Villasana de Mena, Historic town in Valle de Mena, Burgos province, Spain

Villasana de Mena is a municipality in Valle de Mena, Burgos province, defined by medieval stone buildings, ancient towers, and traditional houses tucked along narrow winding streets. The structures from different periods create a picture of long continuous settlement in this area.

The present town took shape in the second half of the 12th century on the right bank of the Cadagua, opposite the earlier settlement on Monte el Ribero, and received the rank of villa from Alfonso VIII. Around 1260 the House of Velasco occupied and fortified it, building walls and a defensive tower against their rivals the Salazar. Henry II granted the Velasco the lordship of the town, which lasted until the rights were liquidated in 1844.

The town's main square, now called Plaza de Santa Ana, was the market square where most of the area's trade took place. Sancho Ortiz de Matienzo, a native of Villasana and treasurer-president of Seville's Casa de Contratación, founded the convent of Santa Ana there in 1512 as a family burial place; the works were finished in 1517. The convent housed Franciscan Conceptionist nuns.

The settlement serves as the main administrative center of Valle de Mena and offers visitors basic services and amenities. It is a good starting point for exploring the landscape and history throughout the valley.

The Velasco Tower from the 13th century stands out for its exceptionally thick walls and preserves several original window openings from that period. This sturdy fortified tower shows how residents once protected their settlement.