Villaviciosa de Córdoba

Villaviciosa is located in Sierra Morena, surrounded by pine forests and vineyards, to the northwest of Córdoba capital. In these parts abound species such as deer and wild boar, being frequent the organization of hunting. The visitor can find in its huge landscapes of incomparable attractive, perfect for hiking and holidays in contact with nature. In this respect, the road that links Villaviciosa with Posadas offers the stranger the contemplation of such picturesque places as La Chorrera del Orejón, the Barranco de la Mula or Los Sillones.

A Marian devotion, the one of Nuestra Señora de Villaviciosa, with deep roots in the heart of the people from Córdoba, came into the name of this town. Precisely the great devotion to this Virgin (originally from Portugal), will determine the creation of the present town -at around the XV century - near the chapel.

We can find its first time of peak in the influx of people from the villages of Nava- Fernando, Valdesénico and Navaserrano. For now its dependence from Espiel is very large.

In the XVII century, Cardinal Pedro de Salazar, bishop of Córdoba, proceeded to create a parish church in Villaviciosa and separate it from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Espiel.
Jurisdictional independence will come when in 1776 Carlos III granted it the title of town, separated from the jurisdiction of Espiel.

Natural Park Sierra de Hornachuelos

Monuments

Chapel of Nuestra Señora de Villaviciosa (XVIII century).

Parish Church of San José (XIX century).

Chapel of San Isidro (1960).

Juego de Cruz y Candeleros (by Sánchez de Soto, 1801).

Custodia barroca (XVIII century, by Damián de Castro).

San Judas Tadeo (sculpture from the XVII century).

Civilian Architecture

La Tercia: Building from the XVIII century, declared of cultural interest.
La Escribana: Building from the same time that has been renovated as an Institute, keeping its peculiarities.

Archaeological Sites

Ruins of the castle Cabeza de la Vaca.

Caliph bridge over the River Guadiato.

Ruins of the Castle de Nevado.

Town Planning

Calle Córdoba.

Pozo Grande Square.

Juanito Maravillas Square.

Gastronomy

The gastronomy, as always, has been an important point in the characteristic culture of each town. In Villaviciosa, gastronomy has traditionally been based on typical products since ancient times, such as wheat, olives or grapes.

The cookery of this town had the characteristics of its environment, the use of agricultural products typical of the Sierra Morena, which although they are not prolific by ground conditions, were varied, both the cultivated as collected from scrubland. Without naming the traditional cuisine as poor, basically the old dishes were typical of rural people with the exception of some parties, in which a certain "wealth" and variety of pots and flooded homes.

Nowadays, although some preparations have been lost, but it still retains most of the cuisine of our town through our elders. The youth must keep this gastronomy, because it constitutes an important value in the culture and history of this town. With these notes, we wanted to make a compilation of that food, for youth, to read, understand the importance for Villaviciosa, since it involves a long cultural and anthropological and would be a shame to lose part of the town's history and life of its people over the years.

How to get there

You have to exit Córdoba, take E-5 / A-4 towards: Madrid. Take the exit towards: Salida 399 - CO-31-Centre Ciudad-Alcolea-Badajoz. Continue: N-432 towards: Córdoba (Norte) - Espiel-Badajoz. Passing near El Vacar. Turn left: A-433 and continue until you get Villaviciosa de Córdoba.

Distances