Villanueva de Sigena
Encyclopedia
Villanueva de Sigena or Villanueva de Sijena is a small village in the rather arid and deserted area of Los Monegros, in the province of Huesca (Spain
), near the Alcanadre
river The local economy is mostly based on agriculture, particularly corn, sunflower, rice, and cereals, with goats and sheep.
The Monastery of Santa María de Sigena
is located close to this town. Mount Sigena is a hill of the Sierra de Alcubierre
located 5 km to the south.
Villanueva de Sigena is the birthplace of the physician and heterodox theologian, Michael Servetus
(1511?-1553). Servetus was the discoverer of pulmonary circulation
, Michael Servetus
. A museum and interpretation center is maintained by the Michael Servetus Institute at the old house were Servetus was born, after a major restoration in 2002.
Nearby there is the original settlement, based round the partially ruined, and once wealthy and aristocratic Romanesque convent of Santa María la Real de Sijena, founded in 1183 by Sancha of Castile, Queen of Aragon
. This was largely destroyed by fire in 1936 by anti-clerical
Republicans in the Spanish Civil War
. It is now in the process of restoration, and has been reoccupied by nuns since 1985. Several royal burials were made in the convent church, including Sancha, who died there, her son Pedro II of Aragon and two of his sisters.
The chapter house
housed extremely important Romanesque
fresco
s of about 1200 by largely English artists, probably including some of those who produced the Winchester Bible
; this was only realized after their destruction. The artists also appear to have visited Palermo
before Sigena, as some influence from mosaics there can be seen. The frescos had been fully photographed in black and white shortly before their destruction, and the remaining damaged sections, mostly having lost their colour, are in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
in Barcelona
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
), near the Alcanadre
Alcanadre
Alcanadre is a town and municipality in La Rioja province in northern Spain. The town is located along the Ebro River, between Logroño and Calahorra. Alcanadre has a temperate, Mediterranean climate. Its major agricultural products are wine, olive oil, almonds, and grain...
river The local economy is mostly based on agriculture, particularly corn, sunflower, rice, and cereals, with goats and sheep.
The Monastery of Santa María de Sigena
Monastery of Santa María de Sigena
Monasterio de Santa María de Sigena is a monastery in Villanueva de Sigena, Aragon, Spain. It was constructed between 1183 and 1208, by will of queen Sancha of Castile, wife of Alfonso II of Aragon, as a monastery for nuns from the richest families of Aragon....
is located close to this town. Mount Sigena is a hill of the Sierra de Alcubierre
Sierra de Alcubierre
Sierra de Alcubierre is a long mountain range in the Monegros comarca, Aragon, Spain. It is located between the provinces of Zaragoza and Huesca...
located 5 km to the south.
Villanueva de Sigena is the birthplace of the physician and heterodox theologian, Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus was a Spanish theologian, physician, cartographer, and humanist. He was the first European to correctly describe the function of pulmonary circulation...
(1511?-1553). Servetus was the discoverer of pulmonary circulation
Pulmonary circulation
Pulmonary circulation is the half portion of the cardiovascular system which carries Oxygen-depleted Blood away from the heart, to the Lungs, and returns oxygenated blood back to the heart. Encyclopedic description and discovery of the pulmonary circulation is widely attributed to Doctor Ibn...
, Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus was a Spanish theologian, physician, cartographer, and humanist. He was the first European to correctly describe the function of pulmonary circulation...
. A museum and interpretation center is maintained by the Michael Servetus Institute at the old house were Servetus was born, after a major restoration in 2002.
Nearby there is the original settlement, based round the partially ruined, and once wealthy and aristocratic Romanesque convent of Santa María la Real de Sijena, founded in 1183 by Sancha of Castile, Queen of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
. This was largely destroyed by fire in 1936 by anti-clerical
Anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
Republicans in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. It is now in the process of restoration, and has been reoccupied by nuns since 1985. Several royal burials were made in the convent church, including Sancha, who died there, her son Pedro II of Aragon and two of his sisters.
The chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
housed extremely important Romanesque
Romanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque...
fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s of about 1200 by largely English artists, probably including some of those who produced the Winchester Bible
Winchester Bible
The Winchester Bible is a Romanesque illuminated manuscript produced in Winchester between 1160 and 1175. With folios measuring 583 x 396 mm., it is the largest surviving 12th-century English Bible...
; this was only realized after their destruction. The artists also appear to have visited Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
before Sigena, as some influence from mosaics there can be seen. The frescos had been fully photographed in black and white shortly before their destruction, and the remaining damaged sections, mostly having lost their colour, are in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya , abbreviated as MNAC, is a museum of Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Catalonia. It is housed in the Palau Nacional, built for the 1929 World's Fair...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
.
See also
- MonegrosMonegrosLos Monegros is a comarca in Aragon, Spain. It is located within the provinces of Zaragoza and Huesca. The area is prone to chronic droughts, and much of the area is badlands....
- Monastery of Santa María de SigenaMonastery of Santa María de SigenaMonasterio de Santa María de Sigena is a monastery in Villanueva de Sigena, Aragon, Spain. It was constructed between 1183 and 1208, by will of queen Sancha of Castile, wife of Alfonso II of Aragon, as a monastery for nuns from the richest families of Aragon....
- List of municipalities in Zaragoza