RUPESTRIAN CHURCH OF PATIO DE LOS CURAS IN ARNEDO

Arnedo lies in the middle valley of the River Cidacos, in the heart of the Eastern Rioja region, within a large natural depression of fluvial origin flanked by rocky mountains composed of sandstone and conglomerate. Geologically speaking, the area is known as the Arnedo anticline. The mountains stretching to the north and north-west of Arnedo form cliffs with almost vertical walls of very soft sandstone, which have been used to excavate a multitude of man-made caves. The River Cidacos, which crosses this valley, not only brings life to the region but also forms part of an area designated as a Biosphere Reserve.

This rock-cut church in the Patio de los Curas is situated on the so-called Peña Logroño, a red sandstone outcrop that rises between the castle and the hill of San Miguel. If you look around this area, you will see that these rocky cliffs are completely riddled with man-made caves on all sides. But why are there so many caves here? The answer lies in the way Arnedo was settled throughout history. During Prehistory, Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, its inhabitants did not settle on the valley floor, but on these elevated areas known as ‘espolones’, which are plateau-like elevations in the foothills of the mountain. This elevated location provided natural protection and allowed the flatter, more fertile areas to be freed up for cultivation. On the nearby Cerro de San Miguel, there was a settlement from the Celtiberian prehistoric period, but it was also inhabited in the Middle Ages, of which a medieval necropolis with tombs carved into the rock remains, as well as numerous caves hewn into the rock. La Peña Logroño, where this temple stands, is an area that was densely inhabited, as evidenced by the numerous cavities scattered around it. Arnedo emerged as an urban centre in the Middle Ages, a period when it was fortified with a castle and a wall, within the shelter of which a significant population flourished. Although Roman and Visigothic remains are known to exist, their significance has not yet been determined. From the Middle Ages, the Cueva de los Cien Pilares complex remains, the site where the Monastery of San Miguel may have stood. Also preserved is the castle, which is the symbol of the town, as it stands on a high, solitary crag on one side of the valley. If you decide to explore the town centre, don’t miss the church of San Cosme and San Damián or the magnificent Baroque buildings, such as the palaces of Viceroy Lizana, Bobadilla, Sopranis and Archbishop Argáiz.