Fermoselle

Fermoselle is a very small medieval village located in the province of Zamora, western Spain, part of the region of Castile & Leon. This beautifully preserved and historic medieval village is located in the southwest region of the province and has presently a population of 1499 people.

The village of Fermoselle, which dates back more than 2,000 years to pre Roman times, has been miraculously preserved throughout the ages. It is the birthplace to Juan de Fermoselle (popularly called "Juan de La Encina"), considered the father of Spanish Theatre by Oxford University. At over 700 meters (2,310 feet) above sea level and abutting the Duero River from atop a beautiful green expansive terrain, the village ends at the edge of the gargantuan heights--formed by the sombering Arribes Cliffs--as its natural balcony overlooking the enormous deep virgin environment hosted at the bottom in tranquil solitude by the impressive beauty of the Duero river´s gorge. Fermoselle enjoys a privileged location and an outstanding microclimate, created by the Duero River, which carved-out over millions of years--only at this unique location of its confluence--a monumental green canyon expanding 163 kilometers long coupled with green rock formations, some surpassing over 150 meters in height, which are considered a true geological phenomenon of the Iberian peninsula. The canyon, thus, has been named "Arribes del Duero", (not to be confused with "Ribera del Duero", which does not enjoy the same unique virgin remoteness, or the unique panoramic topography configuration of the "Arribes del Duero" canyon). This location is the birth of the largest natural park in Castile & Leon. It is befittingly named: "Parque Natural Arribes del Duero". Its location is at the only geographic point in Spain, where the Duero River and the Tormes River meet in single confluence as a natural border with Portugal. It is a natural sanctuary to an invaluable and unique European bird species habitat, including some, in danger of extinction such as the Black Stork, the Royal Owl among others, featured in National Geographics´ documentary archives.

Fermoselle has been named a Historic, Cultural, Artistic and Architectural Conjunct of the Patrimony of Spain as designated by The Commission of Spaniard Patrimony.

There are many priceless historic architectural treasures to be visited in Fermoselle. Among these are: Roman Stellas (Stars carved into stone masonry typical of Roman times architecture) found at the pilgrimage chapel of "Santa Cruz", in Fermoselle, along the route to Santiago- Also, Roman water fountains in actual working conditions among many other valuable historic architectural historical landmarks.

Fermoselle was deeply immersed, throughout the ages, in the labor of viticulture. It still harvests, today, an autochthonous grape variety called Juan Garcia, considered a pre-phylloxera varietal, which survived the phylloxera bliss, sheltered among the vineyard terraces planted on the skirts of the "Arribes del Duero" river canyon.

Without much fanfare, or publicity Fermoselle can be considered the SPANISH TUSCANY (Toscana), abundant with real-life rustic stone houses, narrow medieval streets set on stone pavers, delicious wine and starried night skies, all in their natural state and charm, reflective of a unique age that provides a natural tranquility not to be found in many locations of the planet.

One of the oldest family names in the village of Fermoselle; the Garrido family, still resides atop the gigantic boulders facing the Duero River at the southwest corner of "La Ronda" heights. Don Jorge Luis Garrido (1953- )---a descendant of Don Angel Garrido Fermoselle (1893-1979), his grandfather---as his family descendants is a wine maker and grape grower in this privileged and unique region for viticulture. Don Jorge Luis Garrido continues the Garrido family tradition of growing the Juan Garcia autochthounous grape varietal, with its origins dating back to Don Antonio Garrido Puente (1852), his Great Grandfather and Don Julian Garrido Castro (1798) his Great, Great Grandfather and Don Agustin Garrido Ramos (1732), his Great, Great, Great Grandfather, who´s father (Angel Garrido Fermoselle,1712) planted the first grapevines of the Garrido family in 1732. The Garrido family descends from jewish ancestry settled in this remote location who--as many other jewish families of the epoch, in Spain, adpated their last names derived from either: a town´s name such as: "Fermoselle" (Angel Garrido Fermoselle 1893, the Grandfather) or a physical landmark (Antonio Garrido "Puente" 1852, the Great Grandfather), "Puente" meaning "bridge" or Castro meaning "ruins of a fortified location" (Julian Garrido "Castro", the Great, Great Grandfather, 1798) or Ramos meaning "branch from a tree" (Agustin Garrido Ramos', the Great, Great, Great Grandfather, 1732).

There are plenty of colloquial restaurants with typical recipes made from natural ingredients of the area and a good lot of small quaint pubs to enjoy a quiet pre or after dinner drink. There is a Center for the Interpretation of The Natural Park of The Arribes del Duero, where visitors may enjoy a revealing exposition in different media forms, of the Natural Park´s outstanding natural environment, including a short film exposition of this remarkable historic area of Spain, where the Duero River marks the natural border with Portugal.

.