PLACE: Estella (Navarre)

Situated in the centre of the Estella jurisdiction, in an area where the Mountains and the Ribera of Navarre meet. The city of Estella originated from the ancient hamlet of Lizarra, back in the year 1090. It was hereafter inhabited by waves of Franks between the 11th and 12th Century, and their boroughs united into one single municipality in the year 1266.

Estella is a city that was born for the Route to Santiago. From the beginning, Its foundation is very much linked to the route and gave it a real commercial impulse enabling the coexistence for centuries of people from Navarre, Franks and Jews, living in perfect harmony.

From a very early stage it was notable for its commercial character, as a place for exchanging products between the Mountains and the Ribera. In fact, the tradition is still kept alive today with the weekly market that dates back to 1436.

The city is especially remarkable for its abundant and carefully looked after historical heritage. Firstly, we must mention the 12th Century Palace of the Kings of Navarre. This is one of the few and most important examples of Civil Romanesque in Navarre, and one is astonished by its sculptured scenes that narrate an episode of the Roldan Legend, and in particular the one where he fights against the giant Ferragut, an example of the battle between good and evil.

The religious architecture of Estella is highly recommended, especially the churches of San Pedro de la Rúa and San Miguél Arcángel. The former is located on a hill, with its Moorish features, as well as a wonderful Romanesque cloister of which today we can still see two galleries with beautifully engraved capitals. The latter is a lovely church with a marvellous Romanesque doorway, presenting scenes from the Gospel engraved in the stone.

Also, one must visit the remarkable Santa Clara Convent, from the year 1253; the Santo Domingo Convent, in its early Gothic style and built over an ancient Jewish synagogue, or the Palacio de Justicia, a Baroque building with its superb decoration in sinuous toruses which are found around the doorway and windows.