Hermit Caves

Archaeological research and the bibliography on eremitism allow us to date these rock-hewn structures, known as artificial caves, to the 6th and 7th centuries. We find a population in search of perfection through withdrawal and solitude, in dwellings carved into the rock, in hidden and hard-to-reach places. In Valdegovía, a total of eighteen have been recorded, distributed across the sites of Barrio, Corro, Pinedo, Valpuesta, Tobillas, Quejo and Villanueva de Valdegovía. They served as both dwellings and temples for communities of hermits who opposed the ostentation of the church at that time.

Corro. Worship of Saint John was maintained here until the 18th century, although liturgical use was not its only function: it also served as a cemetery, a refuge for nomads... It is located in the area known as Solapeña. Its interior was cut with picks and reaches up to nine metres. In the first cave, the ceiling is vaulted with ribs carved into the rock; it has two windows and a small niche. Inside, graves were dug into the floor for the hermits who lived there. The second cave has two entrances and a window.

Pinedo. At the upper level, two anthropomorphic tombs can be seen. On the lower level are the two chambers used as a temple, connected by an arch in the central part, although with separate entrance doors. In the left-hand chamber there is a shelf-like seat preserved for following the liturgy. The right-hand one has a square plan and a two-step staircase leading to the other chambers. There is also a niche which would have housed an image of Saint James. Nearby are single-chamber structures that the hermits used as living quarters.