Cabezón de la Sal - Cantabria en 4K

In the Central Coast region of Cantabria lies Cabezón de la Sal, nestled within the unique natural landscape of the Hoz de Santa Lucía gorge, which cuts through the Sierra del Escudo de Cabuérniga mountain range, making it a stop on the Foramontanos Route. As the capital of the Saja-Nansa region, it played a significant role in Cantabria's history as a defensive stronghold. Its name derives from the main activity carried out there for centuries, dating back to Roman times: salt extraction. This involved injecting large quantities of water into the ground to draw the mineral from the subsoil. The collected salt was then heated over a fire to evaporate and settle. Subsidence caused by the underground tunnels of the old saltworks forced the closure of this industry in 1979, leaving virtually no trace of it. Many buildings from this prosperous period now form a prominent part of the town's historical and artistic heritage. With important livestock fairs, it boasts significant industrial activity in the textile and furniture sectors, and offers a pleasant environment to enjoy its streets, monuments, rich gastronomy, and festivals. The most prominent is "Cantabria Day," followed by the feast of Our Lady of the Fields and Saint Martin on August 13th. According to local tradition, the image of Our Lady of the Fields was discovered by a bull's horns in a drinking trough, leading to her being adopted as the patron saint of Cabezón de la Sal. The Church of Saint Martin is in the Baroque-Montañés style and was built in the 18th century. The south portico features an entrance with a semicircular archway, above which is a tympanum and a central niche containing the image of the Saint. The north portico shares the same structure. The interior has three naves and a vaulted ceiling with intricate ribs. Its main altarpiece, divided into three sections, features a sculpture of Saint Martin in the central section. In the side aisles are two altarpieces, one dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the other to Our Lady of the Rosary. There is also a chapel dedicated to the town's patron saint. The Conde de San Diego Park features a stately home dating from 1901, built according to plans by the renowned architect Salaberri for Don Eugenio Gutiérrez González, Count of San Diego, physician to the Royal Chamber and member of the Royal Academy of Medicine. It is not a typical mountain house; rather, it was designed with a focus on functionality and relaxation in a Central European style, and it became a regular summer destination for the King and Queen and their Infantas. Donated to the town by the Counts in 1981, the property now hosts cultural activities, exhibitions, painting workshops, and lectures. The estate is a municipal park with a bowling alley and a variety of interesting imported tree species. Cabezón de la Sal boasts a rich historical heritage, from the prehistoric site of Cabrojo to buildings such as the Monasterios tower-palace in Casar, the 18th-century Bodega Palace, the Huerta de la Jovita, an 18th-century mountain manor house, and the Carrejo Palace-House, which now houses the Cantabria Nature Museum. It is also home to the Monte Cabezón Sequoia Protected Natural Area, declared a Natural Monument, a fantastic place in the heart of nature where sunlight barely penetrates due to the immense size of the sequoia trees. In addition, there is a Cantabrian village recreating a hill fort, complete with huts from different periods, household items, farming implements, clothing, and weapons from the Bronze Age. Other attractions include sports such as paragliding, mountain biking, mountaineering, hiking, and cycle touring, thanks to the variety of paths and trails in the area. Cabezón de la Sal is a capital of small towns dependent on its municipal area within the largest natural park in Cantabria and the best for Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente.