The little town of Calatañazor in Soria, Spain

Calatañazor is a tiny little village in the Soria region in Spain that has remained frozen in the Middle Age. While the settlement has most likely a Celtiberian and Roman origin, it gained recognition during the Arabian reign of the caliphate of Córdoba in the region. The Arabic origin of the name, Qal’at an-Nusur, in a similar way to Calatayud (see here), means Citadel of Vultures, and the name cannot be more fitting, since it is common to see these animals flying close to the roofs of the town-on-a-crag and the sound of their flapping echoes through the streets. The stone houses with Sabina (Spanish juniper) framework, the cobblestone streets and the Mozarabic details remaining in several buildings make of Calatañazor the perfect representative time capsule of the region, going back to the Middle Age, in times of the Arabic realms and the reconquest (around the XI and XII centuries).

This post is part of my Route in Soria: a 7-stop itinerary through medieval towns post series.

Fun fact: this little town is said to be the location of one of the most important battles in the history of Spain. This region (Berlanga, between the towns of Medinaceli and San Esteban de Gormaz) was the border between the Christian realms and Al-Andalus. It is said that Almanzor, a military leader of Al-Andalus and chancellor of the Caliphate of Córdoba (de facto leader of Arabic Iberia) lost a battle in this town that shifted the balance in the war between Christians and Muslims. This was the beginning of the end of the Islam in the Iberian peninsula. The town proudly tell the rime “En Calatañazor perdió Almanzor el tambor” (In Calatañazor Almanzor lost his drum).

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What to see in Calatañazor

• The architecture of the town houses: which have remained still in time, as mentioned before.

• Rollo de la Justicia: in the main square they still preserve the pillory used to execute felons during medieval times.
• Iglesia de Santa María del Castillo: a romanic church from the XII century.
• Castillo de los Padilla: a ruined castle on top of the crag that was built by the Padilla family on the site of the Arabic fortress that was there in times of Almanzor. This is the perfect spot to view the animals that give name to the town, the vultures, at a very short distance.

• The conic chimneys: one of the most representative features of the town is the conic chimneys on the houses, which spread the smell of suckling lamb (lechazo) roast, very typical of the region.

• Sabinar: next to the town there is one of the best preserved Spanish juniper forests in the world.

Where (and what) to eat in Calatañazor

• El Palomar de Calatañazor: a quirky but beautiful little restaurant located in a refurbished dovecote which serves very traditional dishes of the region at a very good price. Recommendations: sopa castellana (a very homie soup, only for cold days), migas pastoriles (a traditional shepherd recipe of crumbled bread with chorizo, pancetta and onion as well as egg and grapes), pastel de boletus (boletus pie), lechazo asado (suckling lamb roast) or chuletillas de cordero a la brasa (grilled lamb ribs)
• Restaurante Sabinar: also a traditional restaurant with a nice terrace-garden and beautiful view.  Recommendations: pipirrana (braised pepper, tuna belly and onion salad), plato de pastor (chopped chorizo, bread crumbs and fried egg), salteado de setas y hongos (sautéed wild mushrooms from the area), stewed cheeks.

Where to stay in Calatañazor

Being a town with only 50 inhabitants, the options for accommodation are limited. However, it is still surprising that it boasts 5 different options to stay. My favourite is Casa Rural de la Villa, a beautiful stone house in line with the rest of the town with very well refurbished rooms and friendly staff. As a bonus, it is home of the restaurant El Palomar de Calatañazor mentioned above. Other options include El Mirador de Almanzor, which also can pride on beautiful medieval-looking rooms or La Casa del Cura (the house of the priest). If you’re a group I suggest that you book Loft Rural La Calata, a beautiful apartment that merges the medieval stone house with a modern decoration. All properties have a similar price in the area.

Although all accommodations in the village have a good price and quality, if you’re looking for a lively evening this is not the place to stay. If that’s what you’re looking for, I suggest you stay in the nearby town Burgo de Osma, in Soria, the capital of the region, only 30 min away by car, or even Madrid, which is only 2 hours away.

Closing statement

This post is part of a larger post showing a very beautiful route through historical villages in the region of Soria spanning through the Frontera del Duero, the border between the Christian realms and the Muslim caliphate around the 10th century. Make sure you have a look to the full post here:

→ Route in Soria: a 7-stop itinerary through medieval towns

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