

The Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Fuente consists of a complex of buildings dominated by the Upper Hermitage. Attached to the hermitage is a cloister surrounded by buildings that today house a hostelry, the Tourist Office and the Interpretation Centre of Porcine Farming. Outside this enclosure, linked to it by two access points, stands the Lower Hermitage, in Baroque style, with a portico at the east end from which a fifteen-spout fountain springs. This first structure suffered serious damage from river flooding, and in 1341 the Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Fuente was founded to build a new hermitage further up — the current Gothic hermitage. As the flow of pilgrims and visitors grew, in the 16th century it was decided to build an adjoining hostelry and a new Lower Hermitage, with walls to protect it from the river. It is worth noting that this latter work was not completed until the end of the 18th century, at which point the new hermitage took over from the earlier one for religious services. The Upper Hermitage is the oldest surviving building in the Sanctuary. Its construction began in 1341, after the original hermitage — built the previous century on lower ground — was damaged by flooding. The preserved Gothic decoration is of great richness. On the capitals of the archivolts of the doorway, a continuous frieze depicts numerous scenes from the New Testament; on the left side: the Wedding at Cana, the Annunciation to the Shepherds, the Presentation in the Temple, the Flight into Egypt and the Dream of Joseph; and on the right: Jesus on the Cross, the Healing of the Woman with the Issue of Blood and the Adoration of the Magi. The figures flanking the Virgin who crowns the arch most likely represent members of the Order of Calatrava, which governed the town. The coffered ceiling is one of the most impressive examples of Aragonese Mudéjar woodwork. Its noteworthy decoration features the Cross of Calatrava and other heraldic motifs accompanied by stylistically simple human faces. The Mudéjar ceiling covering the five bays of the nave displays a different arrangement in the first two bays at the head than in the final three. This space can be visited throughout the year.