Ágreda is a municipality located in the province of Soria, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. Ágreda is the regional services center in the Northeast of the province of Soria. Its abundant heritage as well as the local fiestas of the Virgin, and the Archangel Michael attract many tourists.

History

In the current location of the town there was an ancient Celtiberic settlement. During 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 ...

Ágreda became more significant as a strategic border location between the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, as well as an important center of the arts and handcrafts where Christians, Jews and Arab-descendants lived in peace. Ágreda is therefore known as the town of the three cultures. The renowned abbess María de Jesús was born in Ágreda and resided there throughout her life. She was named a Venerable of the Roman Catholic Church shortly after her death in 1665, but has not yet been beatified or officially canonized as a saint. She was well known as a visionary of her times, and as a counselor to King

Philip IV Philip IV may refer to: * Philip IV of Macedon (died 297 BC) * Philip IV of France (1268–1314), Avignon Papacy * Philip IV of Burgundy or Philip I of Castile (1478–1506) * Philip IV, Count of Nassau-Weilburg (1542–1602) * Philip IV of Spain ...

through a correspondence that lasted throughout each of their lifetimes and is documented in over six hundred letters between them. Over the years the king gave the abbess a few commemorative gifts Fedewa, Marilyn H
of Agreda: Mystical Lady in Blue''
(University of New Mexico Press, 2009) which are on display today in the convent, yet there seems to be no undue favoritism to the region because of their friendship.

Demography

Sightseeing

*Arab wall *Arab district * Arab arch *Gate to the Arab district *Gate of Alcázar *Church of San Miguel, in the

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style of the 15th century with a Romanesque tower of the 12th century. It also has an impressive 16th-century altarpiece painted by

Pedro Aponte Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for '' Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meani ...

and commissioned by

Doctor Don Garcia Fernandez de Carrascón Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles * ...

(ca 1480-1533), archpriest of Ágreda,

protonotary apostolic In the Roman Catholic Church, protonotary apostolic (PA; Latin: ''protonotarius apostolicus'') is the title for a member of the highest non-episcopal college of prelates in the Roman Curia or, outside Rome, an honorary prelate on whom the pop ...

, Treasurer of the Cathedral of Tarazona, personal doctor to Pope Adrian VI and canon of the Cathedral of

Toledo, Spain Toledo ( , ) is a city and municipality of Spain, capital of the province of Toledo and the ''de jure'' seat of the government and parliament of the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESC ...

. Doctor Carrascon's elaborate sarcophagus is in a side chapel on the left side of the

Sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a s ...

. *Church of Virgen de la Peña, Romanesque of the 12th century *Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, 16th century *Monastery of La Concepción, founded in the 17th century by María de Jesús, where her body rests. *Palace of los Castejones, 17th century *

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass id ...

garden of Don Diego de Castejón. *Museum of sacred art of Nuestra Señora de la Peña. *The synagogue, ancient and small church of Romanesque style of the 12th century, built over an ancient synagogue.

Economy

Agriculture, stock farming, industry (automotive and engineering), tourism, commerce and services

Personalities

*Venerable María de Jesús, writer and nun * Fermín Cacho, athlete *María Jesús Ruiz Ruiz, mayor of Ágreda and vicepresident of the Castile and León Government *

(ca 1480-1533), priest and doctor to Pope Adrian VI

References

Gallery

Agreda-Basilica N. S Milagros 01.jpg, Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros. Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, Ágreda, España, 2012-09-01, DD 53.JPG, Interior of the basilica. Procesión del Santo Entierro del Viernes Santo, Ágreda, Soria, España, 2018-03-29, DD 16.jpg, Holy week in Ágreda. Arco Califal, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 01.JPG, Arab arch. Puerta de Felipe II, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 01.JPG, Gate of Philip II. Puerta Árabe del Agua, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 02.JPG, Gate in the Arab district. Torre de la Muela, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 05.JPG, La Muela watch tower.

External links

City hall of ÁgredaÁgreda on the web, portal about Ágreda
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agreda Municipalities in the Province of Soria