Hermitage of Santa María de La Piscina, Romanesque chapel in Peciña, Spain.
The Hermitage of Santa María de La Piscina is a Romanesque chapel standing isolated on a hilltop between two peaks in San Vicente de la Sonsierra. The stone structure offers expansive views across the Ebro valley from its position on the southern side of Sierra Cantabria.
Prince Ramiro Sánchez of Navarre established the chapel in 1136 after returning from the First Crusade with a fragment of the true cross. The site later developed medieval remains including a necropolis, fortification traces, and cave dwellings spanning several centuries.
The chapel serves as a gathering place on August 15 when members of La Divisa come together for mass and community meals. This tradition binds the local people through shared faith and meals in a remote mountain setting.
The site sits remotely and requires a willingness to hike across terrain, though the effort yields unobstructed views of the mountain landscape. Access is straightforward, but paths can become slippery depending on the season, making sturdy footwear advisable.
The chapel maintains its original 12th-century Romanesque design with minimal later alteration. A coat of arms added to the southern facade in 1537 stands as the only significant modification in nearly five centuries.
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