Alba de los Cardaños, in the municipality of Velilla del Río Carrión, is situated in the northwestern region of the province of Palencia (Spain). The town is located on the banks of the Camporredondo reservoir in an area of great ecological significance and characterised by its impressive mountain landscapes.
Film photography
This was part of a great day out exploring the Palencia region of Spaim. I stumbled across Alba de los Cardaños by chance, just driving through and made a point of stopping to explore. That proved to be a good decision!
I took all the photos using a Nikon FE2 camera with Delta 100 film. Developer: LC-29 1+29, developed for 7.5 minutes @20C.
The photos were digitised using a Nikon Z6 mirrorless digital camera with a Tokina AT-X Pro Macro 100mm f2.8 D lens and processed using Capture One software.
Film roll No’s 265 and 266
About Alba de los Cardaños
Historically, Alba de los Cardaños comprised three distinct neighbourhoods: Barrio Castro, Barrio de Campo, and Barrio de Río. Regrettably, the Barrio de Río (river district) was submerged by the Camporredondo reservoir in approximately 1929.
Ermita del Bendito Cristo del Río
The original Ermita del Bendito Cristo (Image of the Blessed Christ of the River) was situated within the Barrio de Río, the neighbourhood that was subsequently submerged by the reservoir. A subsequent Ermita del Bendito Cristo was constructed on the reservoir’s banks, between Barrio Castro and Barrio de Campo. Within this hermitage, the venerated images of the blessed passionate Justiniano Cuesta Redondo and Pedro Largo Redondo, both beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 1989, are enshrined. Additionally, a commemorative tombstone honours the Blessed of Alba.
Churches
Alba de los Cardaños is home to two parish churches: the Church of San Justo and Pastor and the Church of San Juan Bautista. Both churches possess a history spanning over four centuries.
The Church of San Justo and Pastor, with its Romanesque origins, underwent a comprehensive restoration in 1958, undertaken by the widow of Samaniego. This restoration is commemorated by an inscription embedded within the south wall of the nave.
The church’s floor plan features a single nave, a flat apse with an attached side chapel, and an open sacristy on the south side. The church’s construction is made of rendered masonry and angular limestone ashlars. The nave is covered with a wooden gabled structure and a star-shaped ribbed vault in the presbytery. On the south side, there is an open entrance porch that shelters the sole entrance into the church.
The other church, San Juan Bautista, is located in the Mario Campo neighbourhood. It is Gothic in style and dates back to the 15th century.
Shepherd’s Hut
A shepherd’s hut (chozo) constructed of stone and branches used as a shelter by the shepherds of Alba in years gone by is located just below the Mirador (viewpoint) de Alba de los Cardaños. The mirador offers breathtaking views of the Camporredondo Reservoir, including the dam and the emblematic Pico Espigüete.
Alba de los Cardaños photo gallery
These are all the photographs I took…
Click on any photo to see a larger version.
