The Comarca de Las Vegas y Alcarria Madrileña is one of the most unknown regions in the area, yet it brings together a set of localities that treasure a good part of the heritage and cultural legacy of the Community.
In this southeast space, we find four of the eleven Villas of Madrid (Nuevo Baztán, Villarejo de Salvanés, Colmenar de Oreja, and Chinchón).
These destinations have managed to preserve their rural authenticity and, in addition, have a recognized Cultural Heritage and sufficient tourist infrastructure to achieve quality and satisfaction in each visit.
NUEVO BAZTÁN
To better understand Nuevo Baztán, it is best to start with its Interpretation Center. Here we will understand how this town originated, an enlightened urban and industrial initiative from the 18th century that welcomed foreign professionals, artists, workers, and managers.
The set of the Church of San Francisco Javier, annexed to the Palace of Goyeneche, is one of the highlighted elements, along with the urban layout of the population, organized in straight layouts and regular squares.
VILLAREJO DE SALVANÉS
In Villarejo de Salvanés, its Castle stands out, which is actually the Tower of Homage of the former Fortress of the Order of Santiago in this locality.
In Villarejo, we also find an interesting Cinema Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of cinematographic projectors in Europe.
COLMENAR DE OREJA
The Main Square of Colmenar de Oreja is one of the architectural gems of southeastern Madrid. It is built on a system of bridges and arches that elevate it above the Zacatín stream. The ‘Puente de Zacatín’ is known, built over the ravine that separated the Arab and Christian neighborhoods. Today, it is a tunnel that passes under the square and connects to the Jardines del Zacatín.
In this locality is the Ulpiano Checa Museum, which houses a large number of oils, watercolors, engravings, or illustrated books, as well as some reference works and a lot of varied documentation about the painter, one of the most valued at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.
CHINCHÓN
In Chinchón, its famous Main Square stands out, classified as one of the most beautiful in the world. In addition to being the local forum, it is one of the oldest bullfighting rings in Spain. The first bullfight held here dates back to 1502.
In the historic ensemble of Chinchón, the Castle of the Counts of Chinchón and the Convent of San Agustín, currently a Parador de Turismo, also stand out.
LOS MUSEOS ETNOGRÁFICOS
In addition to touring the streets of these Villas of Madrid, their monuments and emblematic buildings, the region offers different collections that show the ways of life in the past.
The Casa Cueva Museum, in Tielmes, is an old house excavated in the rock, rehabilitated in 2006 for its anthropological and historical value. It shows the appearance of these homes during their peak in the 1950s. The cave-house is a type of dwelling representative of an era throughout the Tajuña riverbank.
In Morata de Tajuña, the Milling Museum allows you to visit one of the old mills of the Tajuña, including machinery, elements, and milling tools, as well as explanatory panels about its operation process.
Finally, the ethnographic museum ‘La Posada’, in Chinchón, is a museum that recreates the customs and traditions of Chinchón, daily life at home, daily chores, with its utensils, tools, and machinery.
Nuevo Baztán, Villarejo de Salvanés, Colmenar de Oreja, and Chinchón, in addition to the mentioned ethnographic museums, are gems that beautify the Comarca de Las Vegas y Alcarria Madrileña and are within reach of any Madrilenian and visitor looking for a visit through the most authentic history and cultural heritage of Madrid. You can’t miss it…
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