Bienservida

The Village

In the southeast of the province of Albacete and 110 kilometres from the capital is the town of Bienservida, in the region of the Sierra de Alcaraz. With a population of just over 700 inhabitants, it is naturally surrounded by the Padrón and Cerro Vico mountains, as well as the source of the river "La Madre", bordering the provinces of Jaén and Ciudad Real.

Bienservida is a town where different periods have left their mark, such as the tools found from the Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods (the most relevant piece, the "León de Bienservida" from the Iberian civilisation) or the Church of San Bartolomé from the 16th century.

It is an eminently agricultural village, with a large area of olive groves, which even has its own cooperative, "Nuestra Señora de Turruchel". It offers a wide range of natural, cultural and gastronomic attractions for those who want to get to know a treasure unknown to many in the heart of the Sierra de Alcaraz region.

Things to See

In addition to its impressive Church of San Bartolomé, Bienservida has fascinating landscapes full of colour with incomparable natural spaces such as La Pileta, a valley surrounded by a rock formation, El Padrón, which at its peak has a spring whose water joins the river "La Mesta". The surrounding area is an ideal place for excursions and camping. The climb to the Millenary Yew is a good example of this.

In Bienservida you can contemplate the best of the mountains thanks to the Provincial Circuits of Popular and Trail Races that are held periodically. To enjoy during festivities and throughout the year, Bienservida offers its visitors important dishes that leave no one indifferent, such as typical dishes like andrajos, gazpacho manchego or pickled partridge; not forgetting the sweetest homemade dishes such as fried donuts, sighs, sweet rice or flowers.

Festivities

Every 8 September Bienservida has an unmissable date with its patronal fiestas in honour of the Virgen de Turruchel. A religious festivity in which the procession of the Virgin stands out, as well as the traditional bull runs and open-air dances and a host of events suitable for all audiences. Months before, on the third Sunday in May, the inhabitants of Bienservida take the virgin to her hermitage, the hermitage of Turruchel, where she can be visited until August, when the locals bring Nuestra Señora del Turruchel back to the church.

Other important festivity in Bienservida is the 24th of August, the day of the patron saint of the village, San Bartolomé.

High Altarpiece of the Church of San Bartolomé

The main altarpiece of the Church of San Bartolomé is a great jewel of the Renaissance that occupies the whole of the head of the altar. It stands out for its majesty and large dimensions. Fourteen metres high by nine metres wide, it is presided over by the titular figure, Saint Bartholomew, and two parts can be distinguished in it, separated by an entablature: the lower part, consisting of a bench and two sections, is a Plateresque work from the first third of the 16th century; while the upper part is from the beginning of the 17th century and seems to belong to Castilian Mannerism. It combines sculpture and painting with great skill, giving the whole a great aesthetic unity.

Although there is no documentary proof, its financing is attributed to the Countess of Paredes, who in the 16th century wanted to recognise the treatment that this small town had given her throughout her life, by ordering the construction of this beautiful complex, which was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1991.