Concilio brings together the history of religious architecture, artworks associated with the area, and routes through the landscape of the Reino de los Mallos. This offers several different ways to plan a trip: the design of individual church interiors, the origins and present location of artworks, and a hiking section with a geological focus.
Church Architecture and Art
The Iglesia de Santa María has an apse with a slightly pointed barrel vault. A pointed arch also separates it from the nave, whose wooden structure is supported by pointed arches. A barrel vault is a lengthwise vault form; the apse forms the end of the church interior. This makes it possible to distinguish the shape of the vault, the transitional arch, and the supporting wooden structure as separate elements.
The hermitage of Santa María, also known as Virgen de Concilio, was declared a National Monument in 1931. The Pajar de Chorra contains a Mozarabic arch. The year adds a historical reference point to the architectural details; the arch identifies a specific architectural form.
The Retablo de Concilio comes from the Iglesia de la Asunción in Concilio and is now housed in the Museo Diocesano de Jaca. The wall paintings from Santa María de Concilio were also transferred to this museum. The altarpiece’s place of origin therefore differs from its present location. This distinction helps separate an artwork’s local origins from its current museum collection.
Landscape and Routes
Concilio lies on the left bank of the Río Gállego, beside an age-old oak forest, with the Mallos de Riglos as its scenic backdrop. These details describe different points of reference: the village’s riverside location, its immediate surroundings, and the background. The landscape setting thus extends from the riverbank to the Mallos as a backdrop.
On a hiking section of the Tren Geológico del Prepirineo from Concilio to Riglos, visitors can trace the formation of the Mallos. A description dated 20 August 2021 mentions this section. Before travelling, check whether the seasonal service operates during your chosen dates. Its geological focus distinguishes this section from a route that mainly describes a sequence of places.
The “Reino de los Mallos y valle de La Peña” route runs from Ayerbe through Concilio to Riglos, following the Río Gállego through the landscape of the Reino de los Mallos. It offers a different way to orient yourself from the hiking section: here, the Ayerbe–Concilio–Riglos sequence is the focus, whereas the Tren Geológico del Prepirineo is about the formation of the Mallos. This makes it possible to see a geology-focused hike and a named sequence of places as different ways of experiencing the area.
When looking for a holiday rental in Concilio, you can use these themes to guide your choice: are you most interested in architectural styles, artworks now housed in Jaca, or the hiking section to Riglos?
For the main travel overview: Murillo De Gállego.
