A document dated August 5, 1648, mentions the name Santa Ana for the first time. Alongside this, visitors can choose between architecture, local traditions and the landscape of the municipality as different areas of interest when planning a trip. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, consider whether cultural history, local customs or a walk in the countryside should shape your stay.
Architectural History and Traces of the Past
Casa de los Pizarros is a heavily altered and poorly preserved masonry building dating from the 16th century. It is associated with the descendants of Francisco Pizarro. Its façade is notable for a round arch and a stone-carved coat of arms of the Pizarro family. The building’s condition and architectural details are equally part of this historical picture.
The Iglesia Parroquial is located in Plaza de Don Lorenzo Canelo. The building dates from the early 16th century, is in the Baroque style and has been altered several times since. The main chapel contains three 18th-century altars, including the Baroque high altar. Its construction date, style and furnishings each offer distinct clues to understanding the church.
Roman archaeological sites in the municipality, including Villarejo, represent an earlier historical period. Together with the later churches and houses, they show that Santa Ana’s history is not limited to a single era.
Dehesa and Walks Through the Landscape
The municipality lies on the Trujillo-Cáceres peneplain and has a flat landscape with gentle rises. Dehesa extends across the area, with holm oaks, cork oaks, rockroses and scrub shaping its vegetation. If you are choosing accommodation with the rural landscape in mind rather than architectural history, this offers another focus for planning your trip.
The Ruta de los Pozos de Santa Ana is known as a walk through a rural area with lush vegetation. Pozo La Fuente offers another historical perspective: according to local accounts, it is considered one of the settlement’s oldest wells and served the population as a source of drinking water. The landscape and the historic use of water thus stand side by side as different aspects of the municipality.
Traditions, Crafts and Events
Three looms are still preserved in Santa Ana, and work is still carried out on them for private customers. Items made include faja skirts, horse blankets, bedspreads, coats of arms and other pieces. Materials are displayed in the ethnographic classroom in Santa Ana. Traditional matanzas are also part of local customs; they are considered an old tradition that has been maintained for decades.
A regular event in the local calendar is the RomerĂa de Nuestra Señora de la Dehesa. It takes place on the third Saturday in May at the hermitage in the Dehesa Boyal, dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Dehesa. The celebration includes a tasting of typical Iberian products from the region and a pastry competition. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the date for your travel year.
On Shrove Tuesday, another local tradition features a cow figure made by young people from Santa Ana. It has a wooden frame with a cow-head skeleton and is carried by two young people. This custom differs clearly from the May event: it is tied to Shrove Tuesday and sits alongside the religious and culinary traditions of the RomerĂa.
Discover more destinations: Zarza De Granadilla, Trujillo, DescargamarĂa, Aldeanueva Del Camino, Carbajo, Robledillo De La Vera, Hinojal, AlcuĂ©scar
For the broader travel overview: Cáceres.
