Muñana lies in the Valle Amblés at the foot of the Sierra de Ávila. In the town centre stands the Iglesia de San Esteban Protomártir; the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Zarza is next to the old cemetery. Muñana is also home to several houses of traditional architecture with small canopies on their façades. These buildings give the town a distinct architectural focus: the parish church can be explored through its choir, buttresses, portal and altar, and the ermita through its layout and sheltered entrance.
San Esteban: Portal and Altar from Different Centuries
The projecting choir of the Iglesia de San Esteban Protomártir is reinforced by prismatic buttresses. These angular supports structure the exterior and also serve a structural function. The entrance portal dates from the second half of the 16th century. The main altar marks a different period: dating from the 18th century, it is crowned by a Calvary scene and is the work of Miguel Martínez de Quintana, a draughtsman from Salamanca. The portal and main altar therefore point to different periods in the church’s history.
The Ermita de la Zarza: Layout and Entrance
The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Zarza has a rectangular layout and a small bell gable at its base. Its entrance consists of a round-arched portal sheltered by a porch supported by three stone columns. Compared with the parish church, the focus here is on the layout and sheltered entrance, while San Esteban is defined by its projecting choir and buttresses. A religious tradition is also associated with the ermita: on the feast day, the image is carried in procession from there to the parish church. If you would like to include the procession in your trip, check the date in advance.
Experience Muñana’s Landscape
For regional context, the official one-day cultural route “Ruta por el Valle Amblés. Ávila - Villatoro - Ávila” is a good option. It passes through the Valle Amblés and the Sierra de Ávila, including Muñana. Along the route, it returns to Muñana and then heads north on the AV-120 towards San Juan del Olmo. A road starting in Muñana leads to the Ermita de las Fuentes and San Juan del Olmo; it connects the Valle Amblés with the towns on the northern slope of the Sierra de Ávila. In addition to the town’s buildings, this provides regional context through a one-day cultural route and a named road connection.
September Programme and Regional Products
The Grandes Ferias of Muñana are an annual September programme. They include the XXXVI Feria de Maquinaria Agrícola, Ganadera y Automoción, the XXII Feria Agroalimentaria and the V Feria de Ganado. For some editions, 20, 21 and 22 September are listed as event days; dates and programme details may change. Therefore, if you are planning a trip around the fairs, check that year’s programme before travelling.
There are also different aspects to the local food scene. Several businesses in Muñana produce cured meats and meat products and offer direct sales. At a fair in Muñana in 2017, the Ávila Auténtica brand’s stand showcased quality products from the province: cured meats, cheese, pasta, pulses, honey and beer. This was a trade fair display featuring a wide range of products; direct sales in Muñana, by contrast, are offered by local producers of meat products and cured meats.
Discover more destinations: Piedralaves, Hoyorredondo, Crespos, Gilbuena, Pozanco, San Bartolomé de Tormes, La Angostura, Solosancho.
For the broader travel overview: Ávila.
