Look closely at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and you’ll see red brick and a fine white stone on corners, mouldings and balustrades. That stone is Colmenar limestone, quarried in this town half an hour from Aranjuez. The royal palaces of Madrid used it too.
Colmenar de Oreja grew rich on stone and wine. Today it keeps an 18th-century arcaded Plaza Mayor, built over a ravine, and the church of Santa María la Mayor, founded by the Order of Santiago in the 13th century. The painter Ulpiano Checa was born here, and his museum holds the largest collection of his work.
It’s the perfect partner for Chinchón: they’re only a few kilometres apart, and the old railway that linked them is now a path for walking or cycling.
What few people tell you
- Colmenar's limestone quarries supplied the royal palaces of Madrid and Aranjuez. That fine white stone you see on the palace came from here.
- Its historic centre is a protected heritage site, and far quieter than Chinchón's.
- The town grew on stone and wine: look out for the huge clay jars, a local symbol.
Sources and official links
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