río Corumbel and features small caves due to the local geology.

The Acebuchal del Alpízar area is largely specially protected and is dominated by a well-preserved wild olive forest. Among other species, Egyptian mongooses, polecats, wildcats, kestrels, goshawks and short-toed snake eagles can be observed there.

Las Lapas de San Salvador are caves and rock shelters in an approximately 180-metre-high cliff formed by erosion on the left bank of the Río Corumbel.

Routes and Active Exploration

In the area of the Arroyo de Tejada and the Río Corumbel, there are routes that can be travelled on foot, by bicycle, on horseback or in off-road vehicles. The Ruta BTT Gran Premio Villa de Paterna starts on Calle Ramón Carande and is 88.8 km long.

The Ruta Paterna del Campo a Berrocal is 32 km long and leads from Paterna towards Berrocal. It runs from the Condado into the thousand-year-old history of the mountains of the mining basin, which belong to the protected landscape area of the Río Tinto.

The route through the La Pata del Caballo woodland begins in the Campiña de Tejada near Paterna. It passes through olive groves and along forest tracks to viewpoints near the Casa de los Carneros and the Torre del Cejo.

The hiking route from the Aldea de Tujena to the old lime kilns begins in Tujena and leads to historic lime kilns in the surrounding Serranía. This route requires the accompaniment of someone familiar with the local area.

The Vía Verde río Tinto runs along the disused former railway line between Huelva and the mines of Río Tinto. The Ruta Algarviana runs from east to west through Paterna del Campo and forms part of a route that includes Seville and Huelva, among other places.

The BTT event Ruta BTT Gran Premio Villa de Paterna takes place in October. An approximately 11 km-long hiking route between Villalba del Alcor and Paterna del Campo combines nature and historic heritage.

To the main travel overview: Huelva.