{"id":16187,"date":"2025-08-14T03:13:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T01:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caminodesantiagofrances.com\/en\/?p=16187"},"modified":"2025-08-20T10:30:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T08:30:30","slug":"san-pedro-de-villasirga-rebirth-of-a-historic-camino-landmark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caminodesantiagofrances.com\/en\/san-pedro-de-villasirga-rebirth-of-a-historic-camino-landmark\/","title":{"rendered":"San Pedro de Villasirga: The Rebirth of a Historic Camino Landmark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

San Pedro de Villasirga: The Rebirth of a Historic Landmark on the Camino de Santiago<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On 20 and 21 August 2025<\/strong>, the Villalc\u00e1zar de Sirga Municipal Cultural Centre<\/strong> will host a special conference under the title \u201cSan Pedro de Villasirga – The Rebirth of a Landmark on the Camino\u201d<\/strong>, organised by the Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago (FEAACS)<\/strong>. The event aims to recover the memory, history and future of the church of San Pedro de Villasirga<\/strong>, one of the most distinctive churches on the Jacobean route through Tierra de Campos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Pedro de Villasirga: A Church with Over a Thousand Years of History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The church’s origins date back to the 9th century<\/strong>, likely with Mozarabic roots, linked to the route of the cordel cerverano<\/strong> (a historic drovers’ road). In later centuries, it became a church of the Order of Cluny<\/a><\/strong>, which reinforced its spiritual and cultural importance on the Camino de Santiago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the 11th century<\/strong>, San Pedro de Villasirga came under the authority of the Monastery of San Zoilo<\/a><\/strong> in Carri\u00f3n de los Condes<\/a><\/strong>, along with its holdings and tithes, a situation that continued until the 18th century<\/strong>. It functioned as a parish church until the mid-17th century, when all the parishes of Villalc\u00e1zar were merged into Santa Mar\u00eda la Blanca<\/strong>. That church still preserves its 16th-century baptismal font, along with other elements such as holy water stoups made from old capitals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 19th century<\/strong>, the church suffered the effects of the ecclesiastical confiscations (desamortizaci\u00f3n)<\/strong>, passing into private hands and taking on various civil uses: from a school<\/strong> to a granary<\/strong> and a wine press<\/strong>. This period of neglect led to the loss of much of its original function, but it also fuelled the desire to see it restored today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Restoration Project with a Jacobean Vision<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On 18 January 2025, an ambitious project was presented in Villalc\u00e1zar de Sirga: converting the church of San Pedro de Villasirga<\/strong> into a Centre for Jacobean Studies<\/strong> and a pilgrim hostel<\/strong>. This initiative seeks not only to preserve the building architecturally, but also to give it new life and purpose within the Camino de Santiago<\/strong>, restoring its historic role of welcome, spirituality and community service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restoring this church will once again establish it as a cultural and spiritual landmark for the thousands of walkers who travel the Camino de Santiago Franc\u00e9s<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lectures by Internationally Renowned Speakers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The conference programme offers a range of lectures of great academic and educational value:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday, 20 August – 7:30 pm<\/h4>\n\n\n\n