Our Rural Tour passes through Medellín, one of the most renowned, rooted, and historically significant towns in Extremadura, as it holds important archaeological remains, buildings, and monuments of g... (plus +)

Our Rural Tour passes through Medellín, one of the most renowned, rooted, and historically significant towns in Extremadura, as it holds important archaeological remains, buildings, and monuments of great artistic value, and has been the setting for numerous historical events. Medellín owes its name to the Roman consul Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius, who founded the Roman colony of Metellinum in 79 BC. We will start at the town hall square, where we can see the Clock Tower and the statue dedicated to Hernán Cortés as the most unique elements. We continue north and come across the church of Santiago, built on the slopes of the hill that crowns the castle of Medellín, it dates from the 13th century with notable reforms from the 15th and 17th centuries. The church has a beautiful semicircular apse, it has a single nave with four sections, and houses the interpretation center of the Archaeological Park of Medellín. Following the marked route, we will visit the Roman theater of Medellín. It is the most important visible building of Roman Metellinum. It has great monumentality, both because of its location and the excellent state of preservation. The theater takes advantage of the unevenness of the terrain, adapting to its topography as the Greek and some Roman models had done, such as the one in Sagunto. At its peak, the theater could accommodate up to 3200 spectators and the stands are the best-preserved element of the Medellín theater. The next landmark on the tour is the Castle of Medellín, from the 12th century and rebuilt in the 14th century by the Lord of Medellín, with important reforms from the 15th and 16th centuries. From there, we will have the best panoramic views of Medellín and its surroundings. On the way to the Medellín Bridge, we will pass by the Church of San Martín and the Portacaeli, one of the city's gates. Leaving the town, we will cross the Puente de los Austrias, of Roman origin, but rebuilt in the 17th century. It is 400 meters long, supported by 20 arches of 12 meters in width. In the center, there is a small temple in which, in addition to the coat of arms of the Austrias, there is an inscription alluding to its construction during the reign of King Felipe IV. Once we have crossed the bridge, we will venture into the irrigation fields, very present throughout the region, and walk along the Guadiana River. On the way back, we will cross the Puente de los Austrias again and pass by the Church of Santa Cecilia, in Gothic style. TYPE OF ROUTE: Circular LENGTH: 7.5 km ESTIMATED TIME: 2 hours and 30 minutes DIFFICULTY: Easy TYPE OF PATH: Path, Road, and urban layout ELEVATION GAIN: 73m
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