Villamayor de Monjardin

Villamayor de Monjardin is a commune located at the north of the Spain, comarca of “Tierra Estella” (Lizarrerria), in the autonomous Communauté of Navarre.

Population: 132 inhabitants in 2004.

Geography

To 675 m of altitude. Crossed by Rios Bueno and Salado.
To 11 km in the south-east of Estella.

History

Monjardin was an impregnable fortress of the Banu Qasi (Visigoths converted with the Islam).
The castle of Monjardin, which dominates Villàmayor, was called initially San Estebàn de Deyo and took the name the conical height on which it was built in XIe century, after Sancho Garcés Ier had taken to the Moors this position already mentioned into 833 in their chroniques.
In 1060, king Sancho de Peñalba yielded this place to the monastery of Irache, which preserved it nine centuries, until the law of desamortizacion.
Two components of its toponym, and the fact of not appearing in documentation before XIIIe century, make it possible to think that its foundation or repopulation was due to the king Sanche VII Strong the end of XIIe siècle.
It modified its noun on February 18th, 1908, after agreement of “Real Sociedad Geográfica”, the Villa of Villamayor was called Villa Maior.

Culture and inheritance

The Pilgrimage of Compostelle

On the Camino frances of the Pilgrimage of Saint-Jacques-to-Compostelle.
One comes from the Monastère Santa Maria Real d' Irache, the next commune is Los Arcos, the church Santa Maria.

In the Chronic of the Pseudo-Turpin, Monjardin was the theater of a battle between Charlemagne and the Navarrese troops.

Monk

The primitive medieval church of Ayegui, XIIe century, is drawn up at the top of the hill where passed the primitive way.

the church San Andrés , Romance of XIIe century, with single nave and semicircular bedside with a tower baroque of the XVIIe siècle.
The two capitals historié of the Romance gate represent, a Virgin with the Child and the other puts in scene the combat of Roland and Ferragut.
In the sacristy, the processional cross of Monjardin of XIIIe siècle.

Civilians

Fuente of los Moros.
The fountain of the Moors, right before Villàmayor, is a Gothic little marvel. Its carved opening gives only one modest idea of the deep cistern where one goes down by many and stiff steps. Water remains fresh there, even in summer, and a trout swims there, guaranteed cleanliness.

Bonds

Camino frances

Situation

Random links: