El Viso sits in northern Córdoba province, about 85 kilometers from the capital. The village has roughly 2,500 residents and lies at 575 meters altitude in the Los Pedroches comarca. The road there runs through attractive landscapes with hills and valleys. Along the way you can stop at Puerto del Calatraveño for the views and a statue by artist Aurelio Teno.

El Viso's territory extends over 252 square kilometers and borders the provinces of Badajoz and Ciudad Real. The village sits near a three-province junction, which you'll notice immediately in the changing landscapes around it.

Castillo del Madroñiz: a castle on the border

Madroñiz Castle stands on a hill between El Viso, Belalcázar and Santa Eufemia, close to the Zújar river. The Moors chose this spot wisely: it stood on an old Moorish settlement and formed a strategic point between three provinces for centuries.

The current owners, a cooperative with about sixty members, have closed the castle. Maintenance costs are high and visitor numbers too low. Previously, French tourists and hunters mainly came here to celebrate New Year's Eve or spend weekends in the medieval rooms. Now most visitors stay in the house below the castle hill.

The castle originated in the eleventh or twelfth century as a defensive structure but was mainly used as a residence. After the Reconquista, various noble families lived here. The connection with Santa Eufemia was always strong - the castle fell under the Marquisate of La Guardia for centuries. In 1951 a first cooperative bought the complex, later Marquis Carlos Montijano Carbonell sold it to the current owners after a thorough restoration.

Architecture and interior

Upon entering you see an empty tower and a watchtower, both cylindrical. The first courtyard has wooden doors to the former stables, now a dining hall with medieval decor. Stone vaults and subdued lighting give the space a timeless atmosphere. Plants grow wild between the stones.

Inside you see stuffed wild boar, deer and partridges - the area has plenty of game. Upstairs are bedrooms with private bathrooms. One room has a stone lookout point with a column and stone bench, overlooking the mountain range. In the salon hang four coats of arms of the lords of Santa Eufemia. A Toledan door frame with Arabic ornaments shows Moorish influence.

Via a gallery you reach a circular terrace on the entrance tower. Along the way you see the old dungeon. From the terrace you look out over the Zújar with its bridge, the border between Córdoba and Badajoz, the hills of Ciudad Real and grazing cattle in the fields below.

The Tower of Homage has multiple floors with bedrooms. From the top you get a complete picture of the vast landscape and the strategic position residents had here.

Iglesia de la Encarnación

The Encarnación church dates from the late fifteenth century and belonged to the so-called 'Mesta churches'. Initially the building had one nave with four pointed arches of red brick on granite base. In 1623 came an extension, in 1967 a renovation. The main entrance shows the coat of arms of the Mexía family, lords of El Viso under the County of Santa Eufemia. In 2020 the old shield fell down and was replaced.

The tower has four sections: the first contains the spiral staircase, the second the bells, the third the clock for the hours and the fourth the large bell.

Chapels in and around El Viso

Ermita de Santa Ana got a new design in the sixties with a circular base and slate roof - quite different from the earlier sixteenth-century chapel. The granite entrance arch from the old building now stands in the fence in front.

Ermita de Santa Rosalía was built in the mid-nineteenth century, converted into an ammunition depot during the Civil War and subsequently blown up. The current chapel dates from the late sixties, rectangular with a brick facade.

Ermita del Cristo de las Eras is small with a stone cube at the back where an olive tree grows - a type of calvary.

Ermita de Don Miguel was built in the early twentieth century as a summer retreat for priest Miguel López. He hid families here from bombardments during the Civil War. Now the chapel is publicly accessible, four kilometers outside the village, recently renovated.

Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Vallehermoso stands by the ruins of the San Alberto del Monte monastery, which was demolished in 1836. The Easter romería takes place here.

Civil War air raid shelter

El Viso was bombed several times during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Residents then dug shelters under the streets and squares. The tunnel under Plaza de la Constitución is 78.5 meters long and has four entrances, two of which are open. You walk in zigzag under the square.

The shelter and associated museum are open Monday to Friday between 9:00 and 12:30. For weekend visits or other times, call the town hall at 957 127 005.

La Colada recreation area

The La Colada reservoir covers 608 hectares and extends over three municipalities: El Viso, Hinojosa del Duque and Belalcázar. The lake collects water from the Guadamatilla river. A road between El Viso and Santa Eufemia leads to the dam.

The area has picnic spots, barbecues, toilets, an observatory, a bar-restaurant, a fishing zone, swimming beach, an adventure park and a beach football field.

Aula de la Naturaleza El Pocito

This nature education center provides information about the flora and fauna of Los Pedroches. Schools come here for lessons about the region's plants and animals. The center has exhibitions on animals, plants and sustainable energy, a conference room and an outdoor area with vegetable garden, fruit trees, Mediterranean trees, herbs and some farm animals.

Typical of El Viso

Casas de Don Adame was formerly the wealthiest settlement of the Santa Eufemia lordship. Every four years a Three Kings play takes place here on the plaza - with shepherds visiting baby Jesus. During the Santa Ana festival week the bull runs through the streets are popular in the region. The area around Madroñiz attracts hunters because of wild boar, deer and partridges. The Guadamatilla and Zújar rivers offer nice hiking routes. Handmade leather boots and goat cheese are local specialties.

(c) photo and source: ayto-elviso.com