Located next to the road that joins the towns of La Velilla and Val de San Pedro, and approximately two and a half kilometers from the village of Requijada, in what was formerly known as the Las Vegas council, -formed also by the now-disappeared towns of Cega and Oteruelo-, rises, spectacular and beautiful, a worthy exponent of the Romanesque of the province: the church of Our Lady of Las Vegas.

Restored some years ago, it has been declared a Historic Artistic Monument since 1969. During the restoration, the walls that blinded the porticoed gallery were removed, this being constituted by seven arches, separated into sections of three and four by a door of two archivolts.

Of its structure, it can be said that it has three covered naves with a triabsidal headboard inside. The tower has two bodies, of which the superior had to be rebuilt in 1756 due to the threat of ruin.

However, in spite of the good general condition of the ensemble, it contrasts the terrible conservation of the corbels, among whose remains one can still recognize various elements, such as, for example, the heads of warriors, birds and snakes, whose symbolism is still curious. , remembering the double meanings common to many artistic representations of the medieval stonemasons.

It also has a unique entry portico in the province's rómanico -which in a way, recalls the portico of the Romanesque church of Nª Sª de la Asunción, located in the Soria town of Castillejo de Robledo-, between whose elements the spandrels of the door stand out, in which you can see two figures representing the Virgin and the archangel San Gabriel, in the scene referring to the Annunciation.

In both figures, it is important to highlight the position of the hands, which provoke in the viewer the feeling that the artist wanted to draw attention to this detail, although his interpretation escapes us for the time being, giving rise to several assumptions. The exterior archivolt has, as decorative elements, flowers of eight petals with a central button, as well as chessed motifs, among others, resting the set on jambs aboceladas, with the exception of two columns decorated with harpies and bristly lions.

Among the many speculations that exist about the temple, it is worth highlighting the one that considers the possibility that a part of the church -in particular the southern nave, the door and the gallery- was from the end of the 11th century or the beginning of the 12th century, rising , in turn, on an old basilica of Paleo-Christian origin. Subsequently, the rest of the building would be built.

With reference to the capitals of the gallery - quite deteriorated in some cases, just like the corbels - we must highlight, apart from its voluminousness, its great expressive richness. Indeed, it is still possible to distinguish between these, heads of men and women, between scrolls; centaurs provided with bows and arrows; double-tailed sirens; Harpies and exotic birds with stylized plumage, which seem to offer an attitude of being pecking at their legs.

With respect to these birds, and given that their shape and careful carving make them similar to those that can be seen in the churches of Nª Sª de la Asunción and San Pedro ad Vincula, located in the towns of Duratón and Perorrubio, respectively- It can be concluded that they were made by the stonemasons themselves, of a more than probable Mozarabic origin.

Such consideration, also applies to the double-tailed sirens, identical in form, expression and execution to those that can be located in the portico and the apse of the aforementioned churches. Sirens that, judging by the number of tails, and as I anticipated in the entries concerning Perorrubio and Duratón, may venture the possibility of several underground water currents or telluric, places that had a special predilection for when choosing the location of churches, hermitages and sanctuaries.

Another aspect that immediately draws attention is the apparent lack of stonework marks, so common and abundant in the vast majority of buildings of Romanesque origin, although its trace can be traced, for example, to Ancient Egypt, where, Apart from other personal marks, it has been possible to discover waders and dolphins.

Regarding them in the church of Nª Sª de las Vegas, you can see, at least, two marks, identical in form and execution that, located in the porticoed gallery, perfectly resemble the figure of a compass, which can offer clues about the expertise and the bricklayers' guild that executed the construction.

But if worthy of contemplation is this Romanesque temple that immediately attracts the attention of all travelers passing by the nearby road, it is no less the privileged environment in which it is located, being this surrounded by valleys and forests, being able to admire, as backdrop the mountains of Somosierra, usually covered with snow in winter.

NOTICE: Originally posted on my blog SEGOVIA WAY WALK WALKING. Both the text and the photographs that accompany it are my exclusive intellectual property. The original entry, where you can check the authorship of juancar347, can be found at the following address: https://jcarlos347.blogspot.com/2007/12/requijadas-iglesia-romnica-de-n-s-de.html

Si te ha gustado lo que has visto.
Te invito a conocer el mundo del que estoy enamorado.
Image © juancar347. All Rights Reserved.
Original content by @juancar347
Discord
juancar347#4046

[Martial, latin poet]

Ars vtinam more Animvm qve effingere. Posses pulchrior in ter. Ris nvlla tabella foret.

Arte Ojala pudieras representar. el carácter y el espíritu. No habría sobre la tierra. Imagen más bella

@Tximeleta tiene nuevos retos.
Toca la imagen y participa.
Diviértete y disfruta.