Yecla de Yeltes, located at the doors of the Arribes del Duero, to the northeast of the province of Salamanca. Its origins are set in the Pre-Romanesque period. The main and most important vestige is the fort from the Vettones located close to the village.
Known as the Old Yecla, the settlement is elevated above a rocky area in the confluence of the Huebra River and the Varlaña stream in a beautiful spot with a granite outcrop and forests of Holm oaks. Just as in the fort and around the surrounding areas, there are hundreds of rock carvings. The fortress was inhabited throughout time first by the Romans and then up until Medieval times in the 12th century. When repopulation of the area begun, the village was moved to its current position. In spite of being abandoned in early Modern times, the Hermitage of the Virgin del Castillo was built within the walled village and it is still today a site of devotion and pilgrimage.
Tourist shouldn’t miss visiting the Archaeological office located in the Plaza Mayor and the Parish church of San Sebastian whose doorway dates back to the 17th Century.
In addition, a few kilometers away there are several scenic viewpoints where the visitor can see the amazing Duero River as it passes through the Natural Park of Los Arribes.
Foto: Luistxo
