THE CROSSES of BURGUILLOS DEL CERRO: A TRADITION for CENTURIES

    Burguillos del Cerro, is a town in the Spanish region of Extremadura and has been inhabited since ancient times. Prehistoric footprints of man have been found here; just as the dolmens, which are funerary complexes, or the cave of Guruviejo, which was a mine dating from the second Iron Age.

     We can say that there has been a permanent population in Burguillos since the times of Beturia, a region between the two great rivers of the south of the Iberian peninsula, the Anas (Guadiana) and Betis (Guadalquivir). We can place the founding of Burguillos, with a population of Celtic origin in the fourth century BC. Then came the Romans during BC until the fourth century; the Visigoths, V to VII century; Muslims VIII to XIII centuries; Templar (Christians), XIII century; medieval and lastly, modern times.

     The territory of Burguillos del Cerro is very rich in natural resources: iron mines, marble and granite quarries, large tracts of oak groves, and a very good arable land for the cultivation of grains and fruit. She has made certain that since ancient times, it has been inhabited by man.

     Since the fifteenth century, a tradition began that has continued until today. The tradition that was implemented at the beginning of every century, is of a "crucero" or cross at a "Humilladero" which is defined by the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language as "a devout place marked by a cross or image that is placed at the entrance or exit, of a village's path."
 

     The following are my descriptions of the existing "Cruceros" or crosses in Burguillos del Cerro, in chronological order of execution:

San Juan Street Cross

THE CROSS of SAN JUAN STREET
     It is the oldest shrine we have in the population. Its installation is dated in the fifteenth century. It is located just outside one of the oldest streets in town: San Juan Street. It is quite near the ancient parish of San Juan and it is named after the parish. The cross is made of iron and is on a marble column.

THE CROSS OF ZAFRA STREET

     The construction of this cross was carried out in the sixteenth century. It is located at the end of the Zafra street, in a quaint and very beautiful square. It is at the exit, or old road, to the town of Zafra. The cross’ column is marble and the cross itself is from iron.

Zafra Street Cross

Entrance to Burguillos from Zafra Strret

     A few years ago, while some construction work was being done in a home in Bogarra alley near Zafra Street, masons found, in an opening with foundations for a kitchen in the yard, a piece of marble of about 50 cm. in length. On one side it has a sculpted Christ on the cross and opposite face, the Virgin Mary. These reliefs are very typical of the sixteenth century ‘cruceros’. Therefore, after archaeologists were consulted for dating it, I concluded that this piece of marble belongs to cross on Zafra street. It might have been destroyed by people opposed to religion and the remains buried to hide them. The cross would have been restored as we see it today. This piece of sculptured marble (pictures below) is currently exhibited in the Municipal Archaeological Museum located in the Casa del Corregidor.

                     

Relief sculpture of Jesus Christ, opposite on the relief is of the Virgin

        Very close to this cross, in the lower part of the castle, a place known as the "Balcony of Pilate", the "Prado Gallows" is located to the side. The Lordship of Burguillos - the Dukes of Béjar, had proper jurisdiction at the time, passing judgments and death sentences. It is in this "Prado Gallows" where convicts were executed.

      The Cross on Zafra street was a place of prayer and prayers for those executed.

THE CROSS ON JEREZ STREET
     At the foot of the column of this cross, the date of 1614 is inscribed as the construction date. It is located just out of Burguillos towards Jerez de los Caballeros. Its first location was at the end of Jerez street. It is now located in the courtyard entrance to the nursing or assisted living home for the eldery. The entire cross is made of marble.

Jerez Street Cross

THE CROSS of  "CORRAL DEL CONSEJO"
     Installation of this cross must have been performed in the eighteenth century. It was originally located in the upper part of the plaza. Due to population growth, it was later installed at the end of Medina Street, at the exit of the town towards Medina de las Torres. This new place was bordering "Corral del Consejo" (Corral Council is an open air storage of the city council), of where its name is derived from. Even in modern times, it had to endure a new change of location being transferred to the driveway of the former Convent of the Wounds of San Francisco (Llagas de San Francisco), one kilometer from the town towards Zafra, where it is now. This cross has a marble column and an iron cross.

The "Corral" Council Cross

THE EJIDO CROSS
     The installation of this cross took place in the early twentieth century in what was then an area called Ejido; today it is the neighborhood of Vista Hermosa. The cross was knocked down and destroyed within a few days of installation by people opposed to the religion. This was a great disappointment to the people of Burguillos, organizing a collection among them to gather enough money to buy a new cross, which is better than the one demolished. Three months later the new cross was installed, accompanied by festivities and a procession with children singing, from the Chapel of Christ. This cross is now preserved; it is all made of iron.

The Ejido Cross

THE 21st CENTURY CROSS
     This cross is located just outside Burguillos towards the town of Valverde de Burguillos. It was placed at the beginning of 2000. It is made of granite from the quarries of Burguillos. As the Director of the company that made it, I had the honor of designing the cross and approved the donation for the town of Burguillos.

21st Century Cross

THE 19th CENTURY
     As you have observed, we lack the cross that should have been placed in the early nineteenth century. This century was very turbulent. First, with the French invasion when Napoleon's troops reached all the way into Burguillos where there was a battle in the vicinity. In the following decades there were continual revolts of the laborers, so it was a very contentious century. I have not been able to document the existence of a cross at this time. I am therefore inclined to think that the tradition was not saved and no cross was placed in the nineteenth century.


FUTURE CROSS

     At the beginning of 22nd century, there will be significant technological advances as surely man is about to reach the planet Mars, on a ship headed from the NASA Space Center in Houston.
     And in Burguillos del Cerro, a tradition that began in the fifteenth century, will continue: Burguillanos will place a new cross at the beginning of the XXII century, as a sign of welcome and goodwill to all travelers arriving in our beloved town.

Written by: Antonio Surribas Parra; Burguillos del Cerro
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NOTE* In my visit to Burguillos, I saw some of these crosses and they intrigued me. Now, It impresses me more to know that in my travels, I have only seen them in Ireland and Galicia, Spain. Perhaps there are more in Extremadura, but not to the extent of becoming a historical tradition as in Burguillos. 
For the Spanish version of this article, please visit Mr. Surribas' Parra blog - click on link above.
Incidentally, I came upon Mr. Surrbas' blog when I was doing research for my project this past November. I wrote to him via his blog and we have been in contacted ever since.
Thank you for all your invaluable information!
Raquel Aguilar