Peñaranda de Duero is a beautiful town located in the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, Spain. Known for its historical heritage and stunning architecture, this town is a popular tourist destination for those wishing to experience the rich history and culture of Spain.
The old town of Peñaranda de Duero is built around a hill, and is characterised by its intricate maze of narrow, cobbled streets, which are flanked by stone houses and balconies. One of the architectural highlights of Peñaranda de Duero is its imposing castle, which dominates the town from the top of a hill.
The castle of Peñaranda de Duero was built in the 10th century by the Muslims, but was rebuilt and extended by the Christians until the 15th century. Today, the castle is an impressive stone structure, with high towers and thick walls towering over the town. From the top of the castle, one can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the town and the surrounding area. It is very similar to other castles in the Ribera de Duero region, such as those of Peñafiel and Gormaz, and also repeats the advantageous location between a hill and a river, as seen in Burgos, Frías and Castrojeriz. Its elongated and broken ground plan is perfectly adapted to the steep rocky outcrop on which it sits, the famous Peña de Aranda, occupying approximately the western half of it. The entrance gate is to the east, separated from the rest by a moat dug into the rock.
In the fortified complex, the central and solid keep, dating from the end of the 15th century, stands out. It consists of a ground floor and three storeys. The tower is crowned with a battlement. Its solidity, proportion and slenderness make it one of the most balanced and graceful in the province of Burgos. Masonry predominates throughout the construction, with the exception of the corners and crown of the tower and the voussoirs of the gates, which are made of fine ashlar.
In addition to the castle, Peñaranda de Duero also has a number of other impressive historic buildings. These include the church of Santa Ana, a 15th century Gothic church with an impressive stone façade and a tall bell tower. There is also the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, which features a number of historic buildings, including the town hall, the palace of the Avellaneda family. Also of note is the Ximeno apothecary's shop, a pharmacy dating back to the early 18th century, which has been maintained and guarded by eight generations of pharmacists from the same family, and which is still active today, preserving the tradition of times gone by.
Presiding over the Plaza Mayor is the majestic main façade of what was once the Abbot's Collegiate Church thanks to the Papal Bull granted by Paul V in 1605, today known as the Church of Santa Ana or Excolegiate Church of Santa Ana. Its design and layout, with its bold lines, is striking due to the contrast between its great height and its weak supporting elements. The façade was designed by Fray Pedro Martínez in a classicist Baroque style, of a columnar type, similar to an altarpiece, with niches and various images of saints. At the top is the image of Saint Anne, the patron saint of the parish, and the coats of arms of the Zúñiga and Avellaneda families. The entrance is preceded by a staircase with eight marble columns in Renaissance style brought from Naples, as well as the three busts of the three Roman emperors on the façade. Inside, the neoclassical altarpiece that presides over the main altar is outstanding.
The Palace of the Counts of Miranda, also known as the Palace of Avellaneda, is located in the Plaza Mayor. It was built at the beginning of the 16th century for the Avellaneda family. It is one of the most interesting buildings in the province and without doubt one of the jewels of the Spanish Plateresque style. It has a magnificent central courtyard with double arches, decorated with rich sculptures of mythological and heraldic character and other purely ornamental details, elegant halls with rich coffered ceilings and plasterwork. The rooms are decorated around the doors and windows, with plasterwork that alternates Mudejar and Plateresque styles. Also noteworthy are the beautiful wooden ceilings, which alternate the Mudejar style with the classic Renaissance style of coffered ceilings. Around the central courtyard are the beautifully decorated rooms, such as the Ambassadors' Hall, presided over by a stucco fireplace, above which is a tribune enclosed by a lattice.
In short, Peñaranda de Duero is a town rich in history and culture, its architecture and castle being some of its greatest attractions. If you are looking for a stunning tourist destination in Spain, you will not be disappointed by this beautiful town in Castilla y León.
