Virgen de la Cabeza Hermitage
From the distance approaching Cazorla, a white construction stands on top of the city above a rock. We are referring to the Hermitage of the Virgen de la Cabeza. It is the most striking of all the Hermitages that are preserved in our city, the location and the chosen location highlight it on the gray and green background of limestone and pines.
The Hermitage is rectangular and oriented from NE to SW, of a single height and quite modified from almost its construction, adding enough service spaces for the hermitage. The last one recently with the change of porch or deck of the entrance opening to the chapel. Among these additions, there is a narrow porch running in the eastern part of the south facade that gives an original look to the entire architectural complex. The construction is of a single height on walls of ashlar of great proportions and magnificent stonework, nowadays almost hidden under plasters and plasters. In the most western corner of the south façade, the tower is developed with semicircular openings and topped with a circular vault and rounded roof. The openings are scarce if we except the one that opened to observe the Marian image through a fence and glass.
The interior has a single nave covered with a half-barrel vault supported by arches fajones on cornices or imposts. The head and the feet are flat and we could intuit that the original access would be at the foot of the hermitage and later the lateral cover was opened.
The altarpiece he presents today is not his original but is from the remains of others from churches in Cazorla.
Among the images, in addition to that of the Virgin of the Head, it is worth mentioning that of San Antón. Highlights the small choir that in turn serves as access to the bell tower.
The Virgin of the Head patron of the city of Cazorla, finds her temple in this hermitage and in the brotherhood that maintains it and that her devotion probably comes from the end of the S: XVI and especially in the XVII. Some remains found in the surroundings and remnants of walls of its foundations make us intuit that perhaps it is built on some construction or remains of the same from the oldest period, although it is difficult to assure it before the numerous remodeling carried out on this beautiful hermitage.
Finally, an interesting fact and date is «La Romería», the last Sunday of April of each year, the Virgin goes up to the Sanctuary, and in the late afternoon, you go down to the parish, where all the Month of May.
You can see the location of this Hermitage in the Callejero de Cazorla by pressing
here.