Quemada is found 10 Km to the west of Aranda de Duero, in the confluence of the River Aranzuelo and the River Arandilla. Today, the cultivation of cereal and beetroot make up the economic foundation of the area together with the wine culture.
Amongst its historical heritage we should mention the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It has a tower from the XIII century and inside we can find a figure of Christ from the XIV century and a polychrome image of the Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus that dates back to the XVI century.
It is also worth visiting the chapel of San Roque for its religious architecture and the Roman Bridge is an notable civil structure.
Why is the Village called Quemada? (QUEMADA MEANS BURNT)
This old name, cited in documents of La Vid Monastery, represents an enigma for historians: its meaning is clear, that the word indicates that “something” was set on fire: maybe it was a house, a church, livestock, a person… and then come the questions: why and when? If it was the village, what was it called before it was set on fire?
A historian has come up with a hypothesis. The general repopulation from the right-hand shore of the River Duero began to take place with the departure of the three Castilian Counts (912), but for almost one century, life was difficult in Ribera del Duero. The departures and retreats of Moors and Christians ferociously destroyed the repopulation. It is described as the great aceifa (Saracen military expedition that was done in summer) of the Caliph Abderramán III, in 934, which destroyed vineyards and set fire to Castilian settlements. Quemada could be one of these villages and when rebuilt it was named ‘Quemada’.
With peace established, Quemada organized its life within the outlying area of Clunia and the county of Santo Domingo de Silos. The cultivation of its land operates in the limited specialties of cereal, wine and sheep farming. It breathes the Castilian style of life, next to Aranda, which since having the passage over the Duero, in the axis of the path of Old Castile to New Castile; it grew in political and economic power.
The village has known various judicial situations. For example, in the XIV century, Quemada was the family seat of the Martínez Leiva family and in the XVI century, a lordly regime. Obviously, in modern times, it has turned in the orbit of the judicial district of Aranda.
Routes to carry out
This country cottage is located in the unique village of Quemada (quemada is the Spanish word for burnt), the Ribera del Duero country cottage is in vine fields and is surrounded by underground wine cellars.