After the occupation of Talavera de la Reina by Alfonso VI in 1085, the practically deserted territory south of the Tague was repopulated following its abandonment by the Berber tropos from the nearby Hispano-Muslim town of Vascos. Pioneers came to the Jara región, mostly beekeepers and cattle owners from Talavera who settled in the villages which depended on said town.
In the 14th century, Alfonso XI must have frequently come to these lands, because the Las Estrella mountain range appears in his Book of the Hunt as the “Royal Mountainâ€. The remains of lordly house belonging to the Knights of Calatrava can still be seen, on whose façade is the cross of this military order. Another great cross can be found inside the church itself. There was a hospital in the town which no doubt housed many of the pilgrims on their way to Guadalupe.
MONUMENTOS
Parish Churhc of the Virgen Asunción:
The main parish of this part of La Jara used to be in the deserted area of Santiago de Zarzuela but, once the church fell into ruins and the place was depopulated, the church of La Estrella became the main one. Up to twelve Jara churches came to depend on it, under the advocation of Santa MarÃa de los Villares. Nowadays the church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. It was built in the 16th century, and has three naves divided by three pairs of pillars with simple capitals in five equal stretches and a sixth shorter stretch. The main chapel is covered by an octagonal vault with star-shape late Mudejar tracery, whereas the naves are covered in simple panelling. The choir is supported by three basket-handle arches. Both façades are Plateresque and of some quality. The north façade is preceded by a modern gabled hallway on pillars decorated with roses and shell-shaped alcoves at the top. The south or “Sun†façade is semi-circular and has a pediment, as well as a coat of arms inside and decorated voussoirs. The windos and ledges are transitional, halfway between the Gothic and the Renaissance. The tower has two bodies and is adjoined to the footboard with pearl ornamentation. The image of Our Lady of the Assumption is the work of Nicolás Soria Tirado, a pupil of Benlliure.
16th-century Bridge:
Downriver from the ravine that comes all the way from Talavera there is a granite bridge built by the Talavera council in the 16th century to allow the cattle that would come down to Extremaduran pastures to cross the river Huso.
“La Puenteâ€:
Some 3 km away to the East of the town centre, along the Carrascalejo track, is the spot known as "La Puente". It is so called because a handsome, cobbled, medieval-looking bridge crosses the Anguilucha stream there. Upriver and downriver from the bridge are two wells with laundry tubs.
Cerro Búha:
Búha, where there used to be a mine, is the steepest hill. The shape of the hill as well as the mining cave have led folk imagination to see an ancient volcano in the top of this hill.
Cerro Cabeza del Conde:
Another interesting landscape is Cabeza del Conde, a granite height with large stone boulders at the top where Copper Age peoples once took refuge, as well as, later on, medieval fugitives, bandits, and, more recently, maquis. Some five hundred metres downriver from Cabeza del Conde are the ruins of an old mil, which can be visited.
FESTIVITIES
Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
15th August.
Scheduled events for these festivities are: folklore festivals, dances, popular poetry contests, children’s games, cultural activities, as well as the traditional pig slaughtering.
“La Candelaâ€
On the Wednesday following the Holy Week.
On this this day there takes place a procession with decorated candles, which meets the La Nava procession halfway, in commemoration of the occasion in which both La Nava and the neighbouring village of Fuentes were rid of a locust plague by pledging themselves to the Virgen del Amor de Dios.
Feast of Virgen de las Nieves
5th and 6th August.
In commemoration of a snowfall that took place in the middle of the summer.
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