Sigüenza!

[peregrina2000]

The current virtual Lana thread is still very far from Sigüenza, but I wanted to plant the seed in everyone’s mind that taking the Sigüenza alternative about a week after Cuenca is the best choice by far.

Cinco cosas que ver en Sigüenza, Guadalajara

Sigüenza es una de las localidades medievales mejor conservados de España y una de las ciudades con más historia del país. Su castillo del siglo XII y el...

www.20minutos.es

 

[C clearly]

taking the Sigüenza alternative

We'll discuss this later on that thread, but your post made me look at that part of the route on my spreadsheet, where I discovered an error that I'll have to correct on the version I posted. I'd probably choose to take the extra day with a stop in Siguenza, to avoid a 36 km day from Mandayona to Atienza. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[VNwalking]

I depend on the likes of you to keep me informed of such things, Laurie! I would never know about it otherwise. So thank you very much and I'm bookmarking your post.


Edit. Ignorance is not bliss.
Holey macaroni, this town and its cathedral look incredible:

Visit Sigüenza | TCLM

Visit Sigüenza. Descubre Sigüenza, un lugar mágico, una cultura milenaria, fruto de todos los habitantes y de su historia, unos paisajes todavía vírgenes, una comida ...

en.www.turismocastillalamancha.es

Chapel of the Doncel – Catedral de Sigüenza

catedralsiguenza.es

El Doncel de Sigüenza

“Aqui yaze Martín Vásquez de Arze / cavallero de la Orden de Sanctiago / que mataron los moros soco/riendo al muy illustre señor duque del Infantadgo su señor a / cierta gente de Jahén a la Acequia…

marcopolito56.wordpress.com

 

[SabsP]

Gorgeous town! Visited it on a regular holiday.

And when in Cuenca do visit the Casas Colgadas ( well you can't miss them ).

Casas Colgadas | Portal de Cultura de Castilla-La Mancha

cultura.castillalamancha.es

Also a very good museum on that site.Museum of Spanish abstract art.

Museo de arte abstracto Español en Cuenca • Fundación Juan March

El Museo de Arte Abstracto Español de Cuenca alberga y exhibe de forma permanente una colección de pinturas y esculturas de artistas españoles de la generación abstracta de los años 50 y 60

www.march.es

 

[AlanSykes]

I loved Sigüenza, a highly recommended place for a rest day. The sad serene beauty of the Doncel is one of the highlights of the Lana, of any camino. With several Romanesque churches, one dedicated to Santiago, a porticoed Plaza Mayor built by Cardinal Mendoza and handsome streets in a compact city centre, there's plenty to see in a day. And to eat: the local speciality of borrachitos seguntinos, sponge cake soaked in liqueur, is worth a try,

The castle dominates the town but was badly bashed about in 1936. Now a parador, it was used as his headquarters by General Leopold Hugo, father of Victor, during the War of Independence. There seems to be no evidence that Victor ever visited his father there, staying in the relative safety of Madrid. His father was made Conde de Sigüenza and Grande de España by Joseph Bonaparte. Although he sometimes called himself Comte Hugo, rather like Marius had cards made in the name of Baron Pontmercy, Victor never used the Sigüenza bit, and it doesn't appear in any of his works set in Spain. Leopold Hugo ended the war as governor of Madrid, commanding the rear guard as Joseph scarpered. He had orders to remove the contents of the Prado to France but, luckily, failed.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Hold your ensaladilla rusa!

Can't we do both on the virtual Camino? It would break my heart to abandon the historical route to the mists of oblivion...!

 

[rappahannock_rev]

Not to be confused with the very interesting city of Sanguesa, on the Camino Aragones.

 

[peregrina2000]

We'll discuss this later on that thread, but your post made me look at that part of the route on my spreadsheet, where I discovered an error that I'll have to correct on the version I posted. I'd probably choose to take the extra day with a stop in Siguenza, to avoid a 36 km day from Mandayona to Atienza. Thanks for the heads-up.

And the cathedral will give you the opportunity to test your architectural knowledge, since the article says it was started during the Romanesque period and ended with gothic touches.

 

[Sue127]

There certainly seems to be a lot to see there - sounds like a rest day coming up.

 

[stinmd]

... and a haunted castle to boot!