Entre los verdes trigales,
una aldeanita soñó
con los lindos madrigales,
con que un noble la rindió.
Travelling from Salamanca towards Ávila along the N501 will first take you to Peñaranda del Bracomonte. From here take the road to Medina del Campo along the C 610. About half way along this road and, after passing small villages such as Ragama and Rasueros, a walled town, painted in the sombre colours of stone, seems to spring up from amongst the fields of wheat that completely surround it.
Located in the middle of the high plains of Ávila the walled town of Madrigal de las Altas Torres is the place where one of the most powerful monarchs to have shaped the destiny of the Spanish Empire was born: Isabella of Castilla. Better known as Isabella the Catholic, the feminine half of the Catholic Kings, she was responsible for uniting the Iberian Peninsula under one flag after over seven hundred years of the rule of Islam.
Questions obviously have to be asked as to how such a humble town could have provided the backdrop for one of history’s important happenings.
A royal birth in the fifteenth century was important enough; one that would mark the rise of Spain as perhaps the world’s first super-power requires further investigation.
Entering into the walled town of Madrigal de Las Altas Torres through the magnificent Cantalapiedra gate and walking through narrow streets that have remained virtually unchanged since the middle ages, the road takes you to the convent of Santa María de Gracia of the Augustinian Mothers.
And here, for those who want to learn more of this beautiful town, a potted history can be found that tells a very human story.
Four years before the birth of Isabella the marriage took place in Madrigal between Isabel of Portugal and Juan II de Castilla.
The story gets more interesting when one learns that in this small town some right royal shenanigans had been quietly brushed under the geographic carpet.
For example some years after the birth of Isabella the mother abbess of the convent was one Doña María de Aragón who was the illegitimate daughter of Fernando el Catholic, husband to Isabella and whom she pre-deceased. Doña Maria was also the aunt of Carlos V, the powerful monarch who ruled over much of Europe and who was himself the grandson of Isabella.
It was Carlos V who donated the convent to the Augustinian Mothers as some sort of compensation for them having to act as governesses and tutors to other illegitimate royal children. Amongst these are included the sister of the abbess mentioned above; a daughter of Carlos V; two children of Don Juan de Austria, who was himself the illegitimate son of Carlos V, and several other illegitimate children of Philip II.
It’s probably true to say in fact that Madrigal acted as a sort of luxurious baby minding service for the Spanish Royal Family during the 15th and much of the 16th centuries.
However, the location of this royal nursery was well thought out and coolly considered because Madrigal was an integral part of a kind of iron ring of fortress towns that included Madrigal, Arévalo and Medina del Campo; all well defended and richly provided for by the extensive Castilian plains that produced an abundance of wheat and livestock which in turn provided a secure refuge for the monarchs of the day and the results of their indiscretions.
Besides the convent of Santa Maria de Gracia, the visitor to the town can also contemplate the mudejar style church of Santa María del Castillo and the ornate façade of the convent of Saint Augustin.
There’s not much gold here but Madrigal is living proof that Hispanic royalty didn’t have many problems in mixing their regal bloodlines with those of the common people, even though it was only to produce illegitimate children who went on to become more or less illustrious.
The one birth that stands out, however, and the one that makes Madrigal different from those villages that surround it, is that of Isabella the Catholic; a true Princess and Queen of untainted royal blood.
If further investigation is required as to the depth of royal suffering, there’s much more to be learned in the surrounding villages. In Arévalo for example, you’ll learn about how Isabel of Portugal, known as the ‘madwoman of Arévalo’ cried irreconcilably and screamed from the walls of her castle over the death of her servant Don Alvaro de Luna.
In Medina del Campo you’ll find details of the death of Isabella the Catholic herself. And it mustn’t be forgotten that not far from Madrigal Juana, known as ‘Juana la loca’, or ‘Juana the madwoman’, daughter of the Catholic Kings and mother of Carlos V died a lonely and torturous death locked in a convent in Tordesillas.
It’s said that the towers of Madrigal, that are three times the height of the walls, are not a measure of royal dignity but rather that of the nobility of the peasant. After visiting Madrigal, learning its history and that of its prominent sons and daughters, the statement takes on a special significance and one’s own life appears that little bit brighter.
Fiestas and Idiosyncrasies
Madrigal has various fiestas throughout the year that celebrate the religious side of life, the historical associations and the simply curious.
El Cristo de Las Injurias
This fiesta is a celebration of the patron saint of the town and lasts for one week. During this time there is a many and varied menu of activities ranging from religious processions through the streets, bull running and competitions of all sorts including tractor driving expertise.
San Nicolas de Bari
Religious festival held on the 6th of December during which there are solemn processions and religious acts in honour of Saint Nicholas de Bari.
Semana Santa>
Madrigal has many churches that all have their own saints that are transported throughout the streets during Holy Week. Starting on Palm Sunday the men of the village transport ‘la boriquilla’ through the streets. Other churches follow throughout the week in a colour yet solemn celebration of The Passion. During this week it is traditional to play a game of bowls known as Los Borregos.
San Isidro Labrador
This is the traditional fiesta of the land that is celebrated on the 15th May. The festival consists of a ‘romeria’ or pilgrimage to the countryside where the fields are blessed in order to preserve their fertility and an almighty party is held in which the whole town participates.
Lunes de Agua
As in many other municipalities throughout the autonomous region of Casilla y León, on the second Monday after Easter Sunday, there is a great excursion to the countryside for another celebration that only these people know how to organise.
Advice for the Traveller
There are no hostels in Madrigal so the visitor needs to find a hotel in one of the nearest towns such as Salamanca, Ávila or Valladolid. Take time to visit the town over a day or two because there’s a lot to see.
The convent is still functioning and the Augustinian Mothers show the magnificent palace of Juan II, birthplace of Isabella the Catholic, from 9.30 to 12.00 and then from 16.00 to 20.00. You are advised to visit the monument in the morning as the light allows you to enjoy the various sumptuous rooms to the full.
While you’re waiting to get into the convent, check out the Bar Feo (Ugly Bar) where you’ll get a great breakfast served from 07.00. Add as favourites (45) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 1506
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Travelling from Salamanca towards Ávila along the N501 will first take you to Peñaranda del Bracomonte. From here take the road to Medina del Campo along the C 610. About half way along this road and, after passing small villages such as Ragama and Rasueros, a walled town, painted in the sombre colours of stone, seems to spring up from amongst the fields of wheat that completely surround it.
It’s probably true to say in fact that Madrigal acted as a sort of luxurious baby minding service for the Spanish Royal Family during the 15th and much of the 16th centuries. 
The one birth that stands out, however, and the one that makes Madrigal different from those villages that surround it, is that of Isabella the Catholic; a true Princess and Queen of untainted royal blood. 
