Soledad Hermitage - arabaturismo
Soledad Hermitage
Soledad Hermitage
Nestled in the Mountains of Álava, more specifically north of Atauri, surrounded by farmland, upstream and away from the village on the road to Maestu, sits the tiny Romanesque style “Soledad Hermitage”.
MONTAÑA ALAVESA TOURIST OFFICE
Carretera Vitoria-Estella 7, 01110 Santa Cruz de Campezu
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It is a small Romanesque building constructed in ashlar stone with a charming semicircular apse and two 13th century windows. On the left side of the altar, an image of “La Soledad” presides over the hermitage.
On a pastoral visit in 1731 it is mentioned as «Our Lady, commonly called San Julián ». In 1760 it is referred to as «la Soledad» In 1827 or 1832 it is ordered «that the image on the altar, being indecent, shall be smashed to pieces and buried».
In 1982 restoration work began but only the apse of its Romanesque structure has been preserved. The Nave with its wooden roof is a later addition.
Incidentally it is worth mentioning that Atauri is an ancient village, where Iron Age and Bronze remains have been unearthed on the Mount of the Friar, and that in the 11th century it is mentioned in the historic document “Reja de San Millán” under the name of Atauri de Suso and Atauri Of Yuso.