Ágreda is a municipality located in the

province of Soria Soria is a province of central Spain, in the eastern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. Most of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area. Demographics It is bordered by the provinces of La Rioja, Zaragoza, ...

, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. Ágreda is the regional services center in the Northeast of the

. Its abundant heritage as well as the local fiestas of the Virgin, and the Archangel Michael attract many tourists.

History

In the current location of the town there was an ancient Celtiberic settlement. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

Ágreda became more significant as a strategic border location between the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, as well as an important center of the arts and handcrafts where Christians, Jews and Arab-descendants lived in peace. Ágreda is therefore known as the town of the three cultures. The renowned abbess María de Jesús was born in Ágreda and resided there throughout her life. She was named a Venerable of the Roman Catholic Church shortly after her death in 1665, but has not yet been beatified or officially canonized as a saint. She was well known as a visionary of her times, and as a counselor to King Philip IV through a correspondence that lasted throughout each of their lifetimes and is documented in over six hundred letters between them. Over the years the king gave the abbess a few commemorative gifts Fedewa, Marilyn H
of Agreda: Mystical Lady in Blue''
(University of New Mexico Press, 2009) which are on display today in the convent, yet there seems to be no undue favoritism to the region because of their friendship.

Demography

Sightseeing

*Arab wall *Arab district * Arab arch *Gate to the Arab district *Gate of Alcázar *Church of San Miguel, in the Gothic style of the 15th century with a Romanesque tower of the 12th century. It also has an impressive 16th-century altarpiece painted by Pedro Aponte and commissioned by Doctor Don Garcia Fernandez de Carrascón (ca 1480-1533), archpriest of Ágreda, protonotary apostolic, Treasurer of the Cathedral of

Tarazona Tarazona is a town and municipality in the Tarazona y el Moncayo comarca, province of Zaragoza, in Aragon, Spain. It is the capital of the Tarazona y el Moncayo Aragonese comarca. It is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarazona. ...

, personal doctor to Pope

Adrian VI Pope Adrian VI ( la, Hadrianus VI; it, Adriano VI; nl, Adrianus/Adriaan VI), born Adriaan Florensz Boeyens (2 March 1459 – 14 September 1523), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 January 1522 until his d ...

and canon of the Cathedral of

Toledo, Spain Toledo ( , ) is a city and municipality of Spain, capital of the province of Toledo and the ''de jure'' seat of the government and parliament of the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESC ...

. Doctor Carrascon's elaborate sarcophagus is in a side chapel on the left side of the

Sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a sa ...

. *Church of Virgen de la Peña, Romanesque of the 12th century *Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, 16th century *Monastery of La Concepción, founded in the 17th century by María de Jesús, where her body rests. *Palace of los Castejones, 17th century *

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

garden of Don Diego de Castejón. *Museum of sacred art of Nuestra Señora de la Peña. *The synagogue, ancient and small church of Romanesque style of the 12th century, built over an ancient synagogue.

Economy

Agriculture, stock farming, industry (automotive and engineering), tourism, commerce and services

Personalities

*Venerable María de Jesús, writer and nun *

Fermín Cacho Fermín Cacho Ruiz (born 16 February 1969) is a Spanish track and field athlete, winner of the gold medal in the 1500m at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the silver medal in the 1500m at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Born in ...

, athlete *María Jesús Ruiz Ruiz, mayor of Ágreda and vicepresident of the Castile and León Government * Doctor Don Garcia Fernandez de Carrascón (ca 1480-1533), priest and doctor to Pope

References

Gallery

Agreda-Basilica N. S Milagros 01.jpg, Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Milagros. Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, Ágreda, España, 2012-09-01, DD 53.JPG, Interior of the basilica. Procesión del Santo Entierro del Viernes Santo, Ágreda, Soria, España, 2018-03-29, DD 16.jpg, Holy week in Ágreda. Arco Califal, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 01.JPG, Arab arch. Puerta de Felipe II, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 01.JPG, Gate of Philip II. Puerta Árabe del Agua, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 02.JPG, Gate in the Arab district. Torre de la Muela, Ágreda, España, 2012-08-27, DD 05.JPG, La Muela watch tower.

External links

City hall of ÁgredaÁgreda on the web, portal about Ágreda
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agreda Municipalities in the Province of Soria