Off the beaten track in Andalucia - Osuna

 Sunday evening

Towards evening we venture out. It’s spitting with rain and there’s nobody around but we walk along Calle Sevilla, admiring the various palacios, as far as Plaza Mayor and the Casino. We venture in, but there are lots of people chatting, drinking, relaxing on a Sunday so we just have a quick look around and then continue along the main road as far as the start of Calle Pedro. Calle Pedro has been described as one of the most beautiful roads, if not the most beautiful road in Europe, and justly so. The rain increases so we scurry home, we’ll visit Osuna the next day.

Monday

It rains during the night but finally lessens in the morning so we venture out at about ten to go to El Coto Las Canteras by car. This is in the area of the old quarries and our first step when we get out of the car is to walk around the area. There are fine views across the countryside, and of Osuna and the Zona monumental below especially from the Mirador las Canteras.

Exhausted that, we decide to pay the 4 euros and go in. There is some controversy about the place with people complaining it’s not ancient history and therefore not worthy of a visit. I disagree. It’s obviously not ancient and nobody is pretending it is. What it is, is an intelligent form of’recycling and beautifying a quarry area which would probably be abandoned and an eyesore otherwise. The quarry was used to get the ochre coloured sandstone with which most of Osuna was built. During the 1960s, the quarry was abandoned. In 1999 it was bought by Jesus Ramos who decide to restore the area and open it to the public. Between 2004 and 2006 the local stonecarver Francisco Valdivia Gomez carved the images, based on Iberian history, both inside and outside the enormous area used as an auditorium, the largest in the whole of Spain. 

So what’s the verdict? It makes for an interesting hour or so, is unlike anything I’ve seen before and yes, it was worth the money. On the way back to the apartment we stop at Mercadona for Langostine and some small plaice-like fish for lunch. After lunch, during which it rains again, the sky brightens and we head back out to explore Osuna itself.

We walk along Calle Pedro first admiring the facades in particular of the Palacio de los Cepeda and Palacio del Marques de la Gomera which hosts the hotel of the same name where we didn’t stay. We have a look at the patio and small chapel which are open to the public. The other most spectacular palacio is Cilla del Cabildo. But there are lots of splendid facades in Osuna, including Palacio de los Ceoeda in Calle de la Huerta and Palacio de Givantes y herdara in Calle Sevilla, another calle which almost rivals Calle Pedro, especially with the view of the Collegiate church on the hill behind it. From calle Pedro we make our way up one of the narrow streets. All of the streets of Osuna are beautiful. It’s a small town of just 18000 inhabitants and nobody has ruined it, the houses all have the same style, the square bow windows with bars and wood grills to protect from nosy eyes, two or at the most three stories, white, ochre, wood doors which open to reveal internal patios or halls half tiled with azulejos.

On the way up we go past the church of the Merced with its beautiful tower and come out at the top of the hill where there’s the Collegiate church of the Asuncion, Monastero de la Encarnacion which are both closed and the Antigua Universidad which is most unusual, with its square shape and four coloured towers, and is open because it’s Monday and is now once again used for University activities. We look at the patio and some frescoes in the entrance hall  and get a glimpse through the glass at the top of the door of those in Sala de los profesores.

I knew the Collegiata would be closed because it’s Monday, but I’m a little disappointed that the area in front of the church from where there should be a fantastic view of Osuna also seems to be permanently closed to the public. I wonder why. Dark clouds and glimpses of sun and blue sky are alternating so we go back down the hill to the Casino. This time it’s quiet, hardly anyone there, so we ask permission, because the Casino is a cultural ‘club’ only open to members in theory, and sit at the front from where there’s a fantastic view right onto Plaza Mayor, to drink a very reasonably priced cafè, cafè con leche and a slice of tarta comadre, with almonds, which is typical of Osuna. We need to drag ourselves away, it’s so very pleasant sitting there in the elegantly old-fashioned green upholstered armchairs, walls half tiled with azulejos to watch the world going by in Plaza Mayor, the trees almost flowering for spring, as the last rays of the sun slant in through the glass warming us and reminding us what the sun of Andalucia is really capable of.

After picking up something which we had left at home but were able to buy from Amazon and get delivered, we have a last look at Calle Pedro before heading back home, via Mercadona, because Andrea is without wine. I love Osuna!