“Every trip encloses secret destinations that the traveller knows nothing about”. –Martín Buber
Although it only has approximately 1,100 inhabitants, La Alberca is one of the most visited municipalities in the community of Castile-León, and the first one with the denomination of Historic-Artistic Monument in Spain.
This small locality, whose name originates from Bereka”, Hebrew word that means “Place of waters”, is located in Salamanca’s province, 60 km from the city, and it is integrated within the region of La Sierra de Francia.
Regarding its history, the population of La Alberca was already settled before the arrival of the Romans. During the Middle Ages, a repopulation was produced due to Alphonse IX’s decision. Subsequently, a great number of people came to the locality, most of them from France.
Its narrow streets and squares hide beautiful spots and diverse views, so much that a walk through them leads you to another time. The popular architecture, built from stone and wood framework, stands out as a result of the interplay of lights and shadows it produces. Moreover, this small locality’s streets have a great protagonist, the Marrano de San Antón, or “Saint Anton’s Pig”, whose sculpture represents this place’s traditions.
The square is the most highlighted place of the village, clearly identifiable because of its stone transept and its surrounding buildings, from which its porches and balconies are remarkable. Between the hermitages of Romanesque origin, there are two of them that are remarkable: the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Majadas Viejas (“Our Lady of Majadas Viejas”) – which preserves a 12th century Romanesque Virgin figure-, and the Hermitage of San Marcos (“Saint Mark Hermitage”), which has spectacular views of La Peña de Francia.
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