Villamesías
ON THE ROYAL ROAD FROM MADRID TO LISBON
Today Autovía de Extremadura or Autovía del Oeste. Formerly National V, Camino Real, Calzada Romana… Being on the road was a sign of identity for Villamesías,
today seeks its future between pure Nature and a well-preserved tradition
On the axis of Extremadura
The new roads have distanced the population from the comings and goings of travelers, today thousands of vehicles of all types travel along the highway. Seville, Badajoz, Lisbon, Madrid form a corridor closely connected to other important routes, such as the Silver Route.
The new isolation has the advantage of a quiet and well-connected environment. Thus, the songs of the birds, the whispering of the wind and the talk of the neighbors with the usual sounds in Villamesías. The old Nacional V remains as a reminder of other times, along its route we have a good number of local attractions. The House of the Inquisition, some palatial houses, stores, the cafeteria,
parks, the lagoon.
and wild nature
Traditional agricultural and livestock farming practices have allowed for unparalleled ecosystem conservation. The depopulation of the countryside has favored the proliferation of wild plants and animals that dominate the environment.
This is how they celebrate the Wild Products Day. It is Holy Saturday, it began as an excuse for the meeting of so many countrymen who come to the village during Holy Week. But it is already taking a package that makes it a reference among the options of leisure and culture for those days. There have been more than sixteen editions and more and more people are participating. There are hundreds of hikers and thousands who come to Villamesías. A route is usually made to identify and, in some cases, collect various wild fruits in the field.
Springtime favors the presence of numerous species, very attractive to the population and essential for the preparation of delicious recipes where they are the stars.
the territory
Researchers of all times have set their eyes on Villamesías. Such is the abundance of remains in all historical periods that it is difficult to describe so much for a small population. But we are in the Road Center of Extremadura, a step away from many ways of understanding this land.
TRACES OF ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
But the remains lead us to moments of ancient megaliths, menhirs,
dolmens, rock altars, sacred stones… The presence, above, is overwhelming. Some sites have been excavated, but the vast majority are forgotten or plundered by treasure hunters. The Roman presence is even more intense. Up to 53 registrations
distributed throughout the municipality. In the same village we can easily find a dozen of them on the floors, walls, doors or simply on the ground of any plot of land. Not without reason, many historians place here a Roman mansion called Lacipea.
in the old burdalo
Villamesias was formerly called Búrdalo, after the river that flows nearby. In 1634, King Philip IV sold the village of Búrdalo to Mr. Alonso de Mesía de Prado, Knight of the Order of
Santiago, native of Trujillo and neighbor of the city of Mérida, from whose date it is a manor town, changing its name to Villa de Messia, with the passing of the years Villa de Villamessia, until reaching the name it has today.
It was also a lordship of the Counts of Corbos, granted by Ferdinand VI on July 4, 1752 to Mr. Baltasar Mesia y de Vargas. In 1769 the lord of the village is Mr. Domingo Gil Bravo. Years
Later it passed into the hands of the Bulnes family, until 1837, when the lordships were abolished in Spain. The coat of arms of this family is still preserved on the facade of the house where they lived.
