Sangüesa (Basque: ''Zangoza'') is a city in Navarre,

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, 44.5 kilometers from

Pamplona Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...

. It lies close to the River Aragon and in 2007 had a population of 5,128. It is located on the

Way of Saint James The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...

. It has been an important stopping point for

pilgrim A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the adherent of ...

s since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and has preserved its medieval character. Sangüesa-Zangoza is the historic capital of one of the six

merindad ''Merindad'' () is a Mediaeval Spanish administrative term for a country subdivision smaller than a province but larger than a municipality. The officer in charge of a merindad was called a merino, roughly equivalent to the English ''count'' or ...

es into which the old Kingdom of Navarre was divided. In 1089, a bridge was built here over the River Aragon and Sancho Ramirez located the town to the present location. In 1121, Alfonso el Batallador ( Alfonso the Battler) extended the fuero of Jaca to Sangüesa which significantly expanded the opportunities for Frankish merchants to settle here.Gitlitz & Davidson, The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook, 2000, St Martin's Press,

Religious monuments

* Church of Santa María la Real, located on Calle Mayor. The oldest part dates from 1131. Its magnificent main façade is particularly remarkable, with its representation of the Final Judgement (built in the 12th to 13th centuries), one of the masterpieces of Navarre and Iberian

Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe characterized by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque style, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 11th century, this lat ...

. *Church of Santiago the Elder, (12th to 13th centuries), transitional Romanesque. *Church of San Salvador. Gothic (13th to 14th centuries). *Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi. Founded in 1266 by Teobaldo II, and reformed in the 16th century. Contains an interesting Gothic

cloister A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...

and chapter room. *Church of the Carmen, first Carmelite convent established in Sangüesa in the 13th century. A Gothic church, it was reformed in the 16th and 17th centuries. Gothic cloister.

Civil monuments

*Palace of the Dukes of Granada de Ega, urban palace of the 15th century. *Palace of the Prince of Viana, former residence of the kings of Navarre, 13th century. *Palace of the marquises of Valle-Santoro, built in the 17th century. *Palace of the Counts of Guendulain, typical baroque palace of the 17th century. *Major House, built in 1570 over part of the former palace of the Kings of Navarre. Sober

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

facade. *San Adrián de Vadoluengo, Romanesque building close to Sangüesa, on the way to

Sos del Rey Católico Sos del Rey Católico (in Aragonese: Sos d'o Rei Catolico) is a historic town and municipality in the Cinco Villas comarca, province of Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain. History Located on rocky and elevated terrain, this important border town serv ...

References

External links

SANGUESA - ZANGOZA in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia (Euskomedia Fundazioa)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanguesa Municipalities in Navarre