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Villanueva de Sigena or Villanueva de Sijena is a town in the county of Los Monegros, in the northern province of Huesca, in Aragon (Spain). Located near the Alcanadre river, the local economy is primarily agricultural-based.
The Royal Monastery of Santa María de Sigena is located on the outskirts of town. Mount Sigena is a hill of the Sierra de Alcubierre located 5 km to the south.
Villanueva de Sigena is the birthplace of the physician and heterodox theologian, Michael Servetus (1511?–1553). Servetus was the discoverer of pulmonary circulation. A museum and interpretation center, maintained by the Michael Servetus Institute, is now located in the original house were Servetus was born.
Nearby there is the original settlement, based round the partially ruined, and once wealthy and aristocratic Romanesque convent of Santa María la Real de Sijena, founded in 1183 by Sancha of Castile, Queen of Aragon. This was largely destroyed by fire in 1936 by anti-clerical Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. It is now in the process of restoration, and has been reoccupied by nuns since 1985. Several royal burials were made in the convent church, including Sancha, who died there, her son Pedro II of Aragon and two of his sisters.
The chapter house housed extremely important Romanesque frescos of about 1200 by largely English artists, probably including some of those who produced the Winchester Bible; this was only realized after their destruction. The artists also appear to have visited Palermo before Sigena, as some influence from mosaics there can be seen. The frescos had been fully photographed in black and white shortly before their destruction, and the remaining damaged sections, mostly having lost their colour, are in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
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Where to eat
We don't have verified restaurants here yet, but the larder of Aragón already says a lot.
See the restaurants on the mapThere are no restaurants in this village. 3.5 km away you can find: Mapa Xxi Restaurante (Sena)
Up to 30 km around, according to OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps. No ratings or prices: call before you go.
61 restaurants
61 restaurants
Alcolea de Cinca · 10.3 km away+34 974 469 052View on the mapWebsite
Sariñena · 14.9 km away+34 974 570 037View on the mapWebsite
Sariñena · 15.2 km away+34 606 401 771View on the mapWebsite
Pueyo de Santa Cruz · 21 km away+34 974 405 150View on the map
Binaced · 21.3 km away+34 974 427 498View on the mapWebsite
Binaced · 21.5 km away+34 607 070 500View on the mapWebsite
Candasnos · 22.4 km away+34 974 463 310View on the mapWebsite
Data from OpenStreetMap (ODbL) and Overture Maps (CDLA-Permissive-2.0): what has been mapped with its name. If your restaurant is missing or you want to manage it, sign up as a professional.
For a coffee, a drink or a bite in the village.
Data from Overture Maps (CDLA-Permissive-2.0). No opening hours: call before you go.
What people eat in Aragón when they eat well.
PGI young lamb, roasted or grilled; the Aragonese feast-day dish.
Sausage cured in Pyrenean air; grilled or in a mid-morning sandwich.
A vegetable from the Ebro market gardens, humble and exquisite with a good oil.
With designation of origin, bagged one by one on the tree.
Almost every village has its market day and its producers: the cheesemaker, the baker, the vegetable garden next door. Ask at the tourist office or the bar on the square; they'll tell you where to buy straight from the maker.
We haven't confirmed Villanueva de Sigena's market day. Every village has its own: better to ask than to make it up.
Data from Overture Maps (CDLA-Permissive-2.0). No opening hours: call before you go.
