We decided to spend a morning in Sanguesa1 on market day because I was hoping to find another jersey – it is rather chilly now! We were installed in the Parador of Sos del Rey Catolico, and Sanguesa is just a short hop from there. The original town, Sanguesa le Vieja, was situated in present-day Rocaforte, on the hill above today’s town, and moved down to the river when the town started expanding in the 13th century. So, Sanguesa is a very old town, on the Aragon River, and an important stop on the Camino which passes through the town. The Romans were in the area (they were very active in this part of Spain), and it was important in the fight against the Moors.
The Church of Santa Maria la Real
We visited the Church in the past, and I wrote about it at some length so rather than repeat myself do look at the post. What is new is a ‘chapel celebrating Saint Carlo Acutis. On 11 October 2026, only twelve days before we visited, a relic of the saint was placed in the church. A special day of celebrations marked its arrival. The young man died in 2006 of leukaemia and is “recognized for his devotion to the Eucharist and his use of technology to document Eucharistic miracles.”2
Pope Leo XIV canonised Carlo Acutis on 7 September 2025, because of his personal behaviour, and because of two miracles attributed to him. He was certainly a very unusual young man.3
Calle Mayor
The Calle Mayor is a busy street, with lots of shops, but also many grand mansions. The ground floors are stone, and the huge, overhanging, carved wooden eaves are very striking. I believe they are known as ‘coffered’ ceilings.
Monastery of St Francis
The monastery dates from the 13th century and, according to local legend, St Francis of Assisi founded it on his return from Santiago de Compostela. At one point there were four monasteries/convents in Sanguesa, but only St Francis and the Convent of Carmen still remain. Sanguesa was an important stop on the Camino and the pilgrims would have needed shelter, and probably care. Most of the religious establishments disappeared under Mendizabal in the 1800s.
The Capuchin Friars inhabit St Francis today, following the rule of St Francis. Sadly, the church was only open for a few minutes after a service and there was no access to the cloister, although I found a picture on the internet.
River Aragon
After coffee, it was time for a walk along the Aragon River which we had first encountered in Jaca, and of course we had followed its course when we travelled from Jaca to Sos. The roads parallel to the Calle Mayor showed a different face of Sanguesa; some buildings were broken, and homes were much more modest. We also walked through a modern development, with its own paseo.
Church of San Adrian Valdoluengo
About 2 kms outside Sanguesa this Romanesque church hides in the trees next to the road. It overlooks what was once a ford over the River Aragon, although this is hard to imagine – there was quite a lot of water in the river even at the end of a dry season. The church was commissioned by Fortún Garcés Cajal and consecrated in 1141. Today, it seems to be privately owned, perhaps by the inhabitants of the carefully restored Manor House next to the church.[efn_notr]https://www.arteguias.com/ermita/ermitasanadrianvadoluengo.htm[/efn_note]
It was a good morning in Sanguesa and, as always we learned something new, and saw new sights.
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