Tricio brings together Roman and Christian history through tangible buildings and finds. The Basílica de Santa María de los Arcos began as a 3rd-century Roman mausoleum and was converted into a Christian basilica in the 5th century. Pottery workshops and ceramics from Tritium Magallum offer another perspective on the town’s Roman past.

The Basílica de Santa María de los Arcos

The basilica’s longitudinal floor plan comprises three naves. Arcades separate the side aisles; they rest on Corinthian columns made from fragments of 1st-century Roman columns. Large reused columns also come from a monumental temple built around the 2nd century. Architectural elements from different periods of Roman history thus stand alongside the building’s later Christian use.

Several periods are also represented beneath the floor: there are early Christian tombs from the 5th and 6th centuries, reused Roman sarcophagi, medieval burials, and Roman and early Christian funerary stelae. Its origins as a mausoleum, its conversion into a basilica, and the later burials illustrate different stages in the town’s history in a single building.

Tritium Magallum and Terra Sigillata

Tritium Magallum, the Roman predecessor settlement of Tricio, was a pottery-making center. Roman pottery workshops produced red ceramics whose bases were stamped with the potter’s name. These vessels are therefore called Terra Sigillata. From this pottery center, they spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Excavations in Tricio and on the Arcos site also documented pre-Roman remains beneath Tricio Hill. How the early settlement should be classified remains uncertain among researchers. The archaeological traces therefore extend beyond Roman history, although the early settlement history cannot be established conclusively.

Churches, Art, and Local Symbols

The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Arcos was designated a national historic-artistic monument by Royal Decree 788/1978 of 30 March 1978. The parish church in Tricio houses the original Virgen de Arcos: a pre-Romanesque Black Madonna from the 11th century.

The Iglesia parroquial de San Miguel is a late Gothic parish church from the 15th century. It houses the mausoleum of Celedón Pardo y Agüero, personal physician to Philip IV. A tile with a snail motif above the clock of the Iglesia de San Miguel is regarded as a symbol of the municipality of Tricio. These three sites each have a distinct focus: the monument, the pre-Romanesque Marian statue, and the late Gothic church with its mausoleum and local symbol.

Nature and Festivities

One natural highlight is the Álamo de la Fuente, a protected white poplar (Populus alba) in Tricio that has been designated as particularly notable. Its age is estimated at around 105 years. Its size and aesthetic value account for its special designation.

Local festivities include a traditional donkey race. The San Bartolomé celebrations on 24 August include the Festival del Caracol, with tastings and snail races. If you would like to plan your trip around the festivities, check the dates and programme in advance.

Plan Your Visit

The Basílica de Santa María de los Arcos is open on weekends; visits must be arranged in advance by telephone. Check the visitor arrangements and confirm your appointment before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Galilea, San Vicente De La Sonsierra, Calahorra, Azofra, San Román De Cameros, Enciso, Navarrete, Hornos de Moncalvillo.

For the regional travel overview: La Rioja.