Villamoronta: A Palencia Village of Heroes and Bullfighters
Villamoronta is a municipality in the province of Palencia, in Castile and León, situated in the Vega-Valdavia comarca, specifically in the lower Vega area. It lies at 843 metres above sea level, close to the Carrión River, in the fertile floodplain of Saldaña. The CL-615 regional road connects it with Carrión de los Condes, 11 km away, and with the provincial capital Palencia, 50 km to the south.
History All sources indicate that the village originated during the Reconquista, founded by a repopulator named Mauronta or Moronta, from the Cantabrian mountains around Santillana del Mar. This foundation is historically dated between 870 and 919 AD, according to documents preserved in the Cathedral of León. In the medieval period, the village's territory included lands belonging to the Order of St John of Jerusalem through the Bailía of Población de Campos. It also had a hermitage dedicated to Our Lady of the Antigua, now disappeared, though her seated image is preserved in the parish church.
During the Peninsular War (1808–1814), the village witnessed one of the most dramatic episodes in its history: Tomás Montes, a local resident, was crucified on a tree at the entrance to Palencia by French troops under General Lasalle, around 1810. A commemorative pedestal on the Avenida de Asturias in Palencia honours his memory. The municipality is also the birthplace of bullfighter Marcos de Celis, the most celebrated matador born in the province of Palencia, whose birthplace has been marked with a commemorative plaque.
Heritage The sole surviving monument bearing witness to the village's history is the parish church of San Pelayo, a single-nave brick building with a semicircular arched doorway sheltered by a porch, Baroque plasterwork in the interior, and a 17th-century high altarpiece combining painting and sculpture. A secondary Baroque altarpiece featuring a Virgin and Child is also notable.
Culture and economy The Jota de Villamoronta is one of the best-known pieces of Palencia folk music, with centuries of tradition. The local economy is based on livestock farming and agriculture, and the municipality is one of the largest producers of cow's milk in the province of Palencia. The patron saint festivities in honour of San Pelayo are held on 26 and 27 June, and San Isidro is celebrated on 15 May.
Points of interest: - Population: 244 inhabitants (INE 2024). - Altitude: 843 metres. - Distances: 11 km from Carrión de los Condes; 50 km from Palencia city (via the CL-615 road).