VILLAESCUSA DE EBRO
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Thanks: To our collaborator Javier Pelaz Beci, member of 4AsE, who has furnished us with a great part of the information and photographs contained in this file.
Description
Villaescusa de Ebro, village belonging to the district of Valderredible, is the last stretch of the river Ebro as it leaves 
the region of southern Cantabria before going into the province of Burgos. Following the right bank of the river and equidistant at one kilometre from the village, there is a beautiful place called El Tobazo. Its name comes from toba, a porous and light limestone formed by the lime dissolving in the waters of this spring that comes out from the depths of the region of La Lora.
the region of southern Cantabria before going into the province of Burgos. Following the right bank of the river and equidistant at one kilometre from the village, there is a beautiful place called El Tobazo. Its name comes from toba, a porous and light limestone formed by the lime dissolving in the waters of this spring that comes out from the depths of the region of La Lora.The resurgence of the chalky system originated three natural caves of around 800 metres high, where the remains of a high medieval hermitage ensemble are found. Only one of them has a lithurgic character. Countless cascades spring forth caused by the heavy rain and the melting of the snow creating a stunning landscape.
The church has not been dedicated to any particular
saint. It is simple known by the name of the village: Villaescusa del Ebro.It has a square plan and its cover is the cave rock itself. On the left wall, there is a niche finishing in a semi circular arch, with a Latin cross engraved. The chevet facing east has a rectangular plan, joined to the central nave by a triumphal semi circular arch. From the bottom of the sidewall a buttress protrudes with the purpose of supporting the table of the altar (Bohigas). Several Latin crosses engraved in different places of the rock complete the lithurgical space. The access is achieved through a segmental arch opening in the north western corner of the nave. To the left of the the space there is a "bathtub" grave excavated in the rock under arcosolium.
Supposedly, the other two caves would have been used as bedrooms or burial places of its dwellers, possibly a small
community of hermits devoted to Evangelic preaching and penance. The three caves communicate each other by means of internal galleries. The surroundings of this natural space, where the specialists in such an interesting subject claim that there are more than thirty caves wih religious function, is one of the prettiest in the region, starting point of the reknowned route of the Hoces del Ebro.
The period when one of this caves was remodelled to be used for lithurgical purposes has not been possible to define yet. There are different theories with regard to its chronological dating. Ones believe them to belong to the 6th and 7th centuries; others, to the periods between the 8th and 10th centuries, so historians do not reconcile in accurately establishing the date. The theory put
forward by Bertín Gutiérrez López -a scholar of the cave churches of the region- says that if the idea was to christainize the valley of heathen, the dating of this cave constructions would be end of the 6th century, but if they were monks that re christianized the region -once the Arabs had been pushed down to the south - the chronology would extend from the 8th to the 10th centuries. Even the existence of semi circular arches and Latin crosses could indicate a somewhat later date, but always prior to the introduction of the Gregorian reform in the region, by the end of the 11th century. Other interesting information
Access: The village is located on the freeway from Quintanilla de Las Torres to Escalada, at some 40 Km from the crossing with N-611 (Santander - Palencia) and, vice versa, at 13 Km from the crossing with N-623 (Santander - Burgos). GPS Coordinates 42°49'49"N 3°49'53"O.Telephone: Ayuntamiento de Valderredible.
Visiting hours: always open, as it is a cave with lithurgical character. Bear in mind that the difficulty of access to the cave is medium - high.
Bibliography
BOHIGAS ROLDÁN, R.: "Las iglesias rupestres de Valderredible". Cuadernos de Campo, nº7. Marzo 1997.
GUTIERREZ LÓPEZ, B.: "La Colegiata de San Martín de Elines". Colegiata-Parroquia de San Martín de Elines. 2005.
GUTIERREZ LÓPEZ, B.: "La Colegiata de San Martín de Elines". Colegiata-Parroquia de San Martín de Elines. 2005.
Portals
Cuadernos de Campo. Las Iglesias Rupestres en
Valderredible.
Villacibio (Palencia): Un lugar con mucha historia.
Villacibio (Palencia): Un lugar con mucha historia.
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Phase: Hermitages
Style: Rupestre
Period: 7th Century
State of conservation: Well
Situation: Villaescusa de Ebro, Valderrible (Cantabria)
Accommodation close friends
Alojamientos Amigos próximos
HOTEL VEJO
POSADA REAL EL PRADO MAYOR
HOTEL CALAS DE LIENCRES
MUSEO DE TALLAS Y MAQUETAS MÓVILES HERMINIO REVILLA
HOTEL RURAL PIEDRA ABIERTA
CASA RURAL LA ACEÑA
VIVIENDAS RURALES VALVERDE
HOTEL EL INFANTADO
LA CASA DE LAS CHIMENEAS
LA POSADA DE BABEL
Other monuments of interest
SANTOS FACUNDO Y PRIMITIVO DE SILIÓ (R)
SANTA LEOCADIA DE HELGUERA (R)
SAN ROMÁN DE MOROSO
SANTA CRUZ DE CASTAÑEDA (R)
SANTA MARIA DE YERMO (R)
SANTA MARIA DE RETORTILLO (R)
SAN CIPRIANO DE BOLMIR (R)
CASTILLO DE ARGUESO (R)
CUEVA DE LA VIRGEN DE MONTESCLAROS
