Casas de Lázaro

The Village

Casas de Lázaro is a municipality located 41 km from Albacete in the eastern part of the region of the Sierra de Alcaraz and has approximately 330 inhabitants. Its origins date back to Arab times, according to which there was a farmhouse called Qas-Al Qasar, conquered by the King of Castile Alfonso VIII in 1213 after the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. Until the 19th century it was a hamlet of the town of Alcaraz.

The municipality is situated in the valleys created by the rivers Montemayor and Masegoso, which flow into the river Jardín. The town centre stretches from the San Marcos hill, which is the highest part of the village, to one side of the Montemayor river. On the other side of the river there is a group of houses known as la Peña, accessible by the bridge of El Caño.

Things to See

It is said that Casas de Lázaro is the place where the air begins to be purified, as this is where the first foothills of the Sierra de Alcaraz begin. The town preserves the remains of water mills and fulling mills and is surrounded by pleasant vegetation, offering outstanding places to enjoy nature and leisure activities. All of this can be seen on the Alto de los Molinos Route.

On the outskirts of the village you can see works of popular architecture that have survived the passage of time, among them a bridge, called El Caño and a cuco, that is, a kind of shelter for farm workers that was built with stones laid without mortar (called irregular masonry). These cucos have a small door facing south and used to be used to store farm tools.

The municipality also boasts various works of art. Among them we can highlight those found in the church, such as the image of the Virgen de los Dolores, by the famous Murcian sculptor Francisco Salzillo, the sculpture of San José and an oil on canvas glued to the ceiling of the altar, which represents the four evangelists over the landscape of the village.

Festivities

Among the festivals held in the town, the most important is the festivity of San José, patron saint of the municipality, which is celebrated on the same day, 19 March.

On the third Saturday in May the Romería de la Inmaculada is celebrated in the village of El Cucharal, located 3.5 km from the municipality. The villagers accompany the Virgin and once there a mass is celebrated.

The feast of Santa Lucia is celebrated on 13 December. On this day the people of Lazares make luminaries. The whole village gathers around them, eating potatoes and drinking wine.

The Looms of Casas de Lázaro

One of the most characteristic elements of the town of Casas de Lázaro has historically been its looms. A tradition that dates back to the 14th century, given that the official coat of arms of Casas de Lázaro, which dates from that period. Until the mid-20th century, it was a flourishing economic activity, most of which was sold in Hellín and Albacete.

Today, this craft activity is preserved by the Rosa family, who continue the tradition started in the 19th century by José Antonio Rosa. The only textile craft workshop that has survived the passage of time and industrialisation in Castilla-La Mancha is preserved here.