Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Río, Catholic hermitage church in Talaván, Spain
The Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Río sits beside the Tagus River with a single nave supported by wooden beams and an ornate altar inside. The current structure dates to 1971 and replaced an older chapel that submerged beneath the waters of a dam.
An earlier hermitage occupied this riverside location for generations before submersion under a dam's waters in the 1960s. The current chapel was subsequently rebuilt to continue the pilgrimage and worship traditions established at this sacred site.
The 16th-century Virgin Mary statue holds the Christ Child and receives ceremonial robes as gifts from worshippers throughout the year. These donations show how locals continue to honor this sacred figure as part of their daily faith.
The hermitage sits in an open area near the river and offers a peaceful setting to visit in good weather. Main festivities happen in September, while a pilgrimage celebration takes place during the first weekend of May.
When water levels drop significantly at the dam, portions of the original chapel's structure become visible on the riverbed. These rare moments offer a glimpse into the submerged foundations and reveal traces of the earlier building.
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