Cervera del Río Alhama is located in the southeastern corner of La Rioja, in a border territory with the province of Zaragoza that already has more to do with dinosaurs than with vineyards. And this is not a pejorative description: it is that very close is the prodigious site of Igea prehistoric reptile footprints that attracts many visitors interested in the large animals that inhabited the Earth before the fall of the great meteorite.
Cervera sits on a hill, so its streets rise easily and the backdrop of the town is some garnet-colored puff pastry rocks, the result of wear and tear caused by wind and water.
While wandering through Cervera, the profusion of shops and workshops (often both at the same time) dedicated to espadrilles is striking. And it is that this town of La Rioja has a great tradition in the manufacture of that comfortable footwear that is associated with good weather and summer walks.
Upon reaching Calle Mayor de Santa Ana, a sturdy building stands out from the rest. It was the Civil Guard headquarters until a few years ago. But now it is a rural hotel. The name and the claim that hangs in the corner also force us to pay attention: the accommodation is also a museum of the espadrille, and the silhouette of the sole of one of those shoes supports the label.
One can stay or not in the hotel, but it is worth entering the rooms that update the espadrille-making system: from the collection of hemp, the treatment of the fibers to obtain the thread and the processes known as crushing , swordd and raked. This is how the base material for the robust soles is obtained, through sewing and warping.
In a room located on the upper floor of the museum, some of the traditional utensils of that industry are exhibited. And if the visitor dares, he can try to make one himself. You don’t have to be a fortune teller to anticipate that the result will not be the same as that of skilled craftsmen, but some blister or callus may remain as a souvenir of handling the enormous sewing needle.
Once the world of the creation of espadrilles has been discovered, Cervera del Río Alhama demands a tour to discover its three temples. The church of Santa Ana, patron saint of the town, is in the center. A carving of the woman who, according to Christian tradition, was the mother of the Virgin presides over the main altar. In addition, a magnificent organ is preserved in the choir.
San Gil is the protagonist of the following temple, a mixture of Gothic and Mudejar that speaks of the times when the Muslim influence in this land on the Rioja border was very powerful. It is located to the northeast of the town, crossing the Alhama river and the San Gil arch.
The biggest surprise, however, could be for the traveler when entering the nearby hermitage of the Virgen del Monte, with a main image framed in a sky-blue painted niche that causes the optical effect that it is gravitating. It is a sensation that is obtained through a simple lighting technique. You have to pay attention, above all, to the army of musical angels that lodge somewhat uncomfortably between the ribs of the vault. These are frescoes that show a good musical band, holding all kinds of instruments. It would not be rash to venture that they play “like angels”.
Cervera del Río Alhama is located 50 kilometers from Calahorra, the city of reference. You can easily get there in less than an hour following the N-232 road.
